The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-10-29

STRANGEST OF ALL LAKES.
It Covers Ninety Acres Of Ground in
Trinidad.
CWashington Post.)

IN dSniIBtOn fDSt.1
Mr.. Edward r. Smart, civil engi-
neer in the employ of the British gov
eminent. stopped last week at the Ma
tiOnal. where he arrived several days
before from the island Of Trinidad.
There, for the past fifteen years, he
has been engaged in making a number
of extensive surveys for this, one of
the richest and most valuable of the
British West Indies. Trinidad is the
island on which is situated the cele-
brated asphalt lake that supplies this
and other countries with paving ma
terial. and which Is without doubt one
OF the most remarkable natural Won
ders in existence.
THE island of Trinidad" said Mr.
Smartt, lis nearly square, with the eX-
ception of its western coast, which
runs out in two long capes. partly en-
circling a body of water known as the
Gulf of Paria. The capital of the ISL
and and principal seaport. Port Of
Spain, is situated on the southernmost
of these two capes, while the pitch lake
is located at a place called Brighton.
on the northern cape, thirty-three
miles across the Gulf Of Paria from
Port of Spain. The lake itself is Sit
uated one mile inland and covers ninety
acres. Extending over an area Of near
ly 100 acres 10 the north of the lake is
black and barren tract of asphalt
that appears TO have dried out and
hardened, and which is mixed with the
soil TO such an extent that il is not
quite so good as that Of the lake.
4 doubt if there is any one outside
of those who have visited the lake
who understand its true character.
Most people seem to think that it is
a spring Of some sort. but this is a
mistake. The facts are that almost
the entire island of Trinidad is under
laid with seams or strata of the same
kind Of pitch that is found in the
lake. Wherever a well is dug to any
depth. eighty feet or more. those do
ing the digging are sure to pass
through a seam Of this asphalt before
they strike water and the we'll has to
be at once curbed with bricks or boards
to prevent the asphalt in these seams
from flowing into and filling up the
Well
along various parts Of the seacoast,
wherever the banks are high and cut
away by the waves, these seams of
pitch are exposed, but so hardened on
the surface that they have not flowed
outward 10 any great extent. The lake
seems, therefore. to be a pocket Of this
pitch. The various layers seem to have
dipped upward and run together at
this point, forming the lake, the surface
Of which. under perfectly natural and
undisturbed conditions, would be sta
tionary. neither rising nor falling.
THE lake belongs TO the British
crown, but is leased for a period Of
Frsafuu ~.
Asphalt company. whose time limit has
forty-two more years to run. This
company pays no rental or lease money
for its right, but, instead. pays a roy
atty on every ton Of asphalt exported
from its station. Brighton. on the coast
near the lake. From this royalty Great
Britain derives a revenue of $4,000
(S200.e0O per year, which is spent In
building roads and making improve
ments over the. island. The company
is an English corporation. but owing
10 the fact that nearly all Of the as
phalt exported is shipped to New York,
the concern is planaged from that
point. and all CT the white clerks. su-
perintendents and managers, TO the
number OF eight or more, stationed at
the cOmpanys plant at Brighton, are
young men from the United States.
THE New Trinidad Asphalt company
has long wharf extending out to deep
water at Brighton. From the end OF
this wharf a cable tramway extends
to the power house. a mile inland. and
on the edge Of the lake. and from
there a small railway makes a loop out
and over a part OF the lake. which is
everywhere hard enough 10 walk upon
except. perhaps. in the center, where
it is very soft. This railway, or tram7
way. I should have said. is laid upc--