GEOLOGICAL NEWS LETTER OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE PORTLAND, OREGON Vo/. 19. GEOLOGICAL NEWS-LETTER Official Publication of the Gcolo2ical Society of the Ore11on Country 703 Times Building, Portland 4, Oregon POST MASTER: Return Posta2c Guaranteed PROPERTY oP STATE DEP'T OF OEOLOOY If. jll.INBRAL INDUSTRlfiS1 -;;e. 6 <-,, 'I (;f1'icers of i!:xccuti ve Board, 1952 - 1953 Zone Phone Presi.ient: l·:r. Norris !J. Stone 1645'1 S .l'. Gl.et;.!"orrl.e Dl"'i ve. Onwcgo BL 1.-lj Vice-Pres: ~;r. Raymond L. Baldwin 4804 S.W. Laurel.wood Drive l CH 145• Secretary: Ers. Johanna Simon 7006 S.E. 21st Avenue 2 EN 051,S 'fr<.!asurer: tlr. H.obert F. Wilbur 2020 S.E. Salmon Street 15 V2, 72~ i)irectors: J.;r, Rudolph Erickoon (1955) Hr. E. Cleveland Johnson (1954) Hr. Louis E. Oberson (1953) 1-lr. A. D. Vance (1953) lllI'. Ford E Wiloon (1954) Staff of Geological News Letter E1itor Smeritus: }'.r. Orrin i>. St <J.nley 2601 S.3. 49th Avenue 6 VE 125C iditcr: hrs. ll.u:iolph Ericlrnon ?..49 S.W, Gl.,nreorrie Driv< O~"""~ BL 1-lC As-:,t. Edi tcr: 1;rs. Nay R. Bushby 1202 s.w. Cardinell Drive 1 CA 212; Assoc. Editors: Er. Phil ilrogan 11+26 Ilarmon Blvd. , Bend 266- !<'. H. Libbey 1''ord E Hilson A. D. Vance Mrs. Albert Keen l"lc,ra Editors: Leo r'. Simon Nrs. Leonard M. Buoy Bus Lness Manager: Raymon:! L. Bal:l1dn 4801, S.'v[. Laurelwood Drive 1 SuCIETY OBJECTIVES To provide facilities for members of the Society to study Geology, particularly the geology of the Orer,on CountrJ. The establishment and maintenance of a library an1 museum of geologic:i.l works, maps, and specimens. The encouragement of geological study among amateurs. The support and promotion of geologic investigation in the Oregon Country. ~ The designation, preservation, a.'ld interpretation of important geological features or the Oregon Country. The develoµnent of the mental capacities of its members in the study of geology an.f the promotion of better acquaintance an:! closer association between those enr,d.ged in the above objectives. SCJCIETY ACTIVITU:S, 1952 - 1953 i!.'VliITNG l·;EETINGS: Formal lectures or informal round-table discussions, on geological subjects, on the second and fourth 1''ridays of each month, at Public Library Hall, S.W. Tenth Avenue and Yamhill Street. 8:00 P.M. FIELD Tll.IPS: Usually, one :;.'ield trip is schejuled for each month. LUNCH:l!I.NS: Informal luncheons, with geologic motif, each Thursday noon, at Chnmber of Com.l!erce, 821, S.\l. Fifth Avenue. 85 cents per plate. PUBLICATION: The Gcc:!.l~ical News Letter, issued once each nonth, is 01ficial publication. NEMBERSHIPS A Manter shall be a person at least twenty-one years of aee who is interested in an·i supports the aims and objects of the Society and 11ho has been reconu.,ended by the men:b•3r• ship ccrr;.d.t.tee. A reeular ruember;,hip comprises: (a) a 'single person, or (b) a husb:md an·l \life, •·ith children under 18 years of age. A Junior Hauber shall be a person under 4 t11enty-one ;rears of age, 11ith like qualifications and reco1rnnendation. Each membership receives on:;: subscription to the Geological News Letter. Persons desiring to become memters should contact the ~;e:nbership Chairman, Nr. Albcr1 l\een, 2705 N.z. l,lst Ave., Phone GA 0229. Annual dues are ,iJ. 50 for residents of Nu1tnolll1 and adjacent counties, .,;2.50 for others, and .;i.50 for Junior Nembers. ll.emitta.'1ces shoulc Vol. 19, No. 1 GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE CREGON COUNTRY 1 January 1953 Portland, Oregon CALENDAR FOR JANUARY - i953 Thursday NEW YEARS' DAY - No luncheon meeting. Jan. 1 Tuesday Library Browsing time "Your Library and Mine" Jan. 6 Residence of Mr. and Mrs. Edw. Bushby, 1202 S.W. Cardinell Drive Thursday Luncheon meeting - YMCA Cafeteria Jan. $ Friday Friday night meeting Library Hall - B:OO p.m. Jan. 9 Dr. Arthur H. Livermore of the Department of Chemistry at Reed College will talk on "Atomic Energy and Its Peacetime Uses." Bring your scientifically minded friends. Thursday Luncheon meeting - YMCA Cafeteria Jan. 15 Tuesday Library Browsing time 11 Your Library and Mine" Jan. 20 Residence Mr. and Mrs. Eclw. Bushby, 1202 S.W. Cardinell Drive Thursday Luncheon meeting - YMCA Cafeteria Jan. 22 Friday Friday night meeting Library Hall - B:OO p.m. Jan. 23 A collection of excellent slides of various minerals has been received by the Portland State Extension Center. These will be shown and described by Mr. Tan Matthews and Mr. Lenin Ramp of the State Depart­ ment of Geology and Mineral Industries. Thursday Luncheon meeting - YMCA Cafeteria Jan. 29 Tuesday Library Browsing time "Your Library and Mine" Feb. 3 Residence Mr. and Mrs. Edw. Bushby, 1202 S.W. Cardinell Drive FIEID TRIP There will be no Field Trip for January. Probably a "Basement Trip" sane time in February. Watch for details in next News Letter. CHANGE OF ADDRESS Mr. and Mrs. B. J. Lindeman 2531 S.E. Vinyard Way Milwaukie, Oregon Phone: Evergreen 1-5841 Mr, and Mrs. Paul W. Howell Department of Geology University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona 2 GIDLOGICAL SOCIETY OF THE OREGON COUNTRY vol.19. no.l NOMINATIONS FOR OFFICERS OF G.S.o.c. FOR 1953 According to Mr. F. W. Libbey, Chairman of the Naninating Committee, the following nc:minees for officers for the Society have been named for 1953: President • Mr. Ray L. Baldwin Vice President. Mr. Orrin E. Stanley Secretary Mrs. Johanna Simon Treasurer Mr. R. F. Wilbur Director Mr. A. D. Vance Editor of News Letter Mrs. Albert Keen J.E. MIL RUSSELL NCRTON TO TALK ON JADE A talk by Mr. Russell Norton, a charter member of G.s.o.c., on Alaskan jade, also jade from other localities, will be given on Friday, January 16, at a regu­ lar meeting of Oregon Agate and Mineral Society at Maccabee Hall, 63rd Avenue just off Sandy Boulevard. Visitors are welccme. ANNUAL BANQUET Plans are unier way for this year's annual jamboree to which all loyal Geesockers look forward with well-deserved anticipation. President Norris Stone and banquet chainnan Mrs. Albert Keen tell us that our banquet this year is to be a "home talent" affair and that we are to look forward to an evening of heart-wanning relaxation and pleasure. Ticket sale as usual is in charge of Leo Simon, who will be on hand at our January Friday-night meetings the 9th and 23rd to make reservation. Leo, incidentally, is to be emcee of the occasion. The banquet will be in the banquet roans of Mt. Tabor Presby­ terian Church, 55th and Belmont. The date Friday, March 13. Make your reserva­ tion now!! MRS. F. W. UBBEY We were saddened to learn of the death on December 22 of G.s.o.c. member, Mrs. F. W. Libbey, who had been in poor health for some time. Services were held the day following Christmas at Riverview Chapel. Our deepest sympathy is extended to members of the family. January GEOLOGICAL NEWS IBTTER 3 1953 WILLAMETTE RIVER TRIP By Clara Stone (continued from December issue) Continuing our G.s.o.c. trip up the Willamette River, we are now passing under the St. Johns Bridge. We cruise along past the U.S. Engineer's base where they keep harbor equipnent to maintain docks, channels, jetties, etc., past the Portland Dry Docks, the old original Standard Oil docks, and then under the .S.P.&.S. railroad bridge • 0 • " ' ~"We catcl'csight of much pointing no'w going on in the "Lu Ray" and we guess · rightly as we learn later that COlllDlodore Simon is calling attention as our own Commodore is doing to the second youngest geological fonnatic~ that makes up . the Portland area·,· the Portland terrace gravels. They are much in evidence , along the east banks of the river in the University Park area. These are in the form of sands and pebbles which plainly show the lines of deposition. They were laid down, possibly, in the Pleistocene Age, with reworked Troutdale gravels interspersed. 1rue:"··· j-~,. We turn·now and look to the opposite side where we can see the oldest geological formation that we will view today, the Columbia River basalt, with Boring lavas (Pliocene) exposed in a few places on top. The Willamette River at this point is, as it were, the dividing line of ten million years of geolog­ ical history. We are now approaching the tip of Swan Island (originally called Willow Island) •. As we approach we observe it is no longer an island as it now connects with the mainland. 11 0h, yes,· it is ari island, 11 insists our COlllDlodore, "water still encircles it. 11 To prove his point, he tells us that under the fill are three large pipes that carry the water around the south end. Camnodore Bruce continues, "Probably most of you remember prior to the building of the airport on Swan Island (1926-27) the main channel of the river was on the east side of the island, with only sandbars west of it. 11 Progress marches on! It does, illieed. We look to the opposite side of the river - industry, nothing else but! We recall the one-time beautiful Guild 1 s Lake park, the site of the 1905 World's Fair. We cruise on toward the bridges. There to the left at Western Transportation Ccmpany 1 s dock rests the old steamer, the "Claire. 11 We recall with nostalgia her faithful trips year After year to Champoeg.