Identifier: reportsofexplora05unit_0 (find matches)
Title: Reports of explorations and surveys, to ascertain the most practicable and economical route for a railroad from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean
Year: 1855 (1850s)
Authors: United States. War Dept Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887 United States. Army. Corps of Engineers
Subjects: Pacific railroads Discoveries in geography Natural history Indians of North America
Publisher: Washington : A.O.P. Nicholson, printer (etc.)
Contributing Library: San Francisco Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: California State Library Califa/LSTA Grant

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nd there the long dry straw has been set on fire, and broad acres are burned off,leaving a black, charred waste. The general character of the surface of these hills is well shownby View II. Near the old barracks, there is an outcrop of coarse-grained sandstone and conglomerate.This being harder than the strata of finer materials, has resisted degradation, and now formsthe apex of the hills at many places. Its trend at one point appeared to be north 70° west.Where first observed, the conglomerate was composed of small, thoroughly-rounded pebbles, ofnearly uniform size, and not larger than peas or beans. Much larger pebbles were found atother points, and were probably derived from an adjoining stratum. The great bed of con-glomerate extends down to the water, and forms the headland, called Navy Point. At thisplace there is a fine exposure of sandstone, strata, and shales, all conformable with the con-glomerate. A good section was obtained. The strata are partly decomposed and rusted by
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SANDSTONE OF BENICIA AND MARTINEZ—LIVERMOREs VALLEY. 5 exposure, and some seams of gypsum were found. At a quarry a short distance from the point,several blocks of soft sandstone were found to contain improssions of the stems of plants, someof them in the form of lignite ; but they are not sufficiently well preserved to be identified.

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