Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1903-12-05
Nevada and California Have
Salt Lakes
Briney Waters Which Show Usmis.
taxable Signs Of Volcanic Actios
In Other Ages.

understood is that there are other
inland seas, the waters OF which are
as briney as either OF these. Some
Of these are in our own state and all
are in the southwestern part of the
United States. The Mining and En-
cheering Review gives some inter
esting data on the subject:
Mono lake and Owens lake, which
are situated, one in Mono county, and
the other in Inyo county, California,
on the eastern slope of the Sierra
Nevadas, are as truly Dead Seas
as the famous bearer of the name in
Palestine. These lakes are very
similar in character, although slight
differences are found in the mineral
qualities of their waters upon chemi-
cal analysis. Indeed, in different
portions of the same lake the compo-
sition is found to vary, influenced, no
doubt, by the proximity of the vari-
Gus fresh water and other springs
that rise from the bottom or are
found on the borders.
The lakes are substantially the
same size, fourteen or eighteen miles
long by eight or ten broad. Owen s
lake being the larger. The waters
of both are highly chlorinated and
alkaline, the taste being more like a
bitter brine than anything else, and
totally unfit for use unless condensed.
Its action is excessively diuretic,
even in small quantities.
AT one time they mnst have been
much larger than at present, as is
shown by the beach terraces on all
sides. They receive much of their
water and the chemical salts from
the rivers and creeks which flow
through volcanic soil and empty into
them. BY evaporation of the water
and concentration of the Salts de-
posted there for ages the mineral
ingredients are constantly increasing
in amount.
Numerous springs are found all
over the lakes. The most curious of
these are some OF the fresh water
springs, holding in solution small
quantities of calcium carbonate which
precipitates and deposits around the
openings of the springs, forming, IT.
regular tubes, clustered together in
columns. These vase shaped struct-
ures are often ten to forty feet long,
rising from the bottom upward and
above the surface. In the center of
these columnar pillars are small holes,
through which flows this sweet wa
ter, making remarkable overlooking
fountains.
The islands in these lakes, of which
there are several, are all OF volcanic
origin, and over the surface Of them
are hot springs and jets OF hot steam,
making the surrounding water quite
warm. On some OF the islands, are
craters, fifty or more feet in diane
ter, now filled with water.
The country round about shows
evidences OF great
activity in recent geologic
Ages, and undoubtedly Mono lake it.
'elf is a large extinct crater.
Notwithstanding the unfavorable
character Of the water, which con-
'ains nearly 5000 grains OF solids to
ZACH gallon, life is found beneath its
urface. Small, curious, worm. like
organisms are plainly visible to the
Iaked eye near the surface OF the
ater. The larvae Of these animals
re thrown upon the shores by the
raves at certain seasons, and there
ccumulate in large quantities. The
indians gather these and dry them,
onsiderine them great delicacy.
The dried beds OF what we're once {
ANY similar lakes or seas are found I
,roughout the southern portion Of G
and in Nevada. It's these 7
d lake beds that are being found so
CHI in nitrate Of soda, borax and So =
um chloride and other alkaline or /
'sic salts. The gathering OF these b
distances is rapidly growing to be
very important industry; an indus
y that will grow enormously in the n