Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-06
A SINKING ISLAND.
It is of Considerable Size and Has an
Unfathomable Lake.


From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
Near the center Of the South Manitou
Island Is the bottomless lake. The inhabi-
tants believe this lake is the crater Of an
extinct volcano, and from this theory has
arisen the fear that the origin Of the
peculiar changes In the island was seismic.
This lake is entirely surrounded by dense
woods, and is almost two miles long. Like
the harbor, its waters are as transparent as
glass. It is a mysterious body Of water.
and resembles 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 during the
many long years the Hoilanders nave nVeu
on the island.
No exact survey has ever been made by
the government officials. but casual obser-
walton leads them to state that the level. OF
the little body of water corresponds very
closely to the level of Lake Michigan. From
this it is inferred that there is a subter-
ranean connecting channel. The Holland
ers argue that this does not solve the prob
lem regarding the depth OF the water.
Soundings have utterly failed to determine
it's depth. Even very close to the rim OF
the supposed crater the water Is great
many fathoms deep.
Again, in the small lake there are species
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 month
ago. At that time It was discovered 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 like change. This was not re-
garded as being unusual for the waves
are constantly shifting the sand deposits.
About two weeks ago, however, the beach
near the light house appeared to be slightly
changed. The water had crept farther
around the boat house at the life-saving
station. Lines letadown from tugboat
showed the water to be nearly twenty feet
deep. The following night the boat house
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 believed they would
find the water gone. and only an abyssmal
pit remaining. The lake. however, was as
placid as ever, and a number@of Holland
ers, who had been fishing since daylight,
declared they had noticed no peculiar
phenomenon.
The entire population of the island then
focked to the beach. The members of the
life-saving crew and the light house tender
expressed the belief that the entire point
would soon be completely submerged. The
islanders dispatched a boat to Sleeping
Bear Point on the mainland of the lower
peninsula of Michigan. and asked Captain
Lafberg to visit South Mantou.
Captain Lafberg, who Is well versed IN
nautical affairs, was greatly alarmed over
the change he saw in the beach. He warn
ed the people to leave the island at mo-
ment's notice The Hollanders laughed at
him. They have always lived on the is
land in perfect security. and secuted the
idea that the high sand hills would ever
be submerged. They were told that many
oceanic islets had disappeared suddenly
and in a manner that defied explanation
AS soon as he returned to Sleeping Bear
Point Captain Lafberg sent word to Wash
ington that in his opinion a 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.