The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-05-09
Lake Erie.
Probablli.ie. of Its Drying Up

Probabilities of Its Drying Up.
A correspondent of the Boston
Globe says: But Intensely as l enjoy
this lake view and confidently as l eX-
pect to haYe my lake,my river in heav-
an, propose to show reasons for be-
heving that Lake Erie-the path of
mighty commerce, and the admiration
of the traveller and the dweller on its
shore-will not continue always. The
time will doubtless come when it will
be q vast marsh-even when it will be
the home of q teeming population,and
covered with vineyards and thriving
cities. a caraful surxey has shown
that while Lake MTclsigan has an av-
erage depth Of 800 feet, Lake Supe-
rior of 800 feet and Lake Ontario OF
500 feet, Lake Erie has an. average
depth of 100 feet. The upper part
above Point Pelle Island has an aver
age depth of but 80 feet. The middle
position between Pelle Island and
Long Point is but so feet deep, while
the lower part, below Long Point av-
erages only l20 feet. The bottom of
the lake ia quite level, and composed
of soft clay. This clay is constantly
accumulating, from sediment carried
down by tributary streams. The
south shore is composed of easily dis
integrating blue,gray and olive shades
and gray sandstone. The western and
northern coasts are made up of lime
stone of the Heidelberg group, which
] quickly yields to the, action of the
waves. ; Consequently. both shores
constantly are contributing to fill uE
4 the bed of the lake. The work is not
rapid. but it is as certain as fate.
There are frequent land slides on thi,
shore, which are quickly taken up and
i deposited in sediment beneath the
j blue waters. Indeed, along the shore
Eespecially aftera storm, the water car
hardly be- called blue. 1t is brown al
i far as the eve can reach, with the cla.
i washed down from the hills and taket
up along the shore. Let this process
continue--and there is nothing to pre-
vent it--and the time must come whel
1.-THE upper part of the lake, which i
4 scarcely navigable. now in rough
weather, will cease to be navigable ex
cent through very narrow channel
when even the middle and lower por
/ tions will cease to be covered will
white sails, and become vast marsl
where the wild alder and swamp
whortleberry will grow. Even if this
Gid not, come through the filling VI
process, Niagara is slowly but surel.
: cutting ditch that will one day drai
! Lake Erie. Every observing man VIII
has visited the great cataract know
, that it has cut its way up from LAX
Ontario to it's present position. 1t
now many feet further up the rive
than it was the first time that listen
2 ed to its roar, and gazed entrance
upon it's wonders. The soft limeston
, that lies beneath the stable rock"
7 constantly edissolving and then tn
= stable rock cracks and drops away.
When the cataract shall have wor
: its way back to the head of the rapid
: its progress will be much faster than
: isnow. It is easy to see that it will on
day reach the deep waters of the Nis
!. cara River. Then Lake Erie will /
efectually drained,and there will onl
L be deep river flowing through i
i central channel. Then what diggin
y aud boring there will be to find tt
e treasure that has gone down in sinl
y ing ships, and will yet go down. Ft
s of all the great lakes, Erie, owing
2 its shalloWness is the most treache
It Gus to the navigator. A severe stor
= lashes its waters into the utmost fur
1T and woe to the luckless sailors WI
2, find themselves ona lee shore. {
/, great is the commerce carried over tn
& lake, that there is scarcely O stor
d which does not find vessels in this u
st fortunate position.