Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-12-06
oUIcKsAND.

roW " " Foruuoo aUo tto GEeWssu"
Characteristics.
10 most persons the word quick
sand" gives q sensation Of horror Sim
liar to that produced By the thought
Of snake and many sensational ae-
counts have given to quicksand al
most human attributes. No ordinary
observer would be able to distinguish
dry Quicksand from any other sand.
and the average person would be I'M
able to restore 1t to its quick" prop
critics even II he tried. II water is
mixed with the quicksand the mass
does not become mobile, ana II the
water is drained of the sand will be
found firmly packed.
Quicksand is comparatively very
light, weighing about ninety-four
pounds to the cubic foot, while other
forms Of sand run as high as Ill
pounds. Quicksand when examined
under the microscope will be found to
have rounded corners, like river sand.
as distinguished from sharp" sand.
II is quicksand that is, used In hour
glasses and egg glasses, partly because
OF It's oneness and partly because 1t
does not eventually cloud the glass by
scratching, as would the sharp sand.
Il is to its hghtness that quicksand
owes its deadly qualities, and a DEM
onstratlon Of how 1t becomes quick"
may be given by placing a quantity
In a bucket and adding water by pres
sure through hole In the bottom, al
lowing the water to overflow very
slowly when 1t 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 lubricating the particles so that
they are easily displaced.
The bucket now contains genuine
auicksand. The sand, owing to the
support II receives from the water.
has its weight. or supporting power.
reduced prOportionately, weighing In
the water but thirty.two and 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 TO give support and
too thick TO swim In. In its natural
state. presenting an apparently drm
surface resembling simply damp sand,
II Is the most deadly man trap con-
eeiyable.
QuIcksand requires In all cases an
upward current which Is not quick or
strong enough 10 break through in
the form OF a spring. Ordinarily wa
ter flowing over qulcksand win not
make Il dangerous. II may be formed
IN tidal rivers aud 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 a sufi-
cient velocity to loosen the sand and
make Il quick"
A permanent Quicksand II found
where n slow current OF fresh water
finds It's way TO the surface Of the
sand bed either IN the bottom OF a
stream or elsewhere. Qulcksands that
are encountered during the sinking Of
walls and foundations are due % the
influx OF water when the work gets
below spring level" or. the level Of
the water IN the ground 90 that par
ticuiar spot. The sand, being deprived
OF the lateral support OF the water In
the excavation. Is pushed IN IRON be
hind by the water currents lowing
from ell sides.
one Of the most peculiar and grew
some characteristics OF Quicksand =
that Il win soon engulf any object
cast upon lts surface. 10 matter bow
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