SOME GEOLOGICAL STUDIES ON NORTHWESTERN 



WASHINGTON AND ADJACENT BRITISH 



TERRITORY. 



By Albert B. Reagan, Mora, Wash. 



THE region under consideration extends in a north and south 

 direction from the city of Bellingham north to the Fraser river 

 in British Columbia; and in an east and west direction from the 

 foot-hills of the Sumas and Selkirk mountains to Georgian Bay. 

 For the most part its practically low, level surface consists of estuary 

 and glacial deposits, some trap and granite rock, and a small patch 

 of Eocene exposed in British Columbia and a larger patch of 

 Eocene at Bellingham. The whole region was once heavily tim- 

 bered, but now, on the southern side of the international boundary- 

 line, it is about half cleared and the other part might be termed 

 "logged off" lands, as the best timber has been cut. And now 

 railways and wagon roads traverse it in all directions. The area in 

 British Columbia is still in the virgin state, with the exceptions of 

 a few clearings here and there. In the Fraser delta, however, there 

 are large areas of cleared land. At places it is thickly settled. 

 Also large cities are on the river here. The cleared lands are valued 

 at from $60 to $120 per acre; the "logged off" lands on the Ameri- 

 can side, $10 per acre. The region is a difficult one in which to 

 trace out geological formations in detail. Only a reconnoisance 

 trip was made in British territory. 



LITERATURE. 



In volume I of the Washington Geological Survey, Prof. Henry 

 Landes, state geologist, describes the region in the vicinity of Bel- 

 lingham, giving the resources of the same in detail. A further 

 mention of his work will be given when the subjects concerned are 

 considered. 



STRATIGRAPHICAL SECTIONS. 



1. Section at the water's edge one-half mile south of Fish Point: 



1. Dark brown sand, containing layers of oyster shells, which 



seem to indicate that the deposit had evidently been at 



least a tide- water beach 1 foot. 



2. Light brown sand tinged occasionally with ocher 10 feet. 



3. Blue ground moraine clay, containing small water-worn 



granite fragments, also large granite boulders of glacial 

 origin, as is demonstrated by parallel scratches and by 



one face of the boulders being flattened 14 " 



(95) 



