The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1866-02-03
Sail in Kansas.


While Kansas is relying for its supplies
of salt on New Yor,, Michigan and the up
per waters of the Ohio river, there is an
abundance of that article within the State,
sufficient, if well developed, to supply the
whole valley of the Mississippi. if not the
Whole of the United States
The "buffalo ticks" or cramps" 80
common in most every county of the State,
show that the brine exists below the sur,
face. even when it does not appear ia the
shape of springs. Numerous wells sunk
for fresh water have produced only salt.
AT Ossawatomie, case of this kind has
been turned to profitable account, produ-
cling an excellent article of salt. Ths val
legs of Neosho, Verdigris and Fall river,
have salt springs which supply part of the
local demand, though no exertions have
been made TO develop the business. At
Walnut Creek, in Brown county, is a large
and good spring, which is now being work
ed by the Leavenworth Salt and Coal Oil
Company, and promises to be the most
productive in the eastern part of the State.
The present supply of brine is equal to the
production of 10000 bushels per annum.
A large deposit exists south of the Great
Bend OF the Arkansas river, in which the
salt lies in deposits from to % inches in
depth. These deposits are undoubtedly
caused by the drying up of salt ponds or
salt branches Of the Uimaron river. But
this is too remote from the settled portions
of the State to be of any practical benefit.
The great supply Of salt lies at various
points 10 a tract of country about tkirty five
miles wide aud eighty long, crossing the
D. CN1I
10 The nortberly part of this tract, on the
Republican, about seventy miles northwest
from Fort Riley, are extensive salt marshes
That in town 4, range 2, West, called the
Tuthll marsh, contains nearly l 900 acres,
more or less impregnated with brine.
About One-third is as level as a house fl cor,
void of vegetation, and in dry weather COW
cred by an incrustation of salt, to the thick
ness, sometimes, of three-eie hths of an
inch. This Is scraped sp aud used in its
natural state for sailing cattle, &c. But
for domestic purposes it is melted, by mix
ing about twenty gallons of water TO bush
7 ell of salt. when the mechanical impurities,
(ssad, &c, readily settle. The salt is
again turned to solid state by evaporation
The marsh, after scraping, produces a
second crop of salt, in dry weather, in five
or seven days, and after repeated scrapings,
yieldsas full a supply as al first. B,ins o.
three times the strength of the ocsan can
be found within six feet of the surface In
any part of the marsh. taa
Still larger marshes lie to the southwest
Of the above, on the other side of the Re
publican. Others are found still further to
the southwest, throughout the salt Terrific
! ry. Springs of brine are also common
I What is Of equal interest to the farmer,
first rate laud, producing fine crops of corn
wheat, &c, is found within a few rods OF
/ the marshes. Gi
The springs, and brine from the marshes
are usually much stronger than the surface
brines at any point in the older states whert
salt is now made. That. at the marsh frsi
described, the Tuthill marsh, will yield a
bushel of salt to 100 gallons of water
The springs at Saginaw. Michigan, were.
before boring. not one fourth as strong
That at Onondaga, New York, was no
much better. The water of the ocean and
/ Kenawha require $50 gallons of water t
furnish bushe of salt. But surface spring
are never used to supply the market, ar
tesian borlngs are made to go below the in
huence of fresh surfacs water, and Obtain
strong brine. In the places named, which
supply most Of the western markets, brine
is thus found which gives basbel of salt
tor every 35 gallons of wafer. Equally
strong brine must be found in our TERRITORY
by boring less deep than at the casters
springs, This is apparent from the largo
supply over such large areas, which are no
seriously diluted even by fall rains.
Tie waters of the Saline and Solomon
rivers are impregnateI so as to be .sensibI,
to the taste for a distance of eighty mile
above their entrance into Smoky Hill river
t The supply of salt, sufi oient to meet tn.
5 daily aud hourly amount thus carried down
must be immense.