The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-12-04
From the Detroi Free Press.
SALT MANUFACTURE On SAGINAw
RIVER.

than Ol the capitalist. Al Qlnefent times since
1886, explorations had heen made in various
districts by private capital, as at Grand Rapids,
or by the action of the State, as in Midland
county, and, althoug. some encouraging re-
suits had been attained, they had failed 10 es
tablish the fact that profitable salt manufac-
ture could be conducted within our own State.
The indications of brine were found to extend
over large district, including Kent, GratlOt,
Midland, Clinton, Washtenaw and Macomb
counties. But actual manufacture had only
been entered upon in Kent county. where it
was prosecuted to a moderate extent in 1888
and 1889.
The Legislature of 1859 passed what has
been known as the Salt Bounty Act for the
purpose of encouraging further investigation.
1t offered 10 parties who should engage In the
manufacture of salt from water obtained by
boring in the State, exemption from taxation
on real or personal property used for the man
utacture, and a bounty of ten cents per bushel
on Salt. 1t was provided that no bounty should
be paid until at least five thousand bushels of
salt should have been made by the parties APP
plying for 1t. Under the stimulus of this act,
operations were commenced at Grand Rapids
and at East Saginaw, in April of the same
year. at the former place a number Of wells
were bored al about the same time, and brine
was found, varying in strength and purity.
Some salt has been made, but up to this date
the degree of success has been very limited.
Operations are yet in progress which may de-
velOpe more favorable results.
On the Saginaw River the explorations have
opened a basin of brine of such extent, purity
and strength as to promise extraordinary
growth ana development to that section of the
State. The East Saginaw Salt Manufacturing
Company is entitled to the credit of develope
ing the existence of this brine. Their opera
tons, commencing in April, 1859, were steadi
| ~ prosecuted in the face Of many adverse Cir
| cumstances, till, in March, 1860, they annOunc-
ed the discovery of supply Of brine at the
depth of O. 0feet, of the unusual strength of 30
deg. ees by the salOmeter. The success was so
unexpected that it found TIE company unpre
pared to avail themselves OF the treasure, and
it was not till July that they were furnished
with machinery for raising the brine ard struc
lures for converting it into salt. In the mean
| time. they had procured several chemical analy
ses OF the brine, which were so far satisfactory
as to justify extensive preparations for manu-
| tacture. Their operations that season estab-
llshed the fact that pure antiseptc salt could
be economically made from their brine, and the
further experience OF this seasO ], with the sue
cessful opening of wells at Bay City, Ports
mouth Zilwaukie, CarroltOn and Saginaw City.
gives authority for the assertion that the value
ol usCONtTy W tue Stdte Vi MlCulSdH Is
incalculable. Not even the mineral wealth o.
the Upper Peninsula can be allowed to Outrank
in Importance production that is necessity
for all animate creation. If it shall be proved.
as the State Geologtst has stated to be his own
conclusion. that the saliierOuS basin extends
from Grand Rapids to Sanilac county, and an
| unknown distance towards the north. com
plete revolution will be effected in the northern
portion of Michigan within the next ten years
Even with the present we'll established limits Of
the basin on the Saginaw alone. covering an
area OF two by eighteen miles, within which
brine, OF maximum strength, is constantly
flowing. in quantity only limited by the capa-
city of the pumps employed, we have the ele
ments of vast wealth. The past six months
have already OvershadOwed the magnitude of
the interest in the investment OF over SlOO, 900.
and preparations are being made for extensive
| additions during the coming year.
There are now eight wells in operation in
| the valley. After passing through about one
hundred feet of soil of various kinds, they
penetrate brown sandstone, and with alterna
| lions of strata of clay shales, limestone and
sandstone, with occasional thin seams of coal.
they enter the salt-bearing sandstone at depths
angling from 4S0 feet at Bay City, near Sag-
nav Bay to IA feet, at Saginaw City, eighteen
miles distant indicating dip of the rock to
the sOuthward. The first appearance of brine
| is found at from 20 to 80 feet. in a brackish
| taste of the water. and this increases to 10 de-
grees by the salOmeter at 2ll feet. ii degrees
at 294 feet, 26 degrees at 4s7 feet, 40 degrees,
SIC feet, A degrees at 5sl feet, so degrees at
$50 feet, 60 degrees at SCI feet, Ga degrees at
500 feet, Sc degrees at coo feet, and 80 degrees
at 632 feet These figures are from the memo
randa of the East Saginaw Works, where the
salt rock was struck at 632 feet and the
changes in strength are noted at the precise
depths where they occurred. The temperature
of brine from the salt rock is 54 degrees Fab
renheit.
| An analysis of the brine BY Prof George II.
Cook, of Rutgers College, New jersey high
authority in chemistry, shows as follows: