The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-06
Periodically Vanlshes from Sight Beneath
the Waters of Lake Orion, kiICh.
AND AGAIN RISING HIGH ARO DRY
During Several Months orthe Year n
Lies Submerged In About Twenty
Feet ofwaier-'rhc island approxi.
mates an Acre in Extent and Is
Very vcrdnnt.

narkablc and incomprehens!ble mys-
ter!cs OF tine universe an island IN Lake
Orion. Michigan, to which attention of
the scientific world is now for the first
time called. II is literally Il sinking
Island, periodically vanishing from
sight beneath the waters Of the lake.
ana again rising high and dry, to the
establishment Of the residents along; the
shore and the complete bewildermcnt OF
these who profess TO have solved the
riddles of most natural phenomena.
The island 10 situated far from the
beaten track of town life. and so far has
escaped the publicity that 80 remurka-
bic n freak would have attracted had
the busy brains of scientific men been
concentrated upon its peculiar manner
of thruS;inS It's body or. OF the water
and becoming n bold landmark in The
ncighhorhood, and again sinking shyiy
out OF sight and hiding it's modest head
somewhere in the rcccsscs of the lake.
1t has dome TO pass ut last, however.
that scientific man has pitched his
tent, or rather his cottage. ON the Dor
hcrS OF Lake Orion in the vicinity OF
the mysterious island, and through this
circumstances the valuable scientific pun
Zie is ut last made public to whet the
curiosity OF clever men. and perhaps
result in 4 solutiIn Of Il mystery and
the wrestling from Dame Nature of an
other of her closely guarded secrets.
The scientist to whom the world is
indebted for making public the existence
of the sinking island is c. Henri Leon
ard. \. NJ, NJ. H.. we'll known author
81 Detroit. Mr.. Leonard has watched
the strange antics of the island with
growing interest. and has, besides max
ing systematic notes Of its habits form
Cd theory regarding the causes Of the
appearance and disappearance Of SO in
terestlnE landmark. The result of his
sludics he gives to the readers Of the
Chicago Record rs follows:
The cottagers have named n strange
spot IN this vicinity the 'G'3ating island
nut this is something of n misnumcr rs
II is really sinking and {: rising island.
during several months Of the wear Il
lies submerged in about twerty feet or
more of water. then for the balance Of
the year IL il out Of water, and pfcnics
can be held upon II If 50 desired. 1t is
USED as hunting place, when out of the
water by some of the boys OF the sum
mer resident families. waterfowl being
SA"t from its surface. Members of my
family have rowcd over the syst when
me island has chosen to sink out Of
SlSht, and have cndeavored 10 reach its
submerged surface with n T-fnGt oar
nut could not do So TWO months later
il has been out Of the water again.
The island lproximates an acre In
| extent, II It's OF course very wet for the
llrst week or 50 after arising from The
iitke depth, burt as the seas2n wears
along II becomes dryer, and. ms before
stated can be used for picnic purpuscs
would he afraid OF it's stability under
4 large load, though I have been told
ny one of the old residents. that one
season the people tried to hold II down
~ pouring on It's Sunken surface four-
teen wagon loads OF large stones rowing
them over The lakes surface totha placa
where the island was known 10 lie sub
| merged: hui like Bnnquo's ghost the
| stand Would not down; 1T makes it,
ehtree into air every Year just the same
IN the centre of the island is u half
| Go@en or more large stumps growing. a
c!ump Ct three being in the centre of the
mass. think these stumps are rrspon-
S!bte Tor the phenomena attcnliup tho
| annual rising ara stalking Tha. is. /
am Of the opinion tina. a collection of
these originally formed The nucleus for
| 'hc growth of this strange freak onont;
Inc Islands Of our fresh water lakes.
The fora of the lake Is something
marvellous III ITS richness and variety
these Stumns have drifttd out To tha
/ centre OF this portion of the lake. and
/ ihhen with ihcm some Of The strands OF
! IN" long Staic-ike plants that .r,.1v.
/ tncre 70 the length Hf nearly ten feet,
/ with the lily frnnds. MOSES. ana various
/ others OF the acqultic plants Thes ,
/ hNatinS growths have formed there
I WIN the earth attached to the sturp
! roots, an island garden all TO themselves,
/ ihey grew luXuri1ntly, and the under
hruSh cleared away from the shores and
other Islands thereabou;s gradually
! d"ife! in 10 them. ana 50 increases
\ me size Of the mass: then as the yool
( OF 'hc brush and If The stumps dscav.d
/ the mass became Meteorological ana tho
/ whole gradually sunk beneath the s,,r-
/ face Of the lake
'ut how comes Il to rise af.ain. os
| |. docs each succeeding wear? This is
me beinf mat has puzzzled wiser heads
/ IMAM min0, but ] have q the r.: FIR i,
] which seems to answer all ;ha rhu,,i,s.
mcnts. As The fora rippns durin.. tha
not months Of summer f9r. the island IL
J 4 thicH mass Of vcgc:ati0n-the stems
enlarge, become MioNpnt. aud. as IN,
season advances toward Septembn-
! undergo the frs. s.a,;es OF harDy-.,l,,i
Is. The stems become nnea win tn,
gases attendart ui42n fn!lFr ripcnass and
commence decaying: this large mas; 81
gaa-cnclos,ng Vegetation nvercgn,as ihr
natural weight Of the mass the gT,.ritIr
gravity being only = LITTLE h5lvtyr thar
The water, and so The whole mass grad.
ually rises above The waters Surface
II stays IN this condition above the sur.
race until thu heavy frOsts 81 tho FIJI
occur. when the plants having heen d.
SroNna ana The decay measureabIy com.
r!esed, the wnoln mass. being heaylaI
man The wa,cr again. It gradually sinks
10 the bottom cf the lake. which is ahoui
thirty fee; deep At this pnimt. to arts.
again The following year, when spriur
ana summer haze brought the Lakes
flora into life and fun v!gor once nlo-c
ihcse lakes aye Gel by large springs
gH.sElhS J" al various pl1cos alpng thc