Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-06-14
THE GREAT SALT LAKE.

Correspondent OF the St Louis Republican.
Having visited all the sights and
scenes of this beautiful, but Mormon
| lied city, | will give you brief sketch
of the Great Salt Lake, the "Dead Sea
OF America" whose name has been
handed down for ages as one of the
greatest wonders of our continent.
Though its shores are burned to hard
crust and no vendure or trees greet the
eye, sail on this body of water Is de
cidedly pleasant; but before | give you
the incidents of the trip | will tell you
what history has TO say concerning this
famous body of water. The first mention
was made by German Baron, in 1859,
who had heard OF it through some of
the Western Indians who lived near its
shores. Then Captain Bonneville sent
a party from Green River in 1888, but
they became discouraged, lost their way,
and eventually found themselves in
Southern California; and it remained
for an American, the intrepid Colonel
French, to first visit it and make par
tial exploration Of its solemn stiffness.
In 1842, while he was on mis- way to
Oregon, Fremont visited it, and started
in boat from the mouth of the We9er
r liver, and pulled out for the nearest
island, which he describes az q mere
rock, fourteen miles in circumference,
and which be named "Dlsappointm, nj
Island" which was subsequently,
changed to Fremont Island"
by which name it is known to-
day. In the spring of 1850 Captain
Stansbury made a detailed survey of
it's shore and island, but no fresh water
was found, although some of the islands
were covered with luxuriant grass, wild
onions and parsnips. He found the
western shore a salt-encrusted desert,
in surveying which he and his men
nearly persisted for want of fresh water.
The northern shore was much the same,
with the exception that In several
places large salt marshes were discov-
cred. He found in the range of noun
tains which extends 80 miles into the
lake, and which he named "Promon-
tory" large number of sweet water
springs. The eastern and northern
shores were mountainous, but land and
water were generally divided by mud
flats, over which they were compelled
to drag their boats and pack their bag
gage. This was the most thorough ex-
ploration that the lake ever had, and
this was very unsatisfactory, with the
exception of defining its boundaries.
THE VOYAGE
is begun from the south shore of the
lake, embarking at Garfield Landing.
We take a course due north, between
the islands of the Slansbury and Ante
lope. The water is beautiful green and
so transparent that the bottom is plain
ly seen. AS we glide slowly along, a
few miles from the shore may be seen
the village of Tooele, which, with its
green foliage, on the barren shore, looks
Ike an oasis in the desert; while farther
to the west, lying under the iron-clad
peaks of the Spring Valley rance, lies
EVANSVILLE. In two hours we have
passed S.ansbury, and well could one
imagine himself at sea. Only two or
three points of land are in sight, one
of them being the Wasstch Mountains, |
gray wall Of granite 600 feet high, |
and extending for 200 miles. We soon
approach Fremont Island, which is |
known by an immense rock on its coast |
resembling castle. The water COM |
mences to grow shallow here, aud we
enter the mouth of the Great Bear |
River. When Fremont was here he |
could not enter the mouth of the river |
in light boat for want of water, but
to-day boat of $50 tons passes over
the bar in safety. You can go up the |
river to Corinne, but excursionists sell |
dom go that far, as there is nothing to |
make the trip interesting. There are |
very heavy beach marks on the hills |
surrounding the lake, but they vary in
altitude frem 100 to 800 feet. Some |
think that the lake is connected with q |
subterranean river, which makes ter
rible whirlpool, but if there is such a
place it has never been discovered.
The lake covers an area of $500 !
square miles, with a surface higher than |
the Allegheny Mountains, and its aver
age depth is twenty feet. The two lar
gest islands were at one time accessi- |
BILE from the shore by wagon, but the |
lake rising in 1856 and cut that COM
munication eff. A report made by the |
geological survey, says that twice with
in recent geological time it has risen |
nearly 1000 feet higher than the pres
ent stage, and must necessarily have |
spread over a vast region. The sold /!
matter in the water varies with the seal
son. At the present stage of water, |
saltmskers say it will show about II |
per cent. of salt.
Within the last three years the lake |
has become quite a watering place. In |
the summer the water becomes very
warm and much more dense, and a |
more healthful bathing resort could |
hardly be asked fol- 1t is almost i'm
possible for one to sink, and with the |
slightest exertion one could keen. him
self afloat for hours. 1t has tendency
to make the limbs come to the surface, |
aud many person not acquainted
with its peculiarities mas had ms mouth
and nose filled with its pungent waters,
which are anything but pleasant. It'll
will net be many years before this lake
becomes rs famous q watering place as
Cape May or Newport. 1t has railroad
connections with all the states and ter
ritories, and the Union Pacific railroad