Show 163 at its highest recorded level Great concern was felt by the Mormon settlers lest it rise to its prehistoric level and drive them out of their homes Says one the lake saw non-Morm- observer: on 4 is It and observed here that Salt Lake is growing in size freshness and the Jordan increasing in width and sluggishness of movement In broader phase the whole basin once evidently filled with water is slowly returnThe lake is rising at the rate ing to its old condition of a foot a year General Connor's little steam boat that has been carrying ties for the railroad across the lake during the last year certainly rode for a mile over what was good grazing land five years before Does provi- -' dence propose to drown the Mormons out and with water solve the problem that is puzzling our moral philosophers and statesmen As farmers along the Jordan river found their land being brine levees were constructed to stop the en- 5 But the lake kept rising Concern over water croaehing the continued high water level led the Salt Lake County Court (conmissioners) to take action After due deliberation it was decided that an opening or series of them might be made in the west side of the lake providing a channel or channels It seems that they through which the lake could be drained flooded by the knew plenty about the rising lake but shores little The "Waterwitch" was commissioned about its west to conduct this survey® 4 Samuel Bowles Our New Nest 224 Deseret News January 19 1869 quoted from "Bancroft's Scraps”" I 122 6 The Deseret News for September 8 1876 carries an account of these surveyors for their expedition 5 |