American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-09-04
The Great Salt Lake.

The Great Salt Lake.
liz an article on Utah in the September
Golarv Capt. John Goldman writes as fol-
lows: 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
flvo miles distant, the houses being dis
tinetly visible. The formation of the land
contributes to this deception, ridges OF
mountains running north and south, and
inclosing valleys of width of about
twenty-five miles, with no intervening eleva-
tons. 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 imagina-
ton to transport ourselves to the shores OF
- Atlantic, for, extending as it does nine
~ A1ile6. TO the north, no land could be
seen beyond the line of the clearly defined
horizon Some years ago q steamboat OF
500 tons was built for freight and passen-
ger trafiic, in connection with the Union
and Central Pacific Roads; but her fair pros.
poets were ruined by the construction 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 deposited in the interior of the
eontinens has been q study for geographers
and naturalists. The changes that are TAX
ing place in its character at the present
day are observed with much interest 1t
was first discovered by q party of trappers
long before the religious discovery OF
Joseph Smith. When they had tasted OF
its waters they supposed that it was an arm
of the sea coming in from the Gulf of CAL
Norma; but ON their attempt to sail into
the Pacific by that route they experienced
the same disappointment that fell upon the
Dutchmen in their exploration of the
North River, although they might have
been led to the same conclusions from diff
ferent 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 Saltmaking has been a business
of great importance on the banks of the
lake since the occuption of this Territory
by the Mormons. The water is so densely
saline that it is impossible for body to
ind the bottom.
Il h . capital place to acquire the art Of
swimming with perfect safety. In former
times three barrels of water left to evapo-
rate would produce one barrel of salt; but
the freshening within the last twenty years
has 20 weakened 1t that now four barrels
of 1t are required to obtain that quantity.
1t has become fresh therefore in proper
ton of somewhat more than 1 per cent
yearly. Hence il follows that in less than 100
wears the name of Great Salt Lake should
be changed for by this time 1t will, like
Mormonism, be cleared of all its impure
ties.s Ishave previously noticed the regu-
mxWafef lines. called benches, which are
% distinctly defined on all the mountain
ranges surrounding these various valleys,
and which afford such unmistakable evil
dence that In former days they inclosed vast
Island seas. The deep alkaline soil of the
bottoms has led to the superstition that these
seas were of salt water, and that all OF
them excepting this have been completely
evnporated, Salt Lake being the sole sur
-. md that being destined to dwindle
70 ! puddle and then to dry up forever.
But the last part of this theory is mega
lived by the evident intention Of the lake
to assume somewhat of its original pro-
portions; while it is becoming fresher it is
kruwing larger. Within the twenty seven
years thAf tho country around 1t has been
settled It has encroached all along its low
banks nearly mile upon the land and
deepened five feet Several fine farms are
now permanently under water, and the
road on which we travelled has been
moved far inward to accommodate its ag-
Rressiveness. At the same time this
change IL going on atmospheric causes for
. pau Il it are apparent The climate is
becoming more mild, although it is still
excessively dry. But each succeeding sea
son brings . greater rainfall. This has
dou6led within tgFelve 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 in. Every year their volumes in
crease, and contribute to the filling up of
ehe great basin into which they pour
themselves Notwithstanding this, the
increase of the lake cannot be thus &C.
counted for, as they are still but insignifi-
can't streams. 1t must be true that new
fresh-water fountains have burst out from
tina bQttnm and are the chief causes of the
increase A like phenomenon has pro-
duced the lake, near which we afterward
paseed, Ut. Stockton, where on the ground
encamped by Connor's army there is now
. body of water two miles square, and of
considerable depth If these changes go
On = they have commenced the Zion of
Bv1kham Young will ere long become
say that q second food has been commits
sioned TO overflow the desert that he has
uncIdmed because of the sins of the people,
and that, like Sodom and Gomorrah, these
madern cities of the plain have been
UgGWhelmed q o punishment for their
1nnaouf1l crimes. But these judg-
maufs are yet afar of. Brigham
Enehes fhat when Utah is destroyed all the
- Yfn pcfish likewise, except that ia
1pGt Jackson County, Mo. There
IA sdivine revelation commanded
IL 10 build . temple which, although de-
1nUd b the ruthless Gentiles, is des-
>m714o rise again from its ashes. All the
m nnds around it will rise again at the
annno fime, and the chosen remnant of
u6n6kind will flock to this elevated pla-
I'm, from whence, like Noah looking
oyer the bulwarks Of the ark, they shall
Gehold the drowning Gentiles struggling
IN the deep waters, while Mormons, in dry,
phits- robes, with harps in their hands,
AL touch the strings like heroes, in
mockery at the ruin of the universe. Then
Jackson County itself is to be caught up,
md Is glorified saints are to be distrib-
uted among the stars of the armament,
where, with crowns on their heads, they
- D3eign for, ever and ever. Thus the
Rxadnal rise of Salt Lake is not an indica-
6bn Of their destruction, but harbinger of
tleif eiosy.
Electricity and Guns.
The recent experiments In Prussia in
the application Of electricity to the dis
-