Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1877-04-07
Peculiarlties of Salt Lake.

Among the places Of interest that
should be visited in Utah is Great Salt
Lake, situated about twenty miles west
of Salt Lake city, and accessible by the
Utah Western railway. In the summer
season excursions are common on the
lake by a steamer, the General Garfield
The various islands can be visited, re-
freshments can be obtained on board
and music and dancing are in order. The
size of the lake is about eighty miles
from east to west by enc hundred miles
from north TO south. Small parties may
enjoy themselves on the water in boats
which may be hired for the occasion and
bathing may be INDUCED in without any
danger of sinking, by reason of the buoy
ancy of the water. The water is, in
fact, strong brine, in which common
table salt, chloride of sodium, is the
principal constituent, The lake is stu
ated at the lowest level of Great Salt
Lake basin, and is the receptacle 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 on the north. The lake
has no outlet. Its waters are gradually
carried off by evaporation OF late yeas
the water brought down has exceeded in
quantity that carried off by evaporation.
for which reason the waters are higher
than usual. During the last year an
elevation OF thirteen 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 recent exploration at one point
of the western shores it is found that
the lake has extended itself about fifteen
miles inland beyond the lines marked at
the time of Stansburys survey in lS49,
There are no forms of lite in the lake,
except small creatures three 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 abound'
in minute insect life. The tiny shrimI
alluded to is an object of much interest
to visitors and the naturalist, by whom
it is called Artemoa iertills. Observa
tions are now being made by scientists
with a view to determine the yariou.
forms Of life which have their origin il
this Lakeland 1t is highly probable tha'
it will no longer merit the name OF tht
''Dead Sea of America" :"
When these valleys were frat settled
by the Mormons tine level of the lake wa
20 low that people could walk over from
the present shores to the adjacent islam,
at place where there is now fourteen
feet OF water. That was in lS47. From
1852 to 1856 the waters rose some sil
feet. From that date to 1861 the water
subsidized and the lake became contracted
to its usual size. FROM that date ther
has been an upheaval tendency, until il
lS74-75 the waters had risen some twelv
feet. In consequence of this many thou
sand acres of valuable farm and pastuI
age lands were covered by the water, an
continue to be so. During the last yea
the further rise Of thirteen inches ha
caused a large quantity Of land to b
covered on the east shores of the lake.
The mean elevation OF @ireat Salt LAX
above the sea level, as given il the GOV
ernment's reports, is 4,20O feet-that {
this city, at the base line, is 1920 feet
80 there is no danger Of an inundatio
here, except in the lower wards of tn
city, where the lands are now occasion
ally flooded for a season, when the snO'
in the mountains is melting rapidly.
has been suggested that an outlet migl
possibly he made on the western shore
, for conveying away the surplus water
where they would be absorbed and diss
pated on the great western desert whic
exists there. The resent exploratio
! made was not carried far enough to asce
tain whether this is practicable or no
The principal! inconvenience sustainc
at present by the uprise and expansio
of the area Of the lake is the destructio
7 of valuable lands on its margin, and tn
dense fogs, which envelop the lake an
its banks at times by the partial condel
sation of the evaporating waters I'M
vapor.--.SoH Lake Tribune.