The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-01-10


The rapid drying up OF Tu!are Lake, in
California, is one OF the most remarkable
geographical changes OF this country within
historical times. A few years ago the lake
was thrty.three miles long by twenty
niles wide, and now II Is but fifteen miles
long and has m average width OF less than
eight miles. This result is attributed
lar gely to human agency. The cutting Of
timber on the mountains, and more es.
peeialy the tapping OF the water courses
by which the lake is replsnished, by The
boring OF artesan wells and RpIrOpriating
the waters OF rivers for irrigation make IL
impossible that the lake should supply the
loss incurred by evaporation and maintain
its former level. Two or three
dry seasons have doubtless made the
progress In this direction more rapid than
IL would otherwise have been, ana one or
two rainy winters might cause the lake to
rise again temporarily. But 1t Is doomed
TO eventual disappear rs the work Of
irrigation will be carried on with Increasing
activity, until tho last gallon OF water
which can be raised from the soil or inter-
cepted in the river beds Is taken out ana
poured over the thirsty soil. For the great
,ize OF the lake, the volume OF its waters Is
very small as II Is one OF the sha!lowest
lakes in the world, and this is another good
reason tor the rapidity ofits disappearance.
some San Francisco capitalists are
taking up the land lott dry by the subsi-
dence OF the water, and say they find It a
very rich, valuable soil. There Ne now a
strip five miles wide around the lake, and
TO make certain of this area levee3 will be
built TO n strain the lake should 10 again
rise. IL is asserted, we do not know how
correctly, that the reclaimed land IS not OF
an glknii character, which is rather remark
able, as the quantity OF alkali in the waters
Of the lake is very great. II may not prove
as valuable land as is expected, but as 1t is
obtained at 10 cents an acre the parties can
afford to make the experiment
Great Salt lake OF Utah is one of the
most interesting bodies OF water in the
world, and affords an unequalled Held Tor
the lacustrine study OF geoloRists Prot,
Marcus Il. Jones contributes 70 the salt
Lake City Tribune long and interesting
paper on recent and ancient phases in the
lite of this inland sea. IL is quite generally
known that ia ancient times the lake was
many times its present size, and was not
salt, or very slightly 80, In comparison with
It's present density. The prehistoric beaches
of this lake have been traced for distance
of twenty-five hundred miles, ana snow
that IL once had level nine hundred ieet
above its present one. In those uiles ~
covered one.fourth of the present area OF
Utah, was as large as Lake Huron and
mad an outlet to the north wards, by which
its watera were drained of through
the Snake and Columbia rivers in 90 the
Pacific Ocean. The location Of this outlet,
after long search, was found ut the head OF
Cache VALLEY. The outward flow of the
waters. says Mr.. Jones, gradually cut
away 800 feet OF sand stone rock, draining
the lake lower. and lower, and finally, from
some unexplained cause, iis waters
abated until they sank far below tho level
of the outlet. Two hundred and nifty years
is the shortest time which Mr.. Jones thinks
can be supposed to have elapsed since this
great subsistence. A volcano has since
arisen in the dry bed OF The lake, ana me
lava which il plentilully poured out SHOW
no marks OF having been washed by
water. Wlthln historic ZINES
which IL, so lar rs Cd
seryations OF Salt Lake 90, extend BACK
ONLY to 2849, ats waters have risen ana ial-
len repeated, Che difference of level be-
tween its lowest ebb aud highest Hood be-
ing about ten feet. The rise and fall OF the
lake does not correspond entirely with the
changes in the local rainfall and tempere-
ture. and il is assumed that many OF its
sources of supply lie at great distances Ia
the encrcllng ranges of mountains and
where the climate mutations are not easily
observable. Salt Lake City stands so lar
above the lake that IL would not be Hooded
until the waters had continued to rise two
hundred and fifty years at the maximum
rate vet observed. Hence IL Is tolerably
evident that no such easy solution OF the
polygamy problem as would be caused by
a great rise in the lake, washing. cut the
sins of the saints, need be expected.-lAlta