East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-02-21


Neither of these experiments anpca,
to have boon of much practical benefit;
although salt water was obtained, and
atrangGincntsn 'lrdo for the manufacture
OF salt, yet tho brine was found to bo not
OF auilio'on. strength to make it profit.
able, and the enterprise was abandoned.
From that time nothing appears to
have been done until the meeting of the
Legislature in 1889. This Legislature
passed an act giving bounty of ten
cents per bushel on all salt manuiactu, ed
from water obtained from springs ip this
State. This action Of tho Legislature
induced capitalists to engage in the bust.
ness, aud the sinking of wells was com.
menced, both at Grand Rapids and on
the Saginaw River in Saginaw county.
At Grand Rapids there are at this time
finished and unfinished, six wells; three
by corporations, and three by private en-
terprlse, viz The Grand Rapids salt
manufacturing company, depth of well
no tect. The Grand River salt manu-
featuring company,--102 feet. The In
dian Null Greek salt manufacturing com
naDy,-450 feet Mr.. Butterworth's well
500 feet; Mr.. Tayloi's well, 492 feet; aud
Mr. Winsor's well, 500 feet.
1 he strength OF tho waller obtained Mt
this place appears, by salometer tests, to
be about 20 Q all tho wells showing
about tho samo strength. Although at
most of these wells arrangements were
made to commence the manufacture of
4 1t but n small quantity has been made.
1t was found that it required 100 gal
Ions of water to make one bushel of salt
and that tho cost of the fuel required to
manufacture salt from this water was
equal to the market value of the salt it.
self, and were it not for the bounty paid
by the State, the enterprise must be
abandoned. Tho amount expended is
S25, 900.
At Saginaw there arc nine wells, viz ::
The Fast Saginaw Salt Manufacturing
Company, two wells, one GO feet, and
one 500 feet; the Saginaw City Salt
Manufacturing Company, GOO feet !;
Messrs. Hill, Gilbert & Co.'S well, 2l2
feet Mcssrs. Ward, Curtis & Co.'S WELL
$50 feet; Mcssrs. Litchfcld Il Co.'S well,
100 feet; Portsmouth company, G2O feet:
The Bay City Salt Manufacturing Com
pany, so feet, and the Michigan Salt
Manufacturing Company, depth of well
not known.
The strength Of the water at these
wells is from 10 to 90 degrees. But one
company has commenced making salt,
viz, the East Saginaw Salt Manufactur-
ing Co. They have one block of so
kettles, in which they make 40 barrels
per day, using the water from but one
wcll--the one of go feet. The water is
obtained by pumping, as it does not rise
to the surface of the ground. They re-
quirc about Is gallons of water per min
ute, to keep all these kettles in operation.
When this quantity is taken from the
well, tho strength is reduced to 10 de-
grecs, requiring 30 gallons Of brine for |
bushel Of salt. The salometer shows the
quantity of solid matter contained i'll the
water, but this is not neccssarially all
salt. All salt water contains more or
less Of impurities and tho impurities
have much to do with successful manu-
facturc.
This accounts for tho fact that GO gal
Ions of brine Mt Syracuse, showing a
strength of 60 degrees, will propuco ~
much salt as 80 gallons of water of Mich
igan at 70 degrees. Those impurities
which are called "bitterns," make til,
process of manufacturing both difficult
and expensive. The cost of making {
barrel of salt at Saginaw is about Ok
cents. The amount expended on thes,
wells is about $4,000. The Saginaw
City, the Portsmouth, and the Bay City
companies, have made arrangements tC
commence operating on the opening o
navigation with one block Of Kettles
each.
Professor Winchell, in his able geo
logical report not yet published, says
at cannot be denied that tho prospect
OF tho ultimate success of the manufac
ture in Michigan, ara exceedingly en-
couraging. The unparalleled strength o
the brine Of the Saginaw Valley, tin
position surrounded by forests, whicl
must cheaper to the last degree The OK
penso of barrels and fuel, and upon tn
immediate shore Of navigable waters
stretching from Oswego to Chicago, i
such as to enable us to compete success
fully with any other source Of supply t.
the western and north western States.
But he also says: at must not be for
gotten that tho enterprise is still in it
infancy, and in view Of the powerful com
petition arrayed against it, still needs tn
fostering care Of tho government to
liberal extent"
But there ore other consideration
which in the opinion of your committe,
mako it important that the help of til,
: State should not be withdrawn from thi
enterprise. The time will como whel
= the immense forests which now cover s.
large part of Michigan will no longe
: exist, and when fuel as in Now York
: will become expensive.
Tho geological examination Of on
State shows, that OVERLAPPING the salt rocl
+, there is strata of coal from three to liv
, feet in thickness. This coal, in the cen
ter Of the State, is near the surface, an,
if salt water can be obtained in that 10
cslity Of equal strength to that alrcad
found, tho manufacture Of salt for al
coming time, at price which will def,