The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-01-08
ON LAKE BONNEVILLE
Dr.. Talmage Lectures On the Old
Salt Lake.
INTERESTING ADDRESS, ILLUS
TRATED WITH VIEWS.
Lecture Listened to By Large Audi
ence, Which Filled University
Lecture Room-Given Under the
University's Auspices.

An audience that filed every bit of
available space in the large University
lecture hall listened to Dr. J. E. Tai
IMAGES lecture last night. The subject
discussed, Lake Bonneville" is one of
more than passing interest in this locality,
possessing. as it does. both general and
local Importance. The address consisted
| of an interesting description of the rise
and fall of the lake volume and the great
climatic changes producing such marvel
Gus results. The StereODticon was used
with good effect, and number of very in
terest,ng pictures were shown: some OF
these were reproductions of illustrations
published by the United States geological
taken by the speaker. In addition, maps,
charts and numerous specimens OF lake
products were displayed. Among the pic
lures were excellent illustrations OF the
shore lines, of the fault disturbances and
of the glacial deposits in the canyons or
our own valley: and photographs OF the
present living inhabitants OF the lake.
The speaker disclaimed any credit for
much originality in the facts presented,
and eulogiZed the earnest workers 10
whom we are indebted for our knowledge
of Lake Bonneville. Among these he men
toned Beckwth Stansbury, Blake, Simp-
son, Bradley, King, Hayden, and more
particularly, Grove Karl Gilbert, whose
excellent monograph on the subject is our
standard work of reference. Lake Bonnie
vile was named in honor of Captain Bon
neville. whose early explorations In TINS
region have been recorded by Irving. The
body of water once filled the eastern part
Of the great basin. while in the western
part was the smaller sister body or water
known Lake Lahontan- The great
basin is not, as the name would indicate,
single depression, but IN reality a series
of depreSSionS, constituting single Dram
age area 1t is the largest closed drainage
area in North America, embracing, as II
does, the western half of Utah, including
all that portion which drains westward
from the WaSatch range and the pla-
teaus, parts of southern Utah, almost the
whole OF Nevada. the eastern portion OF
California, southeastern Oregon and the
southwestern part of Wyoming. In area,
the great basin is approximately 10000
square miles. Lake Bonneville at the time
OF its greatest extent, could be properly
called an inland sea. 1t was fed by the
SHOWS of the Wasatch and Uintah noun
tainS. 1t measured about 300 miles north
and south and about $50 miles east and
west. and covered about 10, 80 square
miles: this made it nearly the equal of
Lake Huron in area OF this great sea,
Salt lake is the largest remnant, and Utah
and Sewer lakes are smaller fragmental
remains The ancient lake covered the
central parts of Utah, reached into Idaho
and Nevada, and almost touched the Ari-
iona line, and composed among its prin-
cipal divisions. ID the Main body, (2)
Utah bay, 90 Sewer bay, "a EScalante
bay. and 60 Cache bay. These were de-
fined by islands and archipelagos, exist
ing today as ranges of elevation. ESca-
lante bay is claimed by some to have been
always a separate water body. When the
lake found an outlet it remained for a
time at one level, and so re-
corded its shore history. Under other
conditions when the water supply and
loss by evaporation were balanced, the
lake remained at fixed levels, and so cary
ed for Itself a record on its shore line.
These shore lines will be marked along
the entire margin. The principal levels in
descending order are. % the Bonneville
shore line, the highest and most conspic-
uous. about loo feet above the present
level of the present lake: (2) the interme-
date shore lines. far less conspicuous
than either the foregoing or the following;
CD Provo shore. about 200 feet below the
and consequently about 600
feet above the present water level; Cd !
StanSbury shore line. well marked on
Stansbury island, and occurring about 300
feet above present lake surface. The |
order is ID intermediate, (2) |
49, Provo. ca Stansbury. When |
the lake had stood for some time at its |
let this occurs at Red Rock pass, at the |
north end of Cache valley and a deep |
niche was cut in the rim of the lake /
basin at this point. through which a |
mighty river flowed rapi~-y, lowering the |
level of the lake to that of the Provo |
shore line. To this river the name Bonnie I
Vile river has been applied 1t was larger
than Niagara: it traverSed Snake river !
valley. being tributary to the Columbia. /
From the Provo level to the present water !
evel the lake has shrunk by desiccation. /
In this course of shrinkage the main divi-
stonS became isolated During the lake !
epoch, and particularly at the Provo
stage. many deltas were formed. Among |
The most conspicuous of these are the /
Logan delta, the Weber delta City Creek /
ielta. Rock Canyon delta, near Provo, |
indo theirs, near American Fork, Spanish |
Fork. and other canyons. In many places
he shores are deformed by faults An ex-
oil exro NIL IF a.rIr fe
ust north of our city. This may be trao d
rom q point north of Willard City to
Nephi, and it represents one of the great {
aults of the world. Volcanic forces were
lctive in the lake area. In Willard county
here are many well preserved craterS /
ome of them recent. 1t is probable that
ava was poured out on the Lake bottom
'he lake is now diminishing by desicca-
ion. Sewer lake IS about dried away
md Utah lake would show the effect of
hrinkage were ii not that it's level is
e2ulated by its natural outflow. Water
collected from Great Salt Lake in 1850
-ielded to DR.. Gales analysis % 2S per
ent solid matter; then the level rose and
he water became more dilute. 1t 1869 it
obtained. according to Allen, 1499 per
ent solid matter. Analysis by Talmage /
December, 1885. showed 1915 per cent SOL
ds; in August, 1889. 1857 per cent and in
september 1892. over % per cent. The "
.reater part of the solids contained is
alt.
The life of the lake includes. of course.
nut few species. Among the plants there
5 variety of algae. and among the ami
nails, the brine shrimp. larvae and pupae
f 2 gnat larvae and tipula fly and a
orixa.
1t is probable that the maximum water
evel corresponded in time with the period
f maximum glaciation in parts farther
asst.
DIR. Talmage deplored the fact that thus
ar no work has been done under state
uspces in the Investigation of Utah ge-
logy; the special work thus far done is
ue to the United States survey and to
inning and other private interests.
Judge c c. Goodwin, on the subject
As We Sail" is 1.-The lecturer for next
riday night. +,
The statements of those who have
cen cured by Hoods Sarsaparilla
rove the great merit of this medicine
,et only HOO6'S