The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-09-11
The Great Salt Lake.

DeI GaIaXy ChpG. JOnn OOumhn WTlteS
as follows: We reached the shores of
the great lake after drive of three
hours. Such is the optical illusion
caused by this rarefied atmosphere that
the city left eighteen miles behind us
seemed to be only four or five miles
distant, the houses being distinctly visi-
BILE. The formation of the land con-
tributes TO this deception, ridges Of
mountains running north and south, and
inclOsing valleys of width of about
twenty-five miles, with no intervening
elevations. We drove for an hour along
the southern bank of Salt Lake, famed
by the breath of its sea air, and looking
over its waste of waters dotted with
mountain islands. 1t required but
little imagination TO transport ourselves
to the shores of the Atlantic, for, ex-
tending as it does ninety miles to the
north, no land could be seen beyond
the line of the clearlyrde fined horizon.
Some years ago steamboat of 300 tons
was built for freight and passenger
traffic, In connection with the Union
and Central Pacific Roads but her
fair prospects were ruined by the con-
struction of the Utah Central, and she
now lies at the wharf, her only value
being her aid in making our imaginary
ocean seem more real. How this great
basin of salt water came to be deposit
ted in the interior of the continent has
been study for geographers and ma
turalists. The changes that are taking
place In its character at the present day
oh xx,tfl fnt 4
was first discovered by'a party Of trap
pers long before the religious discovery
of Joseph Smith. When they had
tasted of its waters they supposed that
1t was an arm of the sea coming in from
the Gulf of California but ON their at
tempt to sail into thePacific by that route
they experienced the same disappoint-
ment that fell upon the Dutchmen in
their exploration of the North River,
although they might have been led to
the same conclusions from different
tests.
The trappers should have realized
that the water was too salt, and the
Dutchmen should have found that the
water was too fresh, to communicate
with the Pacific Ocean. Salt,making
has been business of great Importance
on the banks of the lake since the oc-
cuption of this Territory by the Nor
mons. The water is SO densely saline
that 1t Is impossible for body to find
the bottom.
1t is q capital place to acquire the art
of swimming with perfect safety. In
former times three barrels of water left
to evaporate would produce one barrel
Of salt but the freshening within the
last twenty years haa so weakened it
that now four barrels of it are required
10 obtain that quantity. 1t has be.
come fresh therefore in a proportion of
somewhat more than ! per cent. yearly.
Hence it follows that in less than 100
years the name of Great Salt Lake
should be changed for by this time it
will, like Mormonism, be cleared of all
its impurities. have previously no
ticed the regular water lines, called
benches, which are 80 distinctly defined
on all the mountain ranges surround
ing these various valleys, and which
afford such unmistakable evidence that
in former days they inclOsed vast
island seas. The deep alkaline soil of
the bottoms has led to the supposition
that these seas were of salt water, and
that all of them excepting this have
bsen completely evarorated, Salt Lake
being the sole survivor, and that being
destined to dwinde to a puddle and
then to dry up forever. But the last
part of this theory is negatived by the
evident intention of the lake to assume
somewhat of its original proportions
while it is becoming fresher 1t is grow
ing larger. Within the twenty
years that the country around 1t has
been settled it has encroached all along
its low banks nearly a mile upon the
land and deepened five feet. Several
fine farms are now permanently under
water, and the road on which we trav-
eled has been moved far inward to ac-
its aggressiveness. At The
same time this change is going on at
causes for part of 1t are ap-
parent. The climate is becoming more |
mild although IL is still excessively dry
But each succeeding season brings a
greater rainfall. This has doubled |
within twelve years.
The lake is fed by Bear River on the
north and Jordan on the south, besides
some small rivulets that find their way |
into 1t. Every year their volumes in
crease, aud contribute to the filling up
of the great basin into which they pour
themselves, Notwithstanding this, the
increase OF the lake cannot be thus ac-
counted for, as they are still insignia
can't streams. IL must be true that new