Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 March 1859 — Niagra Falls do not Aff rd. a Data, for Chronology. [ARTICLE]

Niagra Falls do not Aff rd. a Data, for Chronology.

In the February number of the Cincinnatus, says t lie Cincinnati Gazette, is an extremely able and interesting geological article by | Prof. Chris y, on the relation of Niagara Falls to Chronology. It is generally claimed by geologists, that the present chasm from tue Fills to Queenston, was the work ot the Niagara R ver, and that this river was 3 >,OOO years in eating away the solid Silurian rock! Prof. Christy admit that the period i n>t too long lor the work, but does not admit that the present chasm, or channel, was i xtiiv.it dby the present, river. In support ol his view, viz; That the channel of Niagara, with iis two outlets—the one to Queenston the other to St. 1) tvids—;.vas excavated by the retreat “t the Palm zoic sei-. Prof. Christy refers to a series o similar excavations extending from Niagara to Huntsville. Alubam i. evidently of ihe same ge dogical age. T.iese excav-tions are in most cases oi a size’ totally incommensurate with the size an'l loree ot the stream; n > v runnnig in them. T iey are, some of tuem througn mountain limestone. (Jf one of these excav it ions, lie s.iv's: "’rims the Tqnne-sei-presents a rivervalli‘y. v trying in widiii rom <ne mile to t.velve, wtiicji is cut out o, th ■ hiriZontal .imeSliilii', to th.• deptli ol a thousand leet,as the maximum, and li ,v;ng i length of more than om- hundred mle . Ba'- at S.v inniii, ami thence to the m m'li i t’r‘ Ij mi.ss ‘e, the. Strata, in.-te.id <i being ho.",;: >iital. h ive O.yn th o<vn up at v iri ms angLs o! inciin i tion, Ifom 'in ‘degree to pvrh tps thirty; .nrl. ; wh m first I'h'Vuied, i;‘ a ilenu ling IBrce of I no greater power th ,n th? pre- nt riv 'r existed, these strata Would lor. vt have C ii!i:siilutedau im'pregn .bit b i.rrier to the pr'|>- ■ gross o; the river. But. at thui m m ‘ill.,'.tin. agency must, hiv ■ b -i-n in op ? ati m wnieii l ire up .md b >re oft’, w itli ' equ i 1 ease’, the mighty m isses o; rock ib.sl rucl mg its h--tiler ti.H-.z hi: .< I or vertical.” 1' ie investig tioii of t ie strata of this ch mnei shows tint, the channel was m ide it the close o! the P ike >z hc period, th<* later form.il ions resting upon the denuded lime stou'. Tin* p >~iti hi of the fo-ina’lon at N. igaru sustain- P i . Ct’s vi -.v: •■Th” I) luv ii >i oceu lies both sides the r : ver upon t. ie Cnli’s. as well as the L >ess. but it. als i liiis iheg ip in ta • iiuri m rocks at t’ii” w i ri io >l, so .is to dem .nitrate th it tli' ci in T‘l of St. D.ve.l.s' was exe.iV.ited beHire rfie exi-tenc ‘ of N .igar ..’’ G“o| jgy est itiiis'i -s ti” fact.th it the Ni•ugar i mwer d > ved t i ‘ sitg’i S . D ivids’ V <i1’ y. Ti” c'l ism of St. 1) >vid.v Ii >wever. iip to the w iiHpoil in n.-uJy a direct line with th” ch.mn ‘I ol the river above: “It it n >t prob ib le t hit. it term in it; d I here, bee. mse it. is n it p issi'ol • th .1 the ancient e.n rents rem wed the Sihi r, i:i strata the whole length and depth o. S.. Davids, and ill n suspeiidt d the process at < he VTVmari gin of tr“ v lirl >i> ■ to cut its w.i.v afterward.’ through tie? sol.i.J rock to Qu en-t >n. at. a higher elevation, rat her t!i m t > ru s i o it at ! h • g i p an 1 swe«p aw.iv its loose mite'-ials. I- is mm:ii m ire rat i mil to siipp.ise that the ch.mel \i.g i r.i. with its two on lets, was excav.itvil <y the retreat o th” Piw ,z >ie seas, ami tail bH i were filled again uy lile D iuvi.il eurj’ents the ni? to Q lel'ii-t hi n ’ being tilled up to a level w t i tli •(. io S . 1) A ids. This would turn the ; waters ol Niagara to Qieen-ion wliejl they commenced toll iW.an l iliowtlie L less to be dep <sited upon Ihe cliffs ami icross upon the Diluvium in the ch .sm: thus leaving b >lh L i ‘ss an I limit to be rem iv •<! as so hi as the river assumed its present condition a ui swiftness ot current.” Proless >r (brristy sit u, up: “T ie 3o.0l)0 years theory h <sbi.it one item ot negative testimony to sustain in—that M the absence of the L k'bs in tin? chasm below th • citaract. —Tins is truly but a slender thread upm which to susp.'n 1 a theory <H s > much in >m mt, an I on which such r -liance his been placed in the discussion of questions of chr imilogv. On the other li.md, there is much positive testimony, all tending to prove th u Niigir.i, instead o< having j w >rn oat its own c!i mnel, li is b >t >wed me exc.ivated by the cui'iVii.s of the displaced I P i te <z fie s<‘ is; <nd which would, necess irilv. ! li ive ti 'cn swept. o< us D ltiviii.ii an I L >.‘ss, j in a single day. by currents eq 1 iling in orce ! th >se ii i v ru-ii n ? from the Falls to Queen- ; stun. Niagir?- .-uppiies n> elements fur j Hie comp itation ol ch m ilogy.— i’he proi gre.-s ot geological -■■. nee, tor the last few years, lias brought ■<■ -ulli. ient facts to i demonstrate the truth < this generalization.”