Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-20
GREAT SALT LAKE
PuzzIing Aspects of UtaFl's Won
derfuI Saline Sea.

The Great Salt lake of Utah con-
tinues 10 be ore Of the greatest mys-
teries Of nature. For sixty years its
rise and fall have been studied by sci
entists in an effort 70 account for the
changes, but as yet they have reached
no satisfactory solution Of the prob
lem as 10 what is the principal cause
of the decrease in fits depth.
Those familiar with its depth and
the shrinking in its size each year
assert that OF the end OF twenty years
or so the bed Of the lake will be near
" all exposed with the possible ex-
ception of q few shallow pools Of wa
ter. Then perhaps the mystery con-
nected with It will be solved.
In fits dimensions the lake is really
sea. 1t being above seventy-1ve 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 n
distance OF mile. yet will not be i'm
mersed up to his shoulders.
The buoyancy Of the water is such
that It is almost impossible for one
20 remain on his feet at a greater
depth, his body being lifted up as
strip Of wood thrown into the water
in a vertical or oblique direction like
dart il returned to the surface in a
horizontal position.
Indeed, Il is believed the Great Salt
lake viii support more weight to n
given volume Of water than even the
Dead, sea, TO which in many respects
II 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 a
heavy crust of salt, which is almost
pure, lying upon stratum that cou-
lists chiefly of sand. In this respect
the bed Of the lake is similar to some
of TIE deserts IN the southwest which
once contained bodies Of water equal
in size to that in Utah or even larger.
1t Is known that the Great Salt lake
loses n large quantity of water yearly
by evaporation, but estimates of this
quantity indicate that it is far less
than that annually poured into the
lake from the rivers and creeks enter.
ing IT,
SO far ms is known no natural outlet
exists. but the lake supplies IN irrigat
fng system IN the country adjacent
that requires a quantity Of water year.
~ equal to Il depth of four inches of
the present area. This is very small
proportion OF the volume OF water that
enters IL through its feeders, 50 the
scientists know the water escapes III
some other manner than by the irri
gattln canal or by evaporation.
This is proved by the fact that the
increase in the quantity that enters
the hike at rainy season at times
does not increase its depth, and the
records show that actually It has falleI
Immediately after the Jordan an(
other streams have contributed &
larger volume than usual.
Near what is called Antelope isiant
IS an indication that a Subterranea
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 1t when nu the lake Il
boats.
= A number Of years ato It is said,
sailing vessel loaded with shsel
CHANGED to approach too near III
''maelstrom," and despite the stronI
breeze that was blowing the force o
10 ~
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