Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-07-19
THE DEAD SEA OF AMERICA.

Having visited all the sights and scenes of
this beautiful, but MormoniZed city, says
Salt Lake City correspondent, 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
verdure or trees greet the eye, a sail on this
body of water is decidedly pleasant. The
voyage is begun on the south shore of the
lake. Embarking at Garfield Landing,
we take course due north, between the
islands of Stansbury and Antelope. The
water is a beautiful green, and so transpa-
rent that the bottom is plainly seen. ASW
glide slowly along, a few miles from the
Shore may be seen the village Of Tooele,
which, with it's green foliage, on the barren
shore, looks like an oasis in the desert;
while farther to the west, lying under the
iron-clad peaks Of the Spring Valley range,
lies Grantsville. In two hours we have
passed Stansbury, and we'll could one i'm
agine himself at sea. Only two or three
points of land are in sight, one of thsm be-
ing the Wasatch mountain, a gray wall OF
granite 5000 feet high and extending for
200 miles. We soon approach Fremont is
land, which is known by an immense rock
on its coast resembling castle. The wa
ter commences to grow shallow here, and
we enter the mouth of the Great Bear river.
When Fremont was here he could not en-
ter this river in light boat for want OF wa
ter, but to day boat Of $50 tons passes over
the bar in safety. You can go up the river
to COrrine, but eXcurtiOnists seldom go that
far, as there is nothing to make the trip in
teresting. There are very heavy beach
marks on the hills surrounding the lake, but
they vary in altitude from 100 to 300, feet.
Jomc think that the lake is connected with
subterranean river, which makes terri
BILE whirlpool, but if there is such place it
has never been discovered.
The lake covers an area of $500 square
miles, with higher surface than the Ale
ghany mountains, and it's average depth is
twenty feet The two largest islands were
at one time accessible from the shore by
wagon, but the lake began rising in 1886
and cut that communication Oft. a report
made by the geological survey says that
twice within recent geological time 1T has
risen nearly 1000 feet higher than the pres
ent stage, and must necessarily have spread
over a vast region. The solid matter in the
water varies with the season. AT the pres
ent stage of water salt-makers say 1t VIII
show about II per cent. OF salt.
Within the last three years the lake has
become quite watering-place. lnthe sum,
mer the water becomes very warm ana
much more dense, and more healthful
bathing resort could hardly be asked for:
1t is almost impossible for one to sink, and
with the slightest eXertion one could keep
himself ahoat for hours. 1t has tendency
to make the limbs come to the surface, and
many a person not acquainted with Its pc
culiarities has had his mouth and nose filled
with it's pungent waters, which are any
thing but pleasant. 1t will not be many
wears before the lake becomes as famous
watering place as Cape May or Newport.
1t has railroad connection with all States
and Territories, and the Union Pacific road
runs excursion trains three times week
from towns adjacent to it.
Notwithstanding what [ have said con-
cerning the beauties or peculiarities of this
inland sea, there is one thing lacking--llfe
in it's waters. In all this vast eXpanse there
is not living thing, no fish or marine veg
etables of any kind or description. 1t is
dead, and is sure death to any animal life
placed in it's brackish waters. Alarge num-
Der of sea-gulls visit it annually during the
breeding season, but they are seldom to be
seen sailing on its waters. These birds are
sacred in Mormondom, and heavy penal
ty is inflicted OH any person who is known
to have killed one Of them. | asked an
aged Mormon on the shore why it was his
people had passed such stringent laws con-
ccerning these birds, and he related the fol-
lowing incident:
"When we first entered this valley twas