Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-05-07
MISCELLANEOUS.
From The Key West Gazette, april l2.
The SALT PoND, AND SALT MAKING AT
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Itemay not be generally known at a
distance, that Salt is of the puresl and
heaviest kind is made al Key West in con-
siderable quantities. The enterprise was
com mmenced about ten years since by a
Chartered Company, combining The New
Bedford and Bahama plans: ii. e. COM
binlng covered works with an open pond.
The '.Sal, Pond" SO called, is low
fiat surface III the interior OF The North
Easlerly part of the Island, based on
limestone, which is covered with tenacious
marie, lmperviOus TO waller. 1t is about
on level with The lowest lide, aud SO flat,
that eight inches Of water will flow the
whole three hundred and forty acres,
which constitutes the area OF the poud.-
Formerly, spriug tides flowed over into
this pond in two different places and filled
il. The water thus thrown in, having no
outlet, evaporated, and in dry Seasons
formed Salt without any artificial aid.-
An arm of The bay with very narrow
entrance makes into the Northerly part of
the Island and approaches The Salt pond
in TWO places, within seventeen rolls. The
narrowesl part of this bay has been stop
ped with stone dam, with tide gate
swinging inwards, which receives aud re-
ains high water, flowing pond Of about
| IS0 acres. A canal has been cut through
The rock from this bay into the Salt pond
proper, to that part brought under i'm
provemenls, aud thus the tide pond acts
as feeder reservoir 10 The Salt pond aud
Salt works The company have by dykes
and dams prevented the influx of spring
lid inio the Salt pond, aud thus hold
perfect control over il, being able TO admit
or discharge water at their pleasure
Connected with and adjoining this pond
the Company erected $500 salt. fee,
of wooden works, with movable covers,
built after The New Bedford plan, watch
is found on experiment with so great
surface of pond, 10 be badly propor'ioned
irlo water aud granula:inS plans. The
present lessee is erecting additional works
in which better proportion is preserved.
The, Company expended in Salt works
buildings, tools, and in improvements ol
numerous kinds, exclusive of lands $40,
900 each.
Last season The lessee raked from the
covered works more than $4,000 bushels
of Salt, heins about three and hall
bushels from every Salt work foot OF len
superficial feet. He also rakcd from The
ground pans about IA, QUO bushels, making
! in all $4,000 bushels Last spring was
very favorable to the making of Salt, but
The gale in October destroyed or prevented
the making of 10000 bushels. So that II
may mol be more than an average OF years
The lessee will make about half OF his
new covered plans Of mason work, which
is an experiment, so far as we know, eu
tirely new. If successful, it will certainly
be permanent.
[ II e Sal, made at. these works weighs
Sc lbs. to the measured busteI, and The
bitter water is washed. from.il, adding 10
its purity. beauty, and preservalive quail
ty. The average price last year was
about 24c. pc ,ushel. delivered on board
vessels.
The work & ,ady done, and now in
progress, will, il is believed, give sue
cessful impetus to Salt making, that will
add 10 the business of this Island. IL is
. hard to divert capital from its accustomed
channels, and direct it to new enterprises,
nor shall we make the attempt. Yet we
believe that 90 enterprise offers richer
reward to the capitalists, than The Salt
Works on this Island-especially since all
the fixed Or unproduciive capitairequret
has been expended BY this Company, and
all the preparatory experime lis made, and
experience gained, necessary to success
full result. The presen, lessee holds the
works for some years, and we wish him
all the fine seasons and success, his enter.
prise so justly merits. We believe it is the
general wish, however, 10 see the Salt
Works moro rapidly extended than his
own Inaided means will admit.
Fire at Perryvillc. regret to learn,
(says the Selma Free Press, that the little
village Of Perryville in The county Of Per-
ry, was entirely consumed, with the excep-
tion of one house, during last week. Ii was
visited with Gre Two consecutive nights.
There were two stores in the place-oue
belonging to the Messrs. Ford, the other
w VIZ NlCilONs illoN SOutlO-
men sustained considerable loss--lhe
goods Of The latter were nearly all saved.
Military.-The Western. Mo-, Journal
states that the two companies of Sd In
fanlry, stationed at Fort Leavenworth,
have been ordered to Fort Jesup, and that
they were to leave by the first boat.
Fort Jesup is on the Red River, inme-
diately upon The Texas frontier; and,
according 10 the report of tho Adjutant
General, there are now stationed there
ssuen companies Of the Cd Dragoont, eight
:. companies Sd Infantry. and eight compa-
nies 4lh Infantry. This disposition OF
troops doubtless is prompted by the aspect
Of our Texas and Mexican relations.
The Crops.-It is said that The crops in
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio,
never look better nor more promising than