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


the asphalt. but even this is not suf-
ficient 10 prevent its subsistence, and
as further means OF support it is an
ohored by long cables Of steel wire
TO the stanchions of wood driven in
the ground around the shore OF the
lake, which in form is almost circu-
lar.
These cables not only prevent the
railway from sinking, but also keep
the track from sagging on one side
or getting out of shape in other ways
The cars that run over this roadway
carry two buckets that hold 500 pounds
Of asphalt each. The asphalt is loaded
into these buckets from pits along the
side of the track, and when the cars
reach the shore of the lake the buck
cts are lifted up on the cable tram
way and whirled down to the end Of
the wharf, where their contents are
dumped into the holds Of vessels ly-
ing alongside the pier. They are then
sent back empty over the same cable
way TO he refilled.
THE laborers employed in getting
out the asphalt are all negroes. Some
of them are from Barbados and ST.
Vincent, but the majority are natives
of the island of Trinidad. Those from
Barbados speak English, but the ma
tive Trinidad negroes speak a French
patois. They dig the asphalt out in
humps with pickaXes to a depth Of
from four TO five feet loading IL into
the buckets with shovels II the
asphalt stands in the buckets for a
period as long as four hours it con-
sOlidates and has 10 be dug out with
pick.
1T is poured into the hold OF the
vessels just as Il comes from the lake,
in large humps, but by the time the
vessel reaches New York ii has run
together in such fashion that 1t has
TO be excavated in the same manner
that IL is taken fresh from the lake.
Some of the pitch Is converted into
what is known as 'epuree,' or purified
asphalt. This is done by placing the
Jumps of crude asphalt in a vat, which
is heated by a steam coal. What water
there is in the asphalt is soon evap-
GRATED, and after several skimmings
and boiling down it is barreled and
exported 10 New York.
In nearly every geography, history
or work I'm which this lake is described
you will see the statement that the lake
is ineXhaustible and that as fast as the
asphalt is taken out il fills up again.
Such, / assure you. is not the case, such
statements being founded on a miscon-
ceptiOn. The lake is in reality subsid-
ing and may last not longer than an
other 100 years under the present heavy
drain. The way this statement got into
circulation was az follows The COM
pany takes from the lake about 1850
tons per day. Now if this $50 tons
should be taken out Of one pit by the
next morning there would be no trace
left of the excavation % The day be
fore.
Most people would at once jump at
the conclusion that the holes had filled
up during the night, but such is not
quite the case. and II one VIII take the
trouble to stroll around the border OF
the lake he will find that there is d slow
but continuous subsistence going on all
the time. The holes. instead Of having
filled up, have simply sunk to uniform
level, for. like water, asphalt is a sub
stance that seeks its level whenever
its equilibrium is disturbed by diggings
or excavations. There Is, Of course,
certain amount OF asphalt flowing in
to maintain the level disturbed by the
constant diggings. This comes in from
the seams of pitch far under ground,
and which seem TO meet in the center Of
the lake. where the asphalt is softer
than elsewhere. but the flow Is not
rapid enough to maintain the lake at its
original level.
In other words, the company is TAX
ing out the asphalt faster than II Is
flowing in. For example, If the COM
pany removes 100000 tons from the
lake. about q. 900 tons flow in from be-
low to take the place of that removed,
so that on account OF this disprOpOr-
ton between the amount taken out
and the quantity flowing in the lake Is
gradually sinking, the marks Of the old
shore line being far above the present
one. The vegetation around the lake is
low and stunted. There are several
Islands In the lake supporting a scant
vegetation, but no trees, and although
the island is the home Of the dread
-mapipire. the coral snake and other
venOmOus reptiles. the lake and the
shores round about are completely des-
titute Of animal life.
There are several very curious
things about the lake. some Of which
nave never been accounted for nor sat
tsfactOriiy explained. You can walk
about over the lake, which seems per-
fectiy solid and firm Except in the cen
ter. where IL is so soft that although
IL u pOSdlDic IOI d person 10 Walk over
il, il is out OF the question for a pair Of
oxen and a cart TO attempt its pas
sage), but If you stand five minutes in
any one spot on the lake you viii ind
that you have sunk one inch into the
black. pitchy substance
Another remarkable thing Is that
the asphalt seems to flow upward from
the center, and in so doing brings Up
every now and then big cedar tree OF
= kind very plentiful on the island