Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-06-28

uc l1st HuIuDcT Vi 0SSttUtIV
Journal contains valuable and inter
esting paper upon" The Subterranear
Sources Of the Waters Of the Great
Lakes" a superficial observer would
naturally suppose that these sources
are TO be sought in the thousands oil
lakes and streams which are found in
the States Of Wisconsin and Mime
sota-in the Wisconsin river, the
Black, 'Chippeway. Fox and Rock
rivers. The writer, however, calls
attention to the fact that all the waters
OF the former State are tributaries of
the Mississippi, and flow southwark to
the Gulf of Mexico, while those of the
latter State that are not likewise dis
charged into the Father of Waters,
empty into the Red river Of the North.
As corroborative Of this, he further
adds, that if the borders Of our chain
Of great lakes be followed around, it
will be seen that the tributaries for
supplying the immense body of water
which pours over the falls Of Niagara
are few in number and trivial in vol
ume. Lake Superior, for instance, the
largest body Of fresh water in the
world, with an area of $4,000 square
miles, and mean depth of 1000 feet,
receives into its bosom no rivers, and
only few Insignificant streams, the
largest Of which are the st. Louis and
Ontonagon. Lake Michigan also,
with an area Of $4,000 miles, aud a
mean depth Of 900 feet, receives its
sources Of supply in a few small
streams flowing into it from the State
of the same name. Yet Lake Mich
igan furnishes large proportion Of
the current that flows over Niagara.
and thence down the St. Lawrence
into the ocean. Whence, thcn." he
asks, "comes this great volume and
mass Of watcr:" This question he an.
swers by showing that the crust of the
earth is penetrated in all directions,
and at all depths, by immense bodies
Of water. The artesian wells in Lon.
don furnish, at the present time, 12,-
100000 gallons of water daily. Nor
does it appear that there are any con.
siderable streams in the vicinity of
that city, since the underlying gravel
beds appear to be saturated with wa
ter. The wells OF Grenelle and Passy,
in the Paris basin, discharge from
depth Of ] 300 feet below the surface
100000 gallons per day, thus afford.
ing strong evidence Of large under
ground stream at this point. And the
great wells of Kissingen, in Bavaria;
Munden in Hanover; Louisville, Ky,
and Charleston, S. c., also furnish
several millions of gallons. But in
addition to all this, it is well known
that large rivers On the Western
Plains suddenly disappear through
assures and chasms, never again TO
reappear on the surface. What, there.
fore, becomes of the mass of water
which is thus turned into the interior
of the earth, not to speak of the mass
of water which yearly falls upon the
earth, and is absorbed by the soil be.
low the beds of rivers and streams ?
The crust Of the earth abounds in wa.
ter TO unknown depths, and from the
nature of the element it must create
for itself ways and sources of travel
as plainly beneath as upon the surface.
E" If, therefore," says the writer, "thc
great lakes are not supplied by means
which are upon the surface and ap.
parent to the eye, it follows as nat
ural consequence that their sources of
supply must be underneath the
ground. Tie water probably finds
inlets at different points on the bot
toms of the lakes, and maintains the
supply with as much certainty and
regularity as il the streams were run.
ming on the surface of the ground"
The writer then proceeds to demon
strate the truth of his theory by the
great mass Of water which at the
present lime is being discharged by
the Chicago artesian wells. He saws:
These are over TOO feet deep
nearly penetrating the earth to line
parallel with the bottom of Lake Mich
igan-are located in no great valley
depression such as tie basins of Paris
or London. The water has head Of
nearly l25 feet above the level of the
lake +; is much colder than the mean
temperature Of the wells, being now
81 degrees Fahrenheit, these facts
tending to show that it must come
from more elevated region of coun-
try, and also from q higher latitude.
There are two other facts corrobora-
tive of this point. When the water
was first struck the temperature was
SO degrees Fahrenheit it has fallen
two degrees, or to So. Then the frs,
analysis of the water exhibited 72
grains to the wine gallon of mineral
matter. These facts, taken in con-
nection with the great head Of water.
seem to establish conclusively that it
comes from some remote region of the
North or North. h.west.'
Whether these spcculations are cor.
rect or not, the subject is ono Of ax-
ceeding interest. and will repay what
futher efforts may be made to solve
the problem as to the source whence
the great lakes draw their supply of
water.
An old man picked up q half dol
lar in the street. cold man that's
mine," said . keen-looking rascal.
A" Did thine have hole in itf" asked
the cid gentleman. "Yes!" replied
tho ofher smartlv ..Tbon II ;s not