The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1910-12-28
Great SALT LAKE
Pulling Aspects of Utah's Won
derfui Saline Sea.

derfui Saline Sea.
| ONE OF NATURES MYSTERIES
Science Unable to SeI.e tho Problem
Of It's Escaping Waters and Dimin-
ishins Area-The Maelstrom Near
4; Antelope Island.
The Great Salt lake OF Utah con-
tinucS 10 DC one OF the greatest myS-
rise and fall have been studied by sci
/ entistS in an effort to account for the
I changes. but as yet they have reached
no satisfactory solution Of the prob
lem rs to what is the principal cause
Of the decrease in its depth.
! Those familiar with its depth and
{; the shrinking IN its size each year
assert that 1t the end Of twenty years
or SO the bed OF the lake will be near
ly all exposed. with the possible ex-
ception Of few shallow pools OF wa
ter Then perhaps the mystery con-
nected with 1: will be solved.
! In its dimensions The lake IS really q
sea. it being above seventy-tve miles
IN length and fifty miles across at its
greatest width. containing. therefore.
over 1000 square miles OF surface.
Near the shores the water IS SO shall
low that there are places where one
may wade out from the beach FOR 4
distance CT 4 mile. yet will not be i'm
mersed up TO his shoulders.
The buoyancy OF the water is such
! that 1t IS almost impossible for enc
to remain on his feet at 4 greater
depth. his body being lifted up as 4
strip of wood thrown into the water
! IN vertical or oblique direction like 4
dart IS returned to the surface In 4
horizontal position.
! Indeed. it is believed the Great Salt
lake Will support more weight to 4
given -o!umc OF water than even the
Dead sea, to which in many respects
it bears a striking similarity.
The large quantity Of salt in solu-
ton IS the principal reason for the
buoyancy. AS the lake recedes its
bottom is shown to be composed Of .
heavy crust OF salt, which IS almost
pure, lying upon stratum that con-
sists chiefly Of sand In this respect
the bed Of the lake IS simiia- to some
Of the deserts IN the southwest which
once contained bodies Of water equal
in size to that in Utah OF even larger.
It IS known that the Great Salt lake
loses large quantity Of water yearly
BY evaporation. but estimates OF this
quantity indicate that 1t is far less
than that annually poured into the
lake from the rivers and creeks enter
! ing It.
So far as IS known no natural outlet
exists, but the lake supplies an irrisat-
ing system IN the country adjacent
that requires I quantity Of water year
" equal to depth Of four inches Of
the present area. This IS very small.
proportion OF the volume Of water that
enters 1t through its feeders. so the
scientists know the water escapes In
some other manner than By the irri-
CATION canal or by evaporation
! This is proved by the fact that the
increase in the quantity taat enter;
the lake at rainy season At times
does not increase its depth. and the
records show that actually it has fallen
immedIa:el: after the Jordan and
other streams have contributed i
larger volume than usual.
Near what is called Antelope island
IS Al indication that . subterraneaIi
opening exists. Frequently the water;
near the island are so violently dis
turbed that people IN the vicinity cal!
this place the "maelstrom" and care.
fully avoid it when on the lake IL,
boats.
\ number Of years ago. it IS said. 4
sailing vessel loaded with sheep
CHANGED to approach too near the
"maelstrom." and despite the strong
breeze that was blowing the force OF
the water was greater than the power
Of the sails. the vessel being drawn
into the middle Of the disturbance and
capsized Although sheep are natural
II strong swimmers and land was but
a few hundred feet away. not one of
the animals escaped and most Of the
r., -co SScS wont rlnda- never TO aDOeI =
again.
While the buoyancy Of the water IS
SO great that ii will support person.
without aid. the boats designed for u<e
upon the lake must be constructed cS-
pecially TO counteract this feature. The
ordinary wooden vessel when empty
IS actually too !i~ht to be naviSated
with safety upon il. since such snlzl!
portion Of It would be immersed Care
must therefore be taken. especially IN
the building Of sailboats, lest they Dc
| top heavy. For this reason navigation
| IS dangerous on the lake even when
there is only moderate wind. unless
| the sailing vessel is loaded heavily 50
| that II sits deep enough IN the wate!
| to courteTact the buoyant tendency
New York Press.
Domestic Science.