Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-12-04
QUIcKsANp.
How Il Is Formed end It's orswsone
characteristics.

NNNW - - NAfNf~A 49,
Characteristics.
To most persons the word quick
sand" gives a sensation OF horror sim
liar TO that produced by the thought
OF a snake, and many sensational ac-
counts have given to quicksand al
most human attributes. No ordinary
observer would be able TO distinguish
dry ouicksand from any other sand,
and the average person would be I'M
able 10 restore 1t to IT'S quick prop
critics even II be tried. II water Is
mixed with the quicksand the mass
does not become mobile. and II the
water is drained of the sand Will be
found firmly packed
ouicksand Is comparatively very
light, weighing about ninety-four
pounds to the cubic foot. while other
forms OF sand run as high as III
pounds. Quicksand when examined
under the microscope will be found to
have rounded corners. like river sand,
as distinguished from sharp" sand
II Is qulcksand that IS used 10 hour-
glasses and egg glasses. purity because
Of its Gneness and partly because It
does not eventually cloud the glass By
scratching. as would the sharp sand.
II is to It's llghtness that quicksand
owes its deadly qualities. and dem
onstration Of how II becomes quick
may be given by placing a quantity
in q bucket and adding water by pres
sure through a hole IN the bottom, al
lowing the water to overflow very
slowly when Il has worked up through
the sand. The upward current Will be
found to loosen the sand and to raise
the surface very slightly. separating
and lubrlcating the Particles so that
they are easily displaced
The bucket now contains genuine
quicksand. The sand owing 70 the
support II receives from the water,
has IT'S weight. or supporting power
reduced proportionately. weighing IN
the water but thirty.two and a half
pounds as against nlnety-four pounds
when dry. Bulk for bulk, the mixture
Is nearly twice the weight Of man.
but Is too mobile 10 give support and
too thick TO swim IN. In It's natural
state. presenting an apparently firm
surface. resembling simply damp sand
Il is the most deadly man trap con-
celvable.
Quicksand requires In all cases an
upward current which Is not quick or
strong enough 10 break through ~
the form Of a spring. Ordinarily wa
ter flowing over quicksnnd VIII not
make Il dangerous II may be formed
!n tidal rivers and on the shores Of
tidal seas by the rising tide saturatIng
a porous stratum OF ground below high
water mark. and when the tide falls
return current IS established through
the porous SANDY ground with O sun
Client velocity 10 loosen the sand and
make Il quick"
A permanent auckland Is found
where slow current OF fresh water
finds rs way 20 the surface OF the
sand bed either IN the bottom Of a
stream or elsewhere Quicksands that
are encountered during the sinking OF
walls and foundations are due 10 the
influx OF water when the work gets
below "sprlng level" or the level OF
the water IN the ground az that par
ticular spot, The sand, being deprived
OF the lateral support OF the water In
the excavation. Is pushed In from be
hind by the water currents flowing
from oil sides.
One OF the most peculiar aud grew
some characteristics OF quiCksand Is
that Il will soon engulf any object
cast upon It's surface, no matter how
light that object may be, even a per
fectly dry stick. llarper's Weekly.