DENVER & RIO GRANDE WESTERN ROUTE. 167 
The railroad gradually descends the slope, and at Chester it is at 
the level of Tomichi Creek. For some distance the valley is small 
and narrow, but farther on it opens, and crops of 
a hay may be seen on the flood plain. The chief 
Deena industry of the country is stock raising, for the 
high mountains afford excellent summer pasture 
and the bottoms along the creeks produce hay for the subsistence of 
the stock during the winter. Cattle may be seen on the range at 
many places, especially in midsummer, and bands of sheep find pas- 
ture at the foot of the highest mountains, (See Pl. LXX, @.) 
Below Chester the valley expands, and at Sargent the stream, 
which the railroad has been following, is joined by a large branch 
from the north. Sargent is a busy railroad point 
Sargent. which still bears the marks of a frontier settlement. 
expt feet. Here “helper” engines are kept to assist the trains 
Denver 257 miles, Up the heavy grade to the summit. The rock near 
Sargent is mainly granite, but it is not conspicuous, 
for most of the slopes are smooth and round and few ledges are visi- 
ble. The granite ex- 
tends as far as mile- PE 
post 263, where it is £9 
replaced by sandstone nw, “3 SE. 
(Dakota), which forms Mancos shale <\ 2 — act 
& pronounced hogback ) et eee ay 
on both sides of the YY Ife sence 
tracks. This hogback © gs LE Fee 
forms one edge of a (=== OMe $235 
broad, flat basin of pug ras ast ateiinieey ce Ue Ea es Gre re thine 
Sedimentary rocks that 
extends pr actically to Ficure 43.—Overturned eastern rim of the syncline at 
Gunnison. Where first Crookton, Dakota sandstone dips steeply to 
Seen the Dakota sand- nage? ; 
stone is overturned, as shown in figure 48, showing that the down- 
folding of the basin was accompanied by a strong thrust from the 
east, 
The Mancos shale forms the surface of the inner part of this great 
basin for a long distance. This shale is so soft that it is seldom seen 
in outcrop, but it has a decided effect in subduing the features of 
the landscape. The valley has a width of 2 or 3 miles, the slopes 
bordering it are gentle, and the hills are low. In the midst of the 
broad valley, or rather on its north (right) border, is a promient 
mountain called Tomichi Dome, which rises more than 2,000 feet 
