Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-06
THE BIGGEST OF LAKES
Prof Harrington's Talk to the Geographic
Society.
Physical Features of Lake Superior
Its Marvellous Depth and
Purity.

Prof. Mark W. Harrington, chief of the
weather bureau read a carefully prepared
paper on "Sone Physical Features of Lake
Superior" before largely attended meet
ing of the Geographic Society, at the Cos
mos Club house, last evening. The paper
gave an interesting description Of the lake,
its area, coast line, islands, drainage area,
formation, depth, currents, changes of
levels, periodic and non-periodc changes,
temperature, precipitation, forest fires.
storms, winds, climate, vegetation, soil,
fauna and commerce. Lake Superior, the
lecturer said. was the largest and deepest.
not only of the great lakes, but Of all the
bodies of fresh water on the earth. Its
total coast line is 1872 miles, of which $50
miles are on the American side and 992
miles are or the Canadian side. The total
area, including bays and islands, is 32,166
square feet. The islands have an area of
Coo square feet, and the bays an area of
1.041 square feet, leaving 4 total area of
open lake water surface Of 80, 46J square
feet. The boundary line over the lake be-
tween the Dominion of Canada and the
United States is $50 miles long. Probably
the next largest body of cresn water in the
world, the lecturer said, is Victoria Ny
ANA, CT Ukerewe, in equatorial Africa,
with an estimated area of 25,OO0 to 10000
square miles, as against the Lake Super
ior's known surface area of 81, 1876 square
miles. The combined area Of the great
lakes of the st. Lawrence Is 1920 square
miles, and a third of this is formed by
Lake Superior. The largest island IN Lake
Superior is Isle Royal, or the Regal Island.
The Indians have always considered this
island an evil spirit, and even now are 10th
to visit 1t. On account of the large ex-
penditures upon it, with no adequate re-
turn, the island has also proved somewhat
of a "hoodoo' to the white people. Carl
bou still remain on this island and have be-
come quite tame. The island is described
as an Isolated and nearly Submerged noun
tain ridge, rising from 1Oo0 to 800 feet
from the bottom of the lake. 1t Is the
only island of the kind in the lakes, and is
only paralleled by isolated and volcanic is
lands of the great oceans.
Tho Drainage Basin.
The drainage basin of the lake is relative
ly small. and the margin of the watershed
Is low in all directions, and is generally ILL
defined. The St. Louis river, which enters
the lake at the extreme westerly angle, Is
considered the mother stream Of the lake
and the source of the St. Lawrence. A
similar claim has been made for the Nepe-
son river. which enters at the extreme
northernmost point of the lake. The form
OF Lake Superior, according to Mr. Har-
rington is that of crescent, with the
convexity directly north and the entrance
at st. Marys river Is like that of an ORR
entail temple, in that its center Is reached
by passing through series of headlands
The mean level of the lake is 602 feet
above the sea at mean tide. At st. Mary's
the water descends u feet to the level of
Lakes Michigan and Huron. In the rivers
ST. Clair and Detroit there are feet more
of descent, taking the water to the level
Of Lake Erie. In the Niagara river oc-
ours descent of 1926 feet, of which SO feet
are above the falls, 100 feet in the falls
and 40 feet below the falls. This brings
the water to the level Of Lake Ontario
247 feet and the remainder of the descent
is made in the St. Lawrence river.
The Great Depth.
Although the surface of Lake Superior
has not always stood at Its present level.
MIR. Harrington said it might be lowered
many hundred feet more and the lake
would still be larger than her four great
sisters, and also be among the largest of
the bodies of fresh water on the earth's
surface. He said that If the water sank
to the level of the ocean the lake would
still be between oae-third and one-half of
the same. Otter Head would still exist and
Isle Royal would tower 900 feet or more
above the waters surface The deepest
point in the lake is about half way between
Otter Head and keweenah Point, and on
line between the eastern end of Isle Roy
are scanty. but the basin with depths of
more than $50 fathoms or 900 feet, appears
to be an oval area % miles long by 10 miles
broad. This is 800 feet below the sea level.
The greatest depth in the lake is zoos feet.
Thus after drainage, the lake would not
only be large, but deep we'll
The water of the lake is remarkable for
its extreme purity, very little being added
and very little being taken away. There
are two distinct systems Of currents on the