Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-12-28
GREAT SALT LAKE
Puzzling Aspects of Utah's Won
derful Saline Sea.
ONE OF NATURES MYSTERIES

Science Unable 70 Solve the ProbI.r,
Of iss Escaping Waters and pimin-
ishins Area-The Maelstrom Near
Antelope island.
The Great salt lake OF Utah con.
unues 10 Zoe one Of the greatest mvs-
ferries II nature. For sixty years IFS
rise and fali have been studied bv sci
entisis I'm an effort 20 account for the
changes. but rs yet they have reached
no satisfactory solution OF the prob
lem as to what is the principal cause
II the decrease in its depth.
Those familiar with it's depth ana
the shrinking I'm It's size each vear
assert that at the end OF twenty years
or so the bed or the lake will be near
iy All exposed. with the possible ex
ccn'ion OF e few shallow pools OF wa
ter Then perhaps the mystery con-
nected with 80 viii be solved.
In It's Dimensions the lake Is really
sea, il being above seventy-five miles
In length ard fifty miles across at it's
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 cut from the beach FOR a
distance OF mile. yet will not be i'm
mersed ~ 90 his shoulders.
The buoyancy OF the water IS such
that II Is almost impossible for one
20 remain on his feet M n greater
depth. his body being lifted up rs
strip Of wood thrown into the water
in vertical or obiique direction like a
dart is returned TO the surface in a
horizontal position.
Indeed. II IS believed the Great salt
lake viii support more weight 10 a
given volume OF water than even the
Dead sea. TO which In many respects
81 bears 4 striking similarity.
The large quantity OF salt I'm solu-
ton Is the principal reason for the
huoyancy. AS the lake recedcs its
bottom is shown Go be composed OF a
heavy crust " salt. which is almost
pore, lying upon a stratum that con.
sists chiefly of sand. In this respect
the bed 81 the lake Is similar To some
OF the deserts in the southwest which
once contained bodies OF water equal
ia size 20 that en- Utah or even larger.
IL Is known that the Great salt Lake
loses large quantity Of water yearly
10y evaporation. but estimates OF this
quantity Indicate that IL Is far less
than thar annually poured into the
lake from the rivers and creeks enter
ing &C.
Sc tar MS Is known NO natural outlet
exists. hut the lake supplies an irrieat-
irg system On the country adjacent
That requires quantity Of water year
Is equal I'D depth OF four inches OF
the present area. This H. very small
proportion OF the voiumc OF water that
enters So through its feeders. So the
scientists Know the wafer escapes I'm
somc other manner than 10y the irrl
cation canal or hy evaporation.
This Is proved by the fact that the
increase IN the quantity that enters
the lake no % rainy season at times
does NOT increase it's depth. and the
records show that actually it has fallen
Immediately after the Jordan and
other streams have contributed
larger volume than usual
Near what is called Antelope island
is nm Indication that subterranean
opening exists. Frequently the waters
near the island are 50 violently dis
turbcd that people in the vicinity call
this place the "maelstrom" and care
fully avoid it when on the lake in
boats
y number of years ago, it is said. n
sailing vessel loaded with sheep
Glanced 10 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
copSized. Although sheep are natural
ly strong swimmers and land was but
q few hundred feet away. not one OF
the animals escaped and most Of the
carcasscs went under never To appear
again.
While the buoyancy of the water is
50 great that il will support n person
without aid. the boats designed for use
upon the lake must be constructed eS-
pccially TO counteract this feature. The
ordinary wooden vessel when empty
is actually too light TO be navigated
with safety upon il. since such small
portion OF it would bc immersed. Care
must therefore be taken. especially ~
the building OF sailboats, lest they be
top heavy. For this reason navigation
IS dangerous on the lake even when
there is only a moderate wind. unless
the sailing vessel Is loaded heavily 80
that it sits deem enough i'm the water
TO countcract the buOyant tendency
New York Press.