Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1910-06-16
QUlCkSAND.
How II is Formed and Its crewsoms
Characteristics.

Characteristics.
To most persons the word quick
sand" gives a sensation OF horror sinh
liar TO that produced by the thought
Of n snake. and many sensational ac-
counts have given 10 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
nble. 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. and il the
water is drained Off the sand will be
found firmly packed.
Qulcksand is comparatively very
light. weighing about ninety-four
pounds TO the cubic loot. 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.
1t IS quicksand that is used In hour
glasses and egg glasses. partly because
Of its fneness and partly because 1t
does not eventually cloud the glass by
scratching. us would the sho"p sand.
II is 10 its lightnsss that -quicksand
owes its deadly qualities. ana DEM
onstration Of how it becomes quick
may be given by placing a quantity
IN a bucket and adding water by pres
sure through q 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
quicksand The sand, owing TO this
support II receives from the water,
has its weight. OF supporting power.
reduced proportlonately weighing in
the water but thirty-two and a half
pounds as against ninety-four pounds
when dry. Bulk for bulk. the mixture
is nearly twice the weight of a man.
but Is too mobile to give support and
too thick to swim in. In its natura!
surface. resembling simply damp sand.
1t Is the most deadly man trap con-
ceivable.
Quicksand requires In all cases an
upward current which Is not quick or
strong enough TO break through In
the form of n spring. Ordinarily wa
ter flowing over quicksand will not
make 1t dangerous Ii may be formed
In 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 a
return current Is established through
the porous SANDY ground with sufi-
client velocity to loosen the sand and
make it "quick."
A permanent quicksand is found
where slow current OF fresh water
nnds its way to the surface OF the !
sand bed either in the bottom OF a
stream or elsewhere, Quleksands that I
are encountered during the sinking OF
walls and foundations are due 10 the /
influx of water when the work gets (
below "spring lever or the level OF
the water in the ground at that par
IicuIar spot. The sand. being deprived /
of the lateral support OF the water in (
The excavation. is pushed in from be- +
bind by the water currents flowing
from all sides.
One Of the most peculiar aud grew
some characteristics of quicksand is
hat it win soon engulf any object
East upon its surface, no matter how
light that object may be. even a per-
'ecuy dry .-Harper's Weekly.