The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-01
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A SINKING ISLAND.
1t Is of Considerable Size, and Has an
Unfathomabie Lake.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
Near the centre of the South Manitou
island is the bottomless lake. The in
habitants believe this lake is the crater
of an extinct volcano, and from this the
ory has arisen the fear that the origin
that the peculiar changes in the island
was seismic This lake is entirely sur
rounded by dense woods, and is almost
two miles long. Like the harbor, its
waters are as transparent as glass. 1t is
a mysterious body of water, and resem-
bles the one in the old crater of Mt
Shasta, in California. 1t is not fed by
streams or springs, although its level
has not lowered or risen perceptibly dur
ing the many long years the Hollanders
have lived on the island
No exact survey has ever been made
by the government officials, but casual
observation leads them to state that the
level of the little body OF water CORE
spends very closely to the level of Lake
Michigan. From this it is inferred that
there is a subterranean connection chan
mel. The Hollanders argue that this does
not solve the problem regarding the
depth of the water. Soundings have ut
terly failed to determine Its depth. Even
very close to the rim of the supposed
crater the water is a great many faith
oms deep.
Again, In the small lake there are spe-
cies of fish not found in the big body
of water The mysterious pool yields up
black bass weighing as much as six and
one-half pounds. On the other hand, few
of the fish found in Lake Michigan are
ever caught in the deep hole in the
island.
The first indication that the island was
in danger of disappearing appeared a
month ago. At that time it was discov-
cred that the shoal sands extending two
miles out from the western point of the
crescent were covered to a greater depth
than formerly. Lines let down near some
of the buoys showed a like change. This
was not regarded as being unusual, for
the waves are constantly shifting the
sand deposits.
About two weeks ago, however, the
beach near the lighthouse appeared to
be slightly changed. The water had
crept father around the boathouse at the
life saving station. Lines let down from
a tug-boat showed the water to be near
" twenty feet deep. The following night
the boathouse was swallowed up. With
it a long strip of the beach disappeared.
Next morning the water was still as
clear as on the day before. Many said
that the beach had slipped into the lake,
but others pointed out that had that been
the case the clay and sand would be
mixed with the water. A hurried trip was
made to the lake. The investigators be-
lieved they would find the water gone,
and only an abysmai pit reamining. The
lake, however, was as placid as ever, and
a number of Hollanders. who had been
fishing since daylight, declared they had
noticed no peculiar phenomenon.
The entire population OF the island then
flocked to the beach. The members of the
life saving crew and the lighthouse ten
der expressed the belief that the entire
point would soon be completely sub
merged. The islanders dispatched boat
to Sleeping Bear point on the mainland
of the lower peninsula of Michigan and
asked Captain Lafberg to visit South
Manitou.
Captain Lafberg who Is well versed in
nautical affairs, was greatly alarmed
over the change he saw in the beach. He
warned the people to leave the island at
a moments notice. The Hollanders
laughed at him. They have always lived
on the island in perfect security and
secuted the idea that the high sand hills
would ever be Submerged. They were
told that many oceanic islets had dis
appeared suddenly and in manner that
defied explanation.
AS soon as he returned to Sleeping
Bear point Captain Lafberg sent word
to Washington that in his opinion great
disaster was in store for South Manitou
Island. He said that the water at points
about the land had increased in depth
from three to thirty feet and that the
bed of the lake was greatly changed