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Show Gavel Constructed of Wood Oddly Preserved A gavel made from what Is believed be-lieved to be the oldest living unpetri-fied unpetri-fied wood on the American continent has been sent to Dr. Walter Williams, Wil-liams, president of the University of Missouri. The history of the gavel goes back to a time some thousands of years ago when a volcano burst forth at a place about 100 miles east of Eugene, Ore., and in the high Cascades. Cas-cades. A lava stream gradually built up a dam at one end of a deep canyon, In the bottom of which grew tall Douglas firs. As the canyon filled with tiie cold mountain water a lake was formed, and the trees were surrounded sur-rounded and covered by this water of unchanging temperature. When the wood was cut from one of the trees for the gavel it was found to w contnin all its natural juices and had the pungent odor of freshly cut timber. tim-ber. Montreal Herald. |