Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-03-15
PeculiarIties of Salt Lake.

Among the places Of interest that
should be visited in Utah is Great Salt
Lake, situated about 20 miles west of
Salt Lake City, and accessible by the
Utah Western Railway. In the sum-
mer season excursions are common on
the lake by a steamer, the General Gar
field. The various islands can be Wis
tied, refreshments can be obtained on
board, and music and dancing are in
order. The size of the lake is about so
miles from east to west by 100 miles
from north to south. Small parties
may enjoy themselves ON the water in
boats, which may be hired for the oc-
c~asion, and bathing may be INDUCED
in without any danger of sinking by
reason of The buoyancy of the water.
The water is, in fact, a strong brine, in
which common table salt, chloride of
sodium, is the principal constituent.
The lake is situated at the lowest level
of Great Salt Lake Basin, and is the re-
ceptacle of all the water that is brought
down the mountain. The names OF the
rivers are the Jordan, which flows
through Salt Lake Valley from the
south, the Weber, which flows through
a canyon on the east of the lake, and
Bear River, which empties into it oil
the north. The lake has no outlet. Its
waters are gradually carried off by
evaporation. OF late years the water
brought down has exceeded in guam
tity that carried off by evaporation, for
which reason the waters are higher
than usual. During the last year an
elevation of Is inches was indicated by
the gauge erected by the university Of
this city for the purpose of recording
any changes of level. The size of the
lake varies according to the amount of
rainfall and evaporation.
By a recent exploration at one point
of the western shores it is found that
the lake has extended itself about Is
miles inland beyond the lines marked
at the time of Stansbury's survey in
1S49.
There are no forms of life in the lake,
except small creatures sthree-quarters
of an inch in length, resembling the
brine shrimp. These are found in the
warm season in great abundance. There
is also a species of weed that floats
about in the heavy waters, that abounds
in minute insect life. The tiny shrimp
alluded to is an object Of much interest
to visitors and the naturalist, by whom
it is called Artemoa fertilis. Observa-
tions are now being made by scientists
with a view to determine the various
forms of life which have their origin in
this Lakeland it is highly probable that
it will be found that this body of water
will no longer merit the name of the
"Dead Sea of America"
When these valleys were first settled
by the Mormons the level of the lake
was SO low that people could walk over
from the present shores to the adjacent
island at place where there is now IA
feet Of water. Thatswas in 18A7. From
1852 to 1856 the waters rose some six
feet. From that date to 1861 the waters
subsidized and the lake became contract
ed to its usual size. From that date
there has been an upheaval tendency,
until in 187475 the waters had risen
some IL feet. In consequence of this
many thousand acres of valuable farm
and pasturage lands were covered by
the water, and continue to be so. Dur
ing the last year the further rise of Is
inches has caused q large quantity of
land to be covered on the east shores of
the lake.
The mean elevation of Great Salt
Lake above the sea level, as given in
the Governments reports, is 1920 feet
that of this city, at the base line, is
1890 feet; SO there is no danger of an
inundation here, except in the lower
wards OF the city, where the lands are
now occasionally flooded for a season,
when the snow in. the mountains is
melting rapidly. It has been suggested
that an outlet might possibly be made
on the western shores for conveying
away the surplus waters, where they
would be absorbed and dissipated on
the great Western desert which exists
there. The receat exploration made
was not carried far enough to ascertain
whether this is practicable or not.
The principal inconvenience sustained