The morning times., 1896-08-16
AMERICAS DEEPEST LAKE.
Curious Facts About the Crater Lake
in Oregon.
81. Louis Globe Democrat.

st. Louis Globe Democrat.
Crater Lake, In Oregon. is the deepest body
of fresh water In Ainerica. Only Onc lake
In the world is deeper, namely. Baikal
which exceeds it III depth by about 400
feet. Until recently it was asserted that
Crater Lake was bottoInless, but sound
ings have proved that It's greatest cepth
is 2 900 feet. 1t is five miles in diameter.
nearly circular, and occupies the crater
OF IN extinct volcano.
Now, no fish have ever been known to
exist in Crater Lake. Not long ago u
request that il te stocked with trout was
sent 70 Washington by the Mazanas. who
are club OF mountain climbers, having
headquarters at Portland. MazaIna is
the Indian name for mountain goat. These
climbers are anxious To angle in the extinct
crater, and the government experts are go
ing 10 find out whether or not such Il thing
is practicable. 1t is easy enough to put
trout into the water, but that would be Of
no use unless there is food for them there.
Trials will he made by an expedition. for
the purpose OF ascerta ming how much food
there is aud whether or not IL is OF kind
suitabie for speckled beauties to browse
upon.
This will be accomplished by towing
small nets OF gauze along the surface OF
the water. The water will flow through
The gauze, which Will catch all the animal
culae That corne in its way. The quantity
OF the latter secured in a given number Of
minutes or hours will be an accurate meas
,ure of the amount OF fish food present.
They Will he bottled and preserved in for
maine for subsequent examination by a
specialist, who will determine the species
represented. Chiefly they will be little
shrinps and other small crustaceans. and
there will he some Insects also. 1t will
he necessary to make the towings at diff
-ferent hours OF the day, because some
crustaccans swim near the surface only in
the morning, others at midday. and others
yet in the evening. Shady areas as well as
sunny ones must be sought for various
species.
A most interesting series OF experiments
will be made for the purpose OF ascertain
Ing the temperature OF the water al various
depths. No temperature observations have
ever been taken in fresh water nearly so
FAR down. With TINS end in view, an
equipment OF seif-rcgistering thermometers
aud supplementary apparatus will te takc~
aud will be let down by means Of sounding
lines. There are very few places IN the
entire lake where the depth is less than
1 800 feet, though it shoals off somewhat
in The southwest part. One Lire OF sound
ings registered over 300 feet for u dis
tance Of two miles. These depths are
unapprouched by any other lake in the
Western hemisphere.
No wonder, then, that Crater Lake was
supposed to be tottomless. However, the
truth Is that all lakes over 100 feet deep
possess a similar reputation. Any body Of
water tha; Is deeper than the longest feel
ing liue is sure TO lack a bottom in the popu-
lar belief A first rate example OF this
sort of delusionis afforded by Payette Lake
in Idaho. 1t was formerly imagined to be
bottomless, and later its depth was Of
iicially stated to he 300 feet. Recent
investigation proves that Its greatest depth
is 3O5 feet There are no data on which to
base a guess as to the bottom temperatureo of
Crater Lake, but the suppOsition is that it
will be very little above freezing. The tenl-
perature of the ocean depth remains at
about 40 degrees Farenheit all the year
round, even in the tropics. Nevertheless,
some volcanic heat may yet remain to
warm the waters Of Crater Lake.