The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1897-04-03
Crater Lake, Oregon.
Earl Morse Wilbur, in scientific America

Crater Lake, Oregon.
Earl Morse Wilbur in Scientific American.
Crater Lake, lying on the very summit
of the Cascade Range in Oregon, about So
miles north of the California line, is without
doubt the most remarkable body of water
on the continent whether regarded as
scenery or as an object of scientific interest.
Capt. c. +. Dutton, I. S. A., who had
charge Of the government survey of it made
in 1856, reported at that time that it was
destined to become famous throughout the
world when it should become better known
and understood. But although its exis-
tence has been vaguely known for more
than forty years. its remoteness and diff
Guilty of access have prevented any con-
siderable numbers from visiting it, beyond
those living in its near vicinity The past
summer the Mazamas, a society in Port
land, Oregon, devoted to the exploration
and study Of the northwestern mountains
and their scenery, organized an excursion
Of 500 to 1000 people to the lake.
The lake itself is only one of the many
crater lakes in different parts of the world,
the best known of which, perhaps, are
those in the Eifel, in Central Italy, and in
Auvergne. These, however, are all small
Larger is the very remarkable lake in the
island of Niuafou, between the Figi and
Samoan Islands; the island being only the
exposed rim of an old crater, whose center
is occupied by lake two miles in diameter,
of unknown depth, and ninety five feet
above the sea. Crater Lake is more ex-
traordinary than even this. The breadth
and angle of its sides show that where the
lake now is there must once have been
volcano at least IA, 900 or 15, 900 feet
high-that is, about the height of Mt
Shasta. The gorges made by its great
glaciers are still easily marked; and the
present rim of the lake is composed of its
lava. Undoubtedly by great subsidence
(because the surrounding country shows
no evidences of so great an explosion the
whole mountain crest disappeared; and its
place is now occupied by lake of elliptical
shape, 81 by Al miles. The surrounding
walls rise to height of from 600 to 2, 600
feet and are SO steep that descent is i'm
possible except in two or three places.
The highest elevation of the remaining rim
is 8, 228 feet above the same level Care
full soundines show that there is maxi
mum depth of 996 feet, with general
mean depth of floor of about l 900 feet.
The lake is thus 500 feet deeper than
Tahoe, which it resembles in several notable
respects and therefore, the deepest water
on the Western Continent; although the
Caspian has been sounded to depth of
3, 600 fest and Lake Baikal to 4, 5O4 feet
From the floor Of the lake rise three well
marked cinder cones, two entirely under
water and the third forming Wizard Island,
845 feet high, and having Its own crater,
$50 feet deep The wafer Of the lake is
of the most remarkable deep blue color,
and so clear that the bottom can be seen
at depth of over 100 feet The lake
has no visible outlet or inlet, and is un-
doubtedly fed from the precipitation in the
immediate vicinity. A water gage estab-
lished by the Mazamus this year shows
that the water slowly but very steadily falls
as the summer progresses.
The expedition of the Mazamus had
something of the nature of scientific ex-
pedition Parties from the Geological
Survey, the Biological Survey, the Fish
Commission and the Division of Botany
were there from Washington and made
special study of the lake and its vicinity,
and many other scientific men were present
from different parts of the country. The
geology of the region offers problems of the
greatest interest for solution; the fauna is
said to be the most interesting of any part
of the Cascades, the Biological Survey OBJ
tanning several undescrbed species there
this year, and the splendid specimens of
conifers attract the botanist unusually.
1t was believed until this year that the
lake contained no animal life; but the in
vestigations of the Fish Commission showed
that, while no fish were present, there were
several species of small erustaceans and an
abundance of other fish food. The lake
will be at once stocked with trout.
The most important discovery, however,
was that made in taking temperatures of
the water. 1t was found that while the
surface temperature was 610 Fab, at 555
feet the minimum of 800 was reached, and
that below that the temperature gradually
rose until at the bottom, at l, $50 feet, it
was 49, The conclusion is almost ire
sistible that this curious phenomenon is
due to the presence of very considerable
volcanic heat.
The weirdness and grandeur of the lake
itself have so focused attention that it had
been forgotten that the mountain on which
it is situated, although over 5000 feet
high, had never had a name. 1t has now
been formally christened Mount Mazama,
in honor of the vanishing genus Of mountain
goat, from which the society mentioned
above takes It's name The Geological
Survey have lately published a large scale
map and description of Crater Lake, and
the place is sure before long to be known
as one of the greatest scenic attractions OF
the country.