The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-07-28

Vic AAo4OC Nd1lo "a " D1Cdl OLE Is Tie
dry basin known as the skeleton pot,
so called from the fact that many
( evidences point to the belief that q
human being found his last resting
place here. In fact, some declare that
residents in the neighborhood have
carried off, successfully, portions of
the skeleton, and the spot where the
skull rested is clearly discernibIe. This
dry pot is about twelve feet in diane
ter across the opening. and about
twelve feet deep to the upper level of
the sand which has drifted in. At
this depth the pot was found by
rough measurement to be about thirty
six feet wide. AS all the pots of this
( region show a cores onding slope of
inner wall. the inference would natur-
ally be Qf this slope continues) that
at some distance below the surface
there exists an immense Subterranean
lake. the source of supply for the
vents.
One Of these pots is called the ink
pot, on account of the inky blackness
of the surface of the water. Another
has received the title. the green pot.
on account of the verdant hue of its
water. The writer took particular care
to secure specimens of water from
both of these pots, which lie at a very
| short distance from each other. and
| found the water clear and colorless in
both instances. While the green color
I VI llic one Hldy De accounted IOE DN
the plant growthS in the water, the
! darkness of the other. it would seem,
! is due to the shadow of the overhang-
ing walls.
! The regions thus far considered are
/ characterized by perfect quietness.
! Not a sound is heard from the water,
| which lies close to the surface of the
earth, like dead seas, surrounded by
equally dead earth. But at a dis
lance of about one mile to the north
ward lies tract where the quiet is
not unbrokeD. One who stands in
the northeastern part of the valley and
looks to the northward into Snake
Creek canyon, with its bright foliage.
well-tjlled farms, and glistening water
course, is impressed with peculiarly
uncanny feeling when in his walk
thither he suddenly stumbles upon
region of scanned, SCARED rock, with
assures and cavities extending to IN
known depths. The whole surface
seems to have ocme under the direct
| inference Of the sUbterranean forces.
which were no doubt much strcn:
in former years than at present. A
rumbling. gurgling sound attracts at
tentOn. and one is somewhat startled
at looking into one of the assures and
seeing a swiftly running stream of
water. which throws off q, considerable
quantity of steam. At about a rod
from this point the water issues from
the ground in a large stream. The
temperature of this water is 112 de-
gree F., and it is in none of its essen
tial qualities different from that found
in the pots. Sticks, stones, and other
objects coming in contact with the
water as it issues from the ground,
are heavily encruSted with the lime.
freed from solution by the escape of
the carbonic acid gas. This stream
forms a large part of the water sup
Ms he ir~r-icr r
ing and culinary use. At a short dis
lance south of the town a large mill
stream of water issues from the
ground and joins the river below.
Great Contrast.
To the tract Of ground described
above, the name Warmlands has been
applied, and in winter the contrast be-
tween this place and the cold, bleak
mountains around is indeed striking.
Advantage has been taken of a. large
stream issuing from the eastern ex-
tremity of the Warmlands, for the
establishment of a. bathing resort, OPP
Grated under the direction of a Mr.
Murdoch.
How many pots, dry and with water.
there are in this wonderful region. it
is almost impossible to estimate;
guesses run all the way from seventy
five to one hundred. The circular
cavities crop out where one is hardly
expecting to see them. They vary in
size from the large ones already des-
cribed, to basins not more than three
feet in diameter The height of their
walls varies all the way from one to
one hundred feet, and the walls of
some do not come up to the surface
of the ground. The most striking of
the small basins is situated about a
quarter of a mile from the Warm
lands resort. 1t rises to a height of
some fifteen feet above the ground.
tapering to an irregular top some
three feet in diameter. i winding,
jagged hole, reaching down to al con-
tivity.
The most important of all the dry
basins of the region, is the famous
snake pot, the most easterly OF all. 1t
has a very interesting history within
the memory Of the inhabitants of
Midway. When the land in the
neighboThood was first taken up, it
was found to be thoroughly in
tested with rattlesnakes. Many
narrow escape from death a. their
fangs are recorded. one of which is
worthy of intrudction here by way
of parenthesis. A lady then residing
in Midway was engaged in work out
side the house, and had iaii her in
fant daughter on d Quilt under "a cur
rant bush, glancing toward the child,
she was horriied at seeing A large
RATHER with its head resting against
the babes body. Retaining her pres
ence of mind, she signaled a gentle
man, who seized the reptile by the
neck, and with a quick motion of his
wrist, twisted its head off. The writ
er'S interest in the incident will be
understood when it is known that the
girl in question afterward became his
wife.
These snakes were found to have
their rendezvous in a huge dry pot |
then about fifty feet high and twice !
as wide at top. The settlers of the !
valley entered into a crusade against !
the reptiles and their persistent eff /
forts resulted in the destruction of all
the pests. Their nest has since been |
known as the Snake Pot. It is now
used as a quarry for limerick, pro-
ducing an excellent quality Of lime. |
which is burned in kilns erected a
short distance away.
Series of Surprises.
AS before stated, these pots crop /
out where they are least expected. A /
striking instance is of recent occur |
renee. A Mr. Bircumshaw living in /
the eastern part of the town, had no. 1
ticed that on a certain portion of his 1
ground the snow melted as rapidly as
it fell, no matter how deep it might /
be on the surrounding ground. At /
last he determined to investigate it,
and for this purpose dug a pit on the
place Indicated. After going down