Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-07-20
Syracuse...Its Canals and Salt Works.

SYRACUSE, n. l, July IL, 1881.
Mr.. Editor:-Every place has its peculiarities
and advantages, and Syracuse is not wanting in
things that tend to interest and instruct. From
her location in the state she has acquired the title
of Central City, being on the New York Central
railroad about half way from Albany to Buffalo,
and about equi-distant from Oswego on the north
and Bnghamton on the south. For an inland city
her facilities for trade are great Nearly every
railroad in the state passes or centers here.
The Oldest inhabitants can remember when the
most of the present city was marsh covered with
water. 1t was not known Syracuse till 1924, and
took not the dignity of city till 1871 Since then
it has made gradual and healthy growth, and
now it numbers population of about sixty thou
sand, having increased nearly ten thousand be-
tween the years 1870 and 1880, Her location is at
the head of Lake Onondaga and in the center of
the county of Onondaga, which is one of the most
fertile counties in the state. Great pains has been
taken to preserve and cultivate shade trees, and
view Of the city from an adjoining hill reveals to
you a pleasant valley which seems to be more
than half covered with forests. The Erie canal,
running from Albany to Buffalo, a distance OF
three hundred miles, passes through the city, and
the Oswego canal joins Lake Ontario with the
Erie canal at this point,
Near the lake and close to the city are the salt
works As Vermont is without canals and salt
mines, even meager description of these two
great industries may be OF interest to the readers
of the WATCHMAN, The canals were built and
are managed by the state. The boats are owned
by individuals who pay the state for the privilege
of navigating the canals. These canals are from
twelve to fifteen feet in depth and perhaps will
average forty feet in width. They are supplied
with water from the streams and lakes along
their course. Nearly all the freight comes from
the west, and consists largely OF grain and lum-
Der. In many instances several Of the boats are
fastened together and then steam tug tows them
from the lakes to Buffalo, and after they reach
Albany they are again fastened together and
towed down the Hudson TO New York, The size
OF the ordinary canal boat is about ninety feet
f.A. 40 II
Boats are on the move night and day, and are so
numerous as TO be almost continually passing.
The variety Of boats which navigate the canal
ranges from the most ordinary scow to a well
filled passenger steamer The majority of boats
are towed by mules OF horses, but great many
steamers are being used The ordinary boat has
the cabin in the and the stalls for the horses
in front. While one pair OF horses are towing the
boat the other pair are riding quietly along eat
ing and resting, canal boat is a slow vehicle,
but morning day and night, Sundays not ex-
cepted, II makes better progress than might
be expected. Canal freights are comparatively
cheap, and railroads cannot compete with them
in prices. Men, women and children spend the
entire season on the boat. It is as much their
home as though they were in mid-ocean, and IL is
curious to see woman preparing her meals with
rs much composure az though she was in her cot
tage at home. As soon as the canal freezes in
the fall, navigation ceases. In the spring the
water is drawn ont and the sediment removed ;
then the water is let in and once more the canal
begins TO rage.
The salt works are also owned and worked by
the state They are located on low ground very
near the lake. The salt Is not, as some suppose,
mined from the earth like gold and silver, but its
first appearance is in water. Wells are sunk
ranging in depth from two hundred TO five hun
dred feet. The salt water is pumped from these
by means Of steam engines. After being drawn
from the ground the water Is conveyed through
logs with bore OF perhaps ten inches diameter,
and forced up into the top OF high building
called the pump house, which is situated upon
high ground. From this pump house II is dis
tributed by logs to the numerous evaporating watts
and to the boiling houses. These evaporating watts
are raised about three feet from the ground aud
are about twelve feet long, six feet wide and a
foot deep. They are covered with a movable
roof and on sunny days the roof Is removed
that the water may eyaporate In the sun. The
salt made In this way Is commonly known as
coarse salt, and can be manufactured only during
the warm weather. At the boiling houses there
is long arch with two rows of large kettles
about forty kettles in each row. One of the
above mentioned distributing logs passes between
the two rows of kettles, with a stop-cock over
each kettle The water is rapidly boiled away in
these kettles, and the salt, settling to the bottom
Is removed by shoyels and placed in baskets over
the kettles to drain. 1t is then taken from the
baskets and thrown into large bins upon each side
OF the arch. From the bins 1t is barreed for mar
ket. This salt IL much whittier than that which is
eyaporated, but Is not as fine as our table OF but
ter salt To be reduced TO that degree OF fneness
II has to go through process OF grinding, A
barrel OF salt az It comes from the mines is said
TO cost about seventy-hve cents. Chi BETA.