THE PETRIFIED FORESTS OF ARIZONA. 



By Lester F. Ward. 



December 12, 1899. 



Sir: In compliance with your instructions dated October 9, 1899, 

 directing- me "to visit what is known as the "Petrified Forests of Ari- 

 zona,' and, upon your arrival in Washington, render a detailed report 

 of your investigations and observations concerning the same, including 

 such information as may be of value touching the proposition to set 

 aside the region embracing the Petrified Forests as a national park," 

 I have the honor to make the following report: 



In order to place the subject in as clear a light as possible, 1 will 

 first give a brief historical account of the recent movement in favor 

 of making a public reservation of the region embracing the Petrified 

 Forests of Arizona. 



In 1895 the legislative assembly of the Territory of Arizona adopted 

 the following memorial to Congress: 



HOUSE MEMORIAL No. 4. 



To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress 



assembled: 



We, your memorialists, the eighteenth legislative assembly of Arizona, beg leave 

 to represent to your honorable bodies: 



First. That there is in the northern part of this Territory, lying within the borders 

 of Apache County, near the town of Holbrook, a wonderful deposit of petrified wood 

 commonly called the "Petrified Forest" or "Chalcedony Park." 



This deposit or forest is unequaled for its extent, the size of the trees, and the 

 beauty and great variety of coloring found in the logs. 



The country 10 miles square is covered by the trunks of trees, some of which meas- 

 ure over 200 feet in length and from 7 to 10 feet in diameter. 



Ruthless curiosity seekers are destroying these huge trees and logs by blasting them 

 in pieces in search of crystals, which are found in the center of many of them, while 

 carloads of the limbs and smaller pieces are being shipped away to be ground up for 

 various purposes. 



Second. Believing that this wonderful deposit should be kept inviolate, that future 

 generations may enjoy its beauties and study one of the most curious and interesting 

 effects of nature's forces, 



1 Reprint of Report on the Petrified Forests of Arizona, by Prof. Lester F. Ward, to the Director of 

 the U. S. Geological Survey, published by the Department of the Interior. Further removal of the 

 fossil trees has been restricted under regulations of the Interior Department. 



SM 99 19 289 



