Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-08-22
Eighth Letter from Commissioner
Hager.
A VISIT TO THE SALT MINIS or LIVERPOOL
THE PROSPECTS OF AMERICAN HEIRS TO
ENGLISH ESTATES.

the great salt producing region, from
which the Liverpool" salt, shipped TO
our country, is obtained, 1t is about
thirty miles southeast of Liverpool, and
extends over an area of thirty square
miles.
In winsford, Wincham, Wilton, Mar
ston and Northwich, are extensive manu-
factories OF salt from brine, aud under
each town are deposits of rock salt. In
winsford and Northwich the annual
products of salt shipped is not far from
100000 tons.
The existence OF salt springs in North
WITCH was known TO the Romans, but
the discovery of rock salt is OF more
modern date. 1t is said to have been
discovered about two hundred years ago
by party that was sinking shaft for
coal. Brine is now obtained at the
depth of one hundred and twenty feet
from the surface, and contains about
twelve ounces of salt to the gallon. In
sinking shafts it is found that the
brine is upon bed of rock salt, from
which its strength is derived,
This bed OF salt has sn average thick
ness OF seventy five feet. Below it is
bed OF indurated clay about thirty feet
thick. This rests upor another bed Of
salt seventy five feet thick. The latter
bed is the one now worked, being of
better quality than the upper one.
Shafts have been sunk to the depth of
about two hundred feet below the beds
now worked and salt, more or less
mixed with clay and sandstone, has
been found the entire distance. The
salt is not generally white like that pro-
! duced by evaporation, but is of yellow
or reddish color, some specimens closely
resembling amber in appearance.
1t is usually blasted out and shipped
in large blocks. Many farmers in Yer
mont have purchased and placed the
same in their cattle sheds for their cattle
and sheep to lick.
The space between the floor and roof
of the salt mine that entered was about
fourteen feet, and the area from which
the salt had been removed was about
five acres.
Unlike most mines, the salt mines
need no timber to prop them, for it is so
strong that "pillars Of salt left sixty
to seventy feet from each other, are
sufficient to support the roof of salt,
which, on an average, is about tifty6ve
or sixty feet thick. The lower portion
of the bed being best, is selected for
working. Several mines in the neighbor-
hood have been worked more extensively
than the one visited. The "Marston u
Salt Mine has an open space of over
thirty acres, from which sixteen feet in
thickness Of solid salt has been re.
moved.
Not drop of water is found in the
mines, except the little that enters by
the shaft, Corning stalactites Of salt,
the floor is kept smooth and level, the pill
lars are carefully left as nearly square as
: possible-about twenty feet each way
the sides are as perpendicular and
, smooth as any faced stone wall in Eng
! land, and they are decidedly clean mines
to visit,-quite unlike any othere that
! ever entered. All that is necessary il
| this case is to step iuto the bucket,
) around tub that will hold half ton o.
= more of salt-give notice that you ar
l ready" and in a twinkling you are lie
} down by steam about three hundred
feet into place where all is salt, above
below and around you. The "boss,
$ hoping to get liberal fee for his ser
I vices, furnishes lighted candles AnC
8 takes great pains to show the crystalin
e cavern that sparkles beautifully by tn
: reflections Of candle light.
Y The manufacture Of salt from tn
8 brine is similar to that at the severa
:, salt works in the United States. Tn
e brine is pumped into iron watts abon
0 forty feet long, ten feet wide and on
: foot Deep under which is coal fire, tn
u heat of which is drawn great distauc
under the watts by the tall chimnies. Tn
y slower the evaporation the better th
q salt; hence in making the best CT
:, bic crystal salt, the brine is elevate
~ only to temperature of about 100
Farnheit. In the manufacture of tn
- ordinary article the heat is raised to til
= boiling point (225e for salt, and the sa
u is very rapidly formed, both at the SUI
- face and at the bottom of the watts. Til
- amount of water evaporated and sal
~ produced at the several manufacture
y in this neighborhood is enormous. Tn
~ effect OF it's removal is apparent f
miles around. The earth is settling i
many places, and the town of Northwic
l. looks as though it had been shaken /
It. an earthquake. The buildings al
er propped up and held together by ire
bars. But these are not sufficient
hold them for thew lean in HI ffarept n