Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-12-21

comics from the land and IL washed down
into the sea basins by rain and rivers.
Once IN the ocean, u remains and accum-
ulates there, because Il has no way TO get
out. and new supplies ara constantly being
added to Il. The heat OF the sun causes
the surface water to evaporate ana TO
form clouds over the continents. which
clouds finally condense into rain. and
thus return into the ocean as water, car
rying more salt along with It
The ocean has been millions OF years
in collecting the quantity OF salt that II
now contains. which has been leached
out Of millions OF square miles OF land
by the action OF the water, sent forth a.
clouds from the sea and returning as
sediment-Iaden liquid. The sea IL pocket
for the salt. which IL open for ingress,
but closed for esross. At the present time
the oceans contain on an average, say
three and a half per cent of salt. II they
were suddenly dried up their basin would
salt
But there are greater acuuisitors Of
salt than the ocean-not as measured by
the total amount gathered, but by the
percentage. Large enclosed lakes, espe-
cially II they lie In sunny regions where
evaporation Is rapid and continual, often
gather enormous quantities OF SALT Thus
the Great Salt lake OF Titan, having no out
let. but several river inlets. and lying In
a basin-shaped valley. consists OF water
greatly exceeding sea water In saitncss.
The degree OF salinty OF the water has
varied notably since the lake was dis
covered by early explorers, the change
according with the amount OF water flow
ing in during relatively wet or dry periods.
The percentage OF salt has varied from
IS UP 70 about a.
The famous Dead Sea. IN Palestine,
having also no outlet. and lying, more
over, below sea level, has accumulated
salt until the percentage OF salinity has
been reckoned az high as 26. But the
quality OF the salt, and the nature OF
the elements entering into II. vary moro
or less In these inland collections from
that OF the ocean.
In times past the surface Of tho earth
has witnessed the formation and disap-
pearance OF many lakes and inland seas,
distributed over all OF the prcsent-day
continents and when these dried UP they
left their beds covered with deposits OF
salt Subsequent changes In the earth'E
crust have buried the ancient soa-beds
and lake-beds. which now constitute
stratified deposits Of salt.
The most celebrated OF the salt deposits
IN the eastern United States belong 20
what geolosists call the saiina system.
II was laid down by a shallow inland
sea. which existed In the later parts OF
tie ssIurian age. many millions OF years
ago. II extends from Canada through CEN
trai New York. Pennsylvania and Mary
land. reaching also westward into Ohio
Alternating with the salt deposits are
beds containing gypsum and stores OF
petroleum dating back TO equally ancient
time IA the enrth's history. In fact the
first discovery OF petroleum IN Penn
sylvania was made through arteaian wells
filled with brine.
In the early history OF this country. be-
fore the salt deposits around Syracuse. in
the ancient land Of the onondagaa. were
known 70 white laen. the settlers along
the coast had 20 take their salt from the
sea. II was obtained by evaporatinE water
in kettles. and the process was 10 easy
that every considerable family had a
salt-maizing apparatus. Finally the great
''sait-licks' OF the Indians were discov-
cred. and the state OF New York
purchased from the onondaga tribe the
land underiaid BY the same deposits.
There are immense stores OF solid salt
IN many parts OF the earth's crust. left
~ former bodies Of water. In Austria
you may visit enormous covers where
salt Is mined like coal. and where roofs
walls. columns. passages. all consist Of
salt. whose surfaces glitter In the artificia
light az u Il were strewn with diamonds
So It Is not wonderful In boring for Of
that you should strike salt water. II Il
only q reminder OF dead seas and lake.
that whipped In the Sunlight OF an carries
period Of the earth. and then lad thell
dry bones % salt 70 rest deep In Ita rocl
honum