Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-01-23
Great Salt Lake,

NOrtn America, the great saline DGuN OF
water in Utah territory, known as Great
Salt Lake, stands in the first order. The
lake itself is not Individually SO great a Gu
riosity as when viewed in connection with
Burr0uIsling assSfelatSTe i5sciits stis'ss- svsss
give Us combination of natural wonders
truly astounding The water makes show
that the lake Is now mere remnant of
what was one of the mighty water colcc-
tons Of the earth-perhaps of Il body OF
water that spread itself throughout the
whole Utah basin. Provo lake, body Of
water distant perhaps seventy-tive miles
from the great lake. is surrounded by indi-
cations OF like character. that directly
point to an early period when its individu-
ality was lost within the limits of mighty
sea that absorbed both itself and Great Salt
Lake
Along the base Of the mountain walls of
the valley, if we may so term the limits of
the basin, are distinct water marks Of vari-
Gus elevations. They are clearly discerna-
bic at a distance Of twenty-five miles. the
more elevated being from seventy five to
one hundred feet above the level of the
valley. They are almost conclusive evi-
dence that great sea once existed in Utah
n
their power indented upon the rocky front
Of their mountain confines as q monument
Of their power The different elevations Of
the water marks show the gradual deelina
ton Of this sea from body of water GOV
cring, may be, tens Of thousands of square
miles, to the present salinOus body of about
sixty miles in length and forty or fifty in
width. This presumption is strengthened
by the existence throughout the entire val
ley, OF aquatic deposits, such rs shells, pet
ritied fishes, water-wOrn rocks, &c.
Upon this theory the inference may be
drawn that Great Salt Lake is gradually di-
minishng; but this is not the case; it is
now reduced to basis Of fixed causes which
will give it perpetuity in its present extent
The moisture of the atmosphere Of those
latitUdes is sufficient to always keep it sup
piled with uniform quantity Of water
The melting snow Of the mountains sweIls
the rivers in the spring and summer that
empty into it, and when this melting is pre-
vented by the GOODNESS Of the fall and win
ter those rivers fall, and by evaporation the
lake rapidly declines-the evaporation car
rying Off more water than the streams de
posit 1t is in this declining condition that
coarse salt is obtained from the beach of the
lake in quantities ad HlJiajtum. Now. SO
long as the meteorological system prevails,
the lake must continue the same as now
No theory is settled upon by scientific
men as to the cause Of the sultry nature OF
the lakes We have an opinion Of our own,
which we believe to be rational. The riv-
ers emptying into it-Canaan, Jordan, Web +
ber, Malade and numerous smaller streams ,
head in the mountains, where they are
supplied by myriads of mountain brooks.
some of which undoubtedly have their .
source in salt springs These brooks I'M /
pregnate the great water carriers of the .
AXE with sat-to so small an extent, though !
it be, that it is not perceptible to the taste
and they carry it into the lake, where it .
must forever remain and accumulate, rs /
evaporation increases the proportion Of the .
salt to the water. The salt may have been .
carried to the lake over Il hundred miles
md it has perhaps been accumulatinG there .
or thousands Of years; and thus it must .
continue to accumulate through all time if
he supply should be inexhaustible.
The volcanic indications surrounding the
axe are peculiarly impressive and could
we'll be made the subject of the natural phi
osOpher's study. The whole face Of the
country appears to have passed through .
.aloric influence of the intenscst character.
Enormous rocks fringe its margin, which
ire charred rs black as ebony from the Ope-
alton of heat and their tragmentary con
lition besp. ak the mighty commissions which
hey passed through Near the lakes CEN
re there is quite a large island, upon which
hese volcanic indications are equally en-
Dhatic. This island is very fertile, and is
owned by the church, which institution
lolds it for the exclusive purpose of graz
ne. All the stock which comes into the
thing official MormOns are compelled
o pay one-tenth Of everything that they
make or raise to the church-are taken to
his island and there must be thousands of
lead upon it. 1t is reached by small sail
NO vessels. SO extremely salt is the water
If Salt Lake that piscatory life is impossi-
Die. Its average depth is fifty feet-Port-
and (OregOn) Ners.