The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-20
The So-called Working Of Our In
land Lakes.

THE QUESTION has been asked by several OF
i the readers Of the salad what causes
the so.called working OF our inland lakes, and
in order TO answer this mooted question with
some degree Of accuracy, have made extended
inquiry among those who have observed this
natural phenomenon for many years and have
also made numerous scientific experiments,
measurements and observations at one Of the
lakes Uake Henry which has just begun 10
work and the following is th' result:
First, | learned by inquiry thlt the lake be.
gins TO work every year at the carly part of
the month Of July, some years earlier and bome
later, but never before the fourth; that the
time depends upon the temperature Of the air.
In an early warm season the working COM
mences earlier than in cool season; that the
water becomes muddy; stumps and even small
islands rise to the surface and the small fish
when confined near the surface in bait boxes,
die within tweny.four hours while the large
fsh seek the bottom of the lake and congregate
at spots where springs Of fresh water are located
at the bottom and in consequence the fishing Is
bad ss long as the working lasts, which period
ia from to 10 days, but may he interrupted
by cold rainy weather, to commence again with
warm, clear weather.
Through my own observations and expert.
ments | learned that the numerous bubbles
which are seen everywhere In shallow places are
made by socalled marsh gas, a quantity a
which collected and found it to he identical
with the gas which produces the ignis fatuus
Of swamps a gas due to the decomposition
Of vegetable matter. With the water telescope
I found that the upper stratum Of the water was
too muddy to allow the light to penetrate more
than ten feet and by taking samples OF the
water at different depths found that near the
bottom Of the lake the water for four or FIVE
feet was comparatively clear, and became more
MILDLY tie nearer the surface the sample was
II
| ent depths was at an air temperature of 81 de.
| grees, two feet below the surface 70 degrees, at
twelve feet - degrees, and at twentythree feet,
| the deepest point could find, the thermometer
| showd 20 degrees.
| Taking all these established facts together the
| explanation OF the phenomenon becomes very
| simple, viz, that it depends entirely upon the
temperature Of the water and is produced by
| the expansion Of the gas due TO the dccomposi.
| tion Of vegetable and animal matter in 'he mud
Of the bottom Of the lake. This gas which has
| accumulated for year and been con6acl by the
surface mud becomes expanded by the Use ot
| temperature Of the water to from 80 to 70 dc.
| grees to such an extent as TO cause numerous
| minute explosions, thus starting, 30 10 speak,
| the surface mud and finding thus a vent. Iato
| this the water carries with it small PARTICLES Of
mud to the surface, where II is either ahsorbc |
by the water, as csrbonc acid gas is absorbed
| in making the ordinary soda water, or is seen
| as bubbles bursting on the ,uIicc Of 'he water.
| 4 large accumulation of such bubbles under a
| log or patch of water grass which is too dense
| to he blasted, will act like % mary swimming
| bladdcrs and cause the log or little island TO
| rise TO the surface. This h,aIny Of the md at
the bottom also liberdres innumcrai guhs ard
larvae OF water. insects, whi2l ready At I. is
| time of the yea 70 dercl))e into their fra
state Of existence, ani his, together with 'hG
| fact that the mud is .h'uwn mpwir1 AMI tn"
| water remains clear near the bottom, eN9ls N
| the fact why the FISH will not bite when the
| lake is working because they find both clear
water and plenty Of food near the bottom.