The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-06-12
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salt.

There is, no doubt, a greater difference in
the quality of the various kinds of salt Of
fered in the market than most people i'm
agine. Mr.. George W. Mann, of this city,
who has been engaged in the salt trade for
nearly a score of years, and whose business
has grown into large proportions from his
having made it a rule on no account TO pack
under his own name any but the purest kind
of salt, has collated the following interest
ing facts on this subject:
''Salt exists in almost all countries, either
in masses of what is called rock salt; or,
being washed by the rains or liberated
through the action of the elements is held
in solution and carried toward the ocean;
or, pereolating the soil, is found in what are
termed Salt Springs. The sea- as many be
lieve, depends for its saltness on the rivers
and streams which are constantly washing
the salt int it. Its supply seems inexhaus-
tible The strata of solid rock salt at the
mines in Poland is so thick that though it
has been mined for centuries, it has not yet
been bored through Near Arlington, in
Virginia, while boring for water, salt rock
was found $50 feet below the surface and
was penetrated by boring 1G6 feet without
being passed through. Texas has vast bed
of pure salt lying near the surface. Santo
Both these were, probably, in remote times,
the beds of ancient seas
''Salt springs abound in the United States,
aud the manufacture of salt is carried on
extensively in various localities. The works
near Syracuse, in New York, are the most ex-
tensive, and produce annually about six
millions Of bushels. Next to these in in-
portance are the works at Kanawha, in Yir-
rbinb o~ol,,na noorI1- fv1-o ,,f
bushels annually. Within the last two
years salt spring has been discovered at
Grand Rapids, Michigan, goo feet below
the surface. This place is located on the
Grand river, about forty miles from Lake
Michigan. Seventy gallons of water yield
a bushel of salt, or about twelve ounces to
the. gallon, The quantity of salt found in
the waters of the different springs differs
materially, and the test of water from the
same spring is found to differ at various
times, probably owing to rains and other
causes.
"While ordinary sea water yields less than
three ounces, and the springs at st. Catha-
rines, in Upper Canada, less than eight
ounces, water has been obtained at the
Onondaga Salines, yielding thirty ounces of
salt to the gallon, and at the springs in Viz
ginia fifty ounces, or water eighteen gallons
of which will produce hushel of salt. At
Rooms Lick, in Missouri, 450 gallons of
water ate required to produce one bushel of
salt.
''Some of the salt springs in England are
remarkable for the strength and purity of
their waters. Droitwich, in Worcester
shire, furnished salt from It's brine springs
in the time of the Roman occupation of
Britain. The brine contains one quarter of
its weight in pure salt, which is now OK
ported to all parts Of the world.
THE consumption of English salt in the
United States Is very large, and is con
stantly increasing Nearly all tho salt man
ufactured in this country contains small
quantity Of lime, besides traces Of other
impurities, which seriously impair its pre-
serving qualities, and render it entirely OBJ
jectionable for certain uses; as for in
stance, in butter making. It is well known
to experienced persons that good butter can
not be made and preserved by the use of
domestic salt, and it is an undoubted fact
that much of the poor butter annually sold
in the New York market at half price
would have been of tho best had it been
properly made with strictly pure SALT
This fact, once brought to the attention
of our dairymen, should not be forgotten,
since our market is flooded with unsaleabIe
butter, while that which is really good is
so scarce, and readily commands such high
prices. IN. Y. Mercantile Journal.