The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1858-05-13
FLUcTUATIDN OF THE LEVELS OF AMERICAN
IAKE9


One Of the most interesting papers read
at the American Association for the ad.
vancemcnt Of Science, recently in Congress
at Montreal, was one by Colonel Charles
Whittlesea, Of Cleveland, "on tho Fluctua-
tons of Level in the Great North American
Lakes" For several years past. this gen
tleman has made observations, and collected
those Of others, from many points along
the shores of Lakes Erie and Superior; he
has observed that there are three kinds of
fluctuations, each due to distinct cause.
First, general rise and fall, extending
through long periods Of time, but without
regularity of period. which lie styles sccu-
tar F"ctuation. Secondly, an annual rise
and fall, without reference to the general
state Of the water, called the -1nnmnt FYuc
f"ahon and thirdly, n local, fitiul, and ir-
regular iluctuation, of few inches to few
feet, and lasting from u few minutes, in
some cases, to twenty four hours.
The greatest range of the secular fluctua-
tlons between the extremes Of high and low
stages, determined by the yearly mean, is,
for Lake Erie, four feet five inches. The
greatest by the monthly mean, in the same
lake, is six feet. Between the highest
known stage, June 25th, 1888, and the
lowest, i'll August, 1919, is about seven feet.
There are proofs, on the shores of lake IIu
ron and Michigan, that the extreme iluctua-
,ion within the life of trees now standing
is about twelve feet. Their greatest gene
raj difference of level is about six feet since
the year 1919. Since 1915, the extremes
upon Lake Superior arc about three feet.
On Lake Ontario, between 1888 and S54
the greatest range was 4 feet inches. The
annual changes are not liz general greater
than foot and 4 half. In Lake Superior
low water occurs about the same time with
Lake Erie, but the annual rise is about four
months later. This is accounted for bv the
lateness of the spring thaws, by the great
size of tie lake, by the want of large rivers.
and 10y the prevalence of east winds. The
season Of highest water in the year differs
with different lakes. In Lake Superior it is
in September and October, and low water
i'll February and March. In Lake Erie
high water is i'll June, low in February and
March. 1t is nearly the same on Lake On
tario. The rivers Of all the lakes discharges
less water III the winter than in the spring +;
f1,o 1.J- =.
the amount of Il foot and half, and this
difference is without reference to the general
stage of the water
The third class Of fluctuations have been
often observed and described since the ,l;,vs
OF the carly French missionaries. In clear
calm weather, wien the surface Of the water
is perfectly placid, and no clouds or winds
are visible, a succession of short swells arise
upon the lake, and roll to the shore. The
highest of those fluctuations, which Col. w
has noticed, was about two feet. During
ten years, he observed the phenomenon Sc.
vcral hundred times, and found tho period
to bc about 10 minutes, upon an average
from one pulsation to another. The ycrti
cal range Of the wave in the lake is about
four inches. 1t always comes in from tho
open sea, III a line PARALLEL to the shore
without regard to the direction of the wind.
In stormy weather, the pulsations are les:
regular, and higher, and they occur in al
weathcrs and conditions of the atmosphere
and by night as we'll as by day. Without
having any fixed theory, Col. w. is in.
duccd to look to an electro magnetic
cause for an explanation of these ph.nom
cna.
Home D;Ncmlties.-The housc-mother
has her troubles, aye, be she ever so gifted
with that blessed quality Of taking them
lightly and checrfully. 1t is not pleasant
for lazy ladies to get breakfast over at that
regular early hour which alone SETS house.
hold fairly going for the day; nor for
unaritlmatical ladies, who have always
rcckoned their accounts by sixpenccs, to
put down each item, and pcrsevere in bal
ancing periodically receipts and cxpcndi.
lures +; nor for weakly, nervous, sclfengros
scd ladies to rouse themselves sufficiently to
put their house in order, and keep it So
not by occasional spasmodic "setting to
rights" but by n general methodical over.
looking of all that is going on therein
Yet, unless all this is done, it is in vain tc
insist on carly rising, or grumble abou,
waste, or lecture upon neatness, cleanliness
and order. The servants get to learn that
"missis is never in time!' and laugh al