168 GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES 
beaches and other shore features to develop. Its depth was about 
40 feet. The lowest point on the margin of this basin is at Hatchet 
Gap which leads into the valley of Hatchet Creek. The fill in Playas 
Valley is probably very thick, and nothing is known of the configura- 
tion of its bedrock floor. An 836-foot well near its center was entirely 
in loam, sand, and gravel. These deposits contain considerable water, 
which is pumped for stock and domestic use and to a small extent for 
irrigation. Ataranch about 25 miles south of the railroad-there is an 
artesian well yielding about 5 gallons a minute from a depth of 102 
eet. 
Southwest of the Playas Valley are the Animas Mountains,” a long . 
rugged ridge consisting largely of lavas of Tertiary age in widespread 
Pla sheets considerably flexed and faulted. In their 
yas. : ‘ 3 - ; , 
eiitddwdsix ta higher parts is an extensive pine forest included in the 
Population 20." Coronado National Forest. The Continental Divide 
gc ey 1825 is crossed on the inconspicuous summit a few miles 
west of Playas siding, at an elevation of about 4,515 
feet. To the west of this point the drainage flows into the Animas 
River, which empties into the playas west of Lordsburg. These 
playas, on the rare occasions when they overflow, drain into the Gila 
River, which empties into the Colorado River and thus into the 
Gulf of California. 
The detached ridges near the railroad between Antelope and Animas 
sidings are formed by Tertiary lavas. In this region there are fine 
hele views of the distant mountains, notably the Hatchet 
Elevation 4,405 feet. Mountains, 25 miles southeast. To the north are 
eae 1336 the id Mountains, which end just south of 
| Lordsburg, on the north line of the Southern Pacific 
Railroad. According to Sauer and Brand * remains of very old 
Indian settlements have been unearthed in the Animas Valley, and 
there is evidence that crops were raised on some of the larger flats, 
doubtless by the use of flood waters. One notable settlement, which 
covered 60 acres or more, was at a large spring west of Animas, which 
was dried up by the earthquake of 1887. Many types of pottery and 
other utensils were found in the vicinity. 
There are ranches scattered along Animas Valley which obtain 
water from wells in the valley fill. Some water, mostly pumped by 
gasoline engines, is used for irrigation. 
mm On Flse entral eastern slope of this | southwest of Playas siding consist 
Tange, aoe —_ of ar k called Gill largely of limestone of the Magdalena. 
= ; » imestone with Comanche group (Carboniferous) and quartzite 
fossils (possibly reworked) is extensively and shale of Comanche age. These 
a boat much if not all of it, however, | strata are cut by large masses of por- 
ik conglomerat and the erials may Phyry which have been forced up in a 
age. TI % California Univ. Pubs. in Geog- 
of raphy, vol. 7 
Fa, No. 7, 1930. 
