East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-02-23

tuSc III COiiiptI'iB iOi tnS ihaihSt' hc
solar-made salt, or salt made by evapora
ton costs about the same as that boiled.
1t weighs about rs pounds to the bushel,
while the boiled salt weighs only 56
pounds.
An incidental advantage to us would
also be that the consumption of the fuel
would clear the land ready for the plow.
Our lands are so heavily timbered that
the man of small means cannot command
the force to subdue them, but let him be
able to get enough for the wood to pay
for the labor, and he will soon have
productive farm. t
Another benefit resulting from the pros
ecution of this business must be the intro
duction Of capital and population. In
1920, Western New York was less at
tractve, and less cultivated than North
ern Michigan. We have been entertained
by letter written by Col. Stone formerly
editor of the Commercial Advertiser of
New York, contrasting the appearance of
the country about Syracuse in 1920, with
its appearance as seen during visit in
1910. He says:
Z" 1t was Only in the autumn of 1920,
the year in which. the first constructed
section of the Erie canal was opened for
navigation, that your humble servant
made the passage from Ultra to Syracuse,
in rude boat alone with Mr.. Forman.-
The country at that time, from Rome to
Salina was wild. The canal pierced the
wilderness at Rome, only to emerge the~e-
from, at these places. The land, almost
the entire distance was low, marshy and
cold. The forest, most of the distance
evergreens, was deep and dank aud the
advancing settlers had eschewed the re-
gion as unfit for cultivation. Passing as
the canal does, close by the head of the
Onandaga Lake, within the toss of a
biscuit of some of the salt springs, and
within ten miles Of the strongest foun-
tain at Salina, we saw the immense ad-
vantages which the site of this place
presented for town. With the compile
tion Of the middle section of the canal,
Syracuse was begun. At the period Of
my first visit but few scattered and
indifferent wooden houses had been erect
ed amid the stumps of the scarcely fallen
trees. / lodged for night at miserable
tavern thronged by company OF salt
boilers from Salina, forming a group of
almost as rough looking specimens of
humanity as | had ever seen. Their wild
visages, beard thick and long, and matted
hair, even now rise up in dark, distant
and picturesque prospective before me-
| passed restless night, disturbed by
strange fancies, as / well remember 1t
was in October, and furry of snow
during the night had rendered the morn
ing aspect of the country more dreary
than the evening before. The few houses
| have already described standing upon
low and almost marshy ground, and sur
rounded by trees and entangled thiclSets
presenting very uninviting scene.-
"Mr. Forman," /" said /, "do you call this a
village 1t would make an owl weep to
fly over it," "Never mind" said he in
reply, "you tciU lice TO see IL a city yetW
"These words were prophetical. The
contrast between the appearance of the
town then and now is wonderful. AS
glance upward and around upon splendid
hotels, and rows of massive buildings, in
all directions, and the lofty spires of
churches glitterng in the sun, and trav-
ersed the extended and well built streets
thronged with people full of life and ac-
tivity, the canal basins crowded with
boats loading and unloading at the large
and lofty stone warehouses--the change
seems like one of enchantment.o
1t would not be correct to say that the
manufacture of salt was the only cause
of all the changes in that vicinity But
that it greatly promoted capital and pop
ulation no one can doubt. The neigh
boring towns Of Salina, Liverpool, and
Geddes all bear ncontestlble evidence to
the growth and advancement Of that
region.
The strength of the brine found at
East Saginaw is most encouraging; that
and the brine found at Grand Rapids ap.
pears stronger than any yet discovered
in the country. The strength of the
brine is measured by "Salometer," ar
ranged by designating distilled water
at - and the same kind of water satu-
rated with common salt 100 Q. Wells
which do not furnish brine above so .
arc not considered worth working.
The following table exhibits the rela-
tive strength of the different brines from
which salt is manufactured in the United
: States:
At Nantucket, $50 gallons sea water
give ! bushcl salt.
Boon's Lick, Missouri, 450 gallons.
Connemaugh Pa, 800 I"
. Shawncetown, I'll. $50