Smyrna times., 1895-07-24
THE SMYRNA TIMES,
SD1T210, DeI.,
Wednesday Afternoon, July "a, 1895
Another Dead Sea Forming.
THE SEA OF GALILEE BECOMING LIKE
THAT WHICH COVERS THE SITE
OF SODOM.

THAT WHICH COVERS THE SITE
OF sODOM.
Will there be another sea of Sodom ?
Lieut.. Lynch of the United States navy
has established the fact, previously not
known with cOnsummate accuracy
that the depression of the Dead Sea
(also known as the Sea of Lot and in
the Scriptures as the Salt Seal is over
$4,000 feet below the level of the Med
lterranean, while that of lake Genesaret
is 500 feet lower than the ocean. The
measurements were made twenty wears
ago, long period in semi volcanic
region. Lake Generaret is connected
with the Dead Sea by the Jordan flow
ing through it from north to south, and
engineers and scientists are satisfied
that the bed of the Jordan is gradually
sinking. My observations Of the shores
OF Lake Genesaret and those of the in
habitants of the neighboring towns and
villages indicate that the lake is con-
tinuosly falling toward the bottom
while the water is becoming denser
from year to year. The salt strata in
It's nelghborhoOd are growing constant
ly, it seems, and sulphur springs are
becoming frequent on the plains sur
rounding it. In the north and east of
the lake the palm trees, some of them
alive, more of them dead and barren.
rise above the water at distance of
from twenty to forty feet from shore
That they should have taken root in
the water is impossible, and the sun
position is that originally they stood
on Islands submerged with the sinking
of the lakes bottom.
The catastrophe which resulted in
the destruction of the cities of Sodom
and GOmOrrah and in the formation of
the Dead Sea is computed to have oc-
Cured about 1900 years before Christ
Ihe Dead Sea has puzzled scientists
ever since, and many Of Its remarkable
features have now been explained. It's
depression below the level of the Medi-
terranean is the deepest known ON
earth. The bottom of Lake Genesaret
is on much higher level at present
out II 1t continues to sink as it has done
IN the last twenty years repetition of
the events OF 1000 years ago is not i'm.
probable. As the world has not been
treated to a spectacle of terrestrial
evolutions on Il grand scale within
hundreds of years, the creation of a
second Dead Sea within the compass of
ordinary travel would surely attract
the attention of all civilized nations
and at the same time help to solve |
many problems of scientific nature |
JOsephus, who was horn in 81 Il. O.
reports that the water of Genesaret
was "clear as crystal, sweet and whole
some" tried to drink Of it, hut found
1t putrid and nauseating. 1t left
salty taste in the mouth | asked the
fishermen, plying their trade on the
lake as in biblical days, whether the
water was always unfit for drinking
purposes, and received answer that IL
grew more and more foul every wear
This seems to indicate that the sur.
misses as to the change of conditions in
the lake are correct. The water of the
Dead Sea, as Is we'll known, is entirely
lnht Tor use by man. The stencil aris-
ing from 1t creates pestilential atmOs-
phere Tor many miles around. | have
never been able to approach the lake
n summer, but the natives have in.
ormed me that about this time of the
year the water, even a foot below the
surface, acquires temperature of 9Oo
Il has been observed that past midniobt
he temperature of the water on The
surface measured IN the neighborhood
lt lOO'. There is, however, one false
impression in the public mind to he
The Dead Sea is not dead
rs to animal life. Hawks, partridpes
rogs, and pigeons are numerous uDon
Us shores, and all sorts of crawling in
ects abound there; the sluggish waters
IRE covered with dGcks-in fact. the
auna is the same as that inhabitino the
hores Of Lake Genesaret. with this
Inference, however, all specimens of I
he animal world about the Dead Sea |!
re slate cOlOred, while those enliven.
ng the shOres and surface of Lake
ie9esaTet '5 % wear their ordinary plumage
nd scaly dress respectively. i
The Lake Genesaret, also called the '
ea OF Tl0erias or Galilee, is situated c
. miles north of the Dead Sea. It's t
xtreme length is 10 miles, its greatest /
Vldth six and three quarter miles, !
me water is very deep even at the d
hores. some spots its depth meas
res 100 feet, in others 75O and more t
Q the northeast and northwest the
nores are natiaDd sWampyi the moun=
aims OF Safed approach the lake in the n
ortn; IN the west we have the hills of s.
.l-Hamma and Hattin. The volcanic Il
lateau of Jaulan commences in the k
ast; 1t IS distinguished for many dead a
rraters; its greatest height is called il
lermon, and it wears an eternal snow Il
aP. Palms that bring forth no fruitino
nd papyrus plants and oleander -four
q in the neighborhood of the shore v
he stones at the edge of the water are b
terally covered with turtles. some of r
hlch grow over a foot and half LONG n
ucks are plentiful in some parts. in p
hers the pelican holds forth in large o,
1mbers. o