Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-02-12
S A 1t
Tt has been Decided to Sink a
Test Well.
$4,000 Already PledEed-The Well
to be Located ON the Land of the
Cheboygan Lumber Company.

$4,000 Already Pledsed-The Well
to be Located on the Land of the
Cheboygan Lumber Company.
We are glad to announce that test
well is to be sunk to decide whether OF
not the salt basin underlies the ChebOy.
gan region. Yesterday afternoon Messrs
Thompson Smith, VIM. Macarthur, Chas
R. Smith, VIM. S. Smith, Robert COner
E. Nelson and two or three other of Our
citizens met at the counting room of Mel
son s. Bullen to consider the question OF
putting down such a test well. Several
hours were spent in discussing the mat
ter and estimates as to the cost were
carefully considered. Mr.. Robert COner
ever since he has been resident of our
village has been agitating the subject
and this winter has devoted considerable
time to the matter and came to the
meeting with proposition from an ex-
perienced we'll bOrer of the Saginaw
Valley to bore the well and with care
fully prepared plans and estimates as to
the cost. 1t was decided at the meeting
that the we'll should be sunk on the
land of the ChebOygan Lumber company
near the lake shore. 1t was deemed
necessary to raise sum of $4,000 to COW
er all contingencies and insure salts
factory test, $2,50O being pledged at once,
Thompson Smith, Macarthur, Smith
81 Co. and Nelson & Bullen each
subscribing $3.50 and in addition
to this Thompson Smith agreed to
furnish boiler and engine to run
the draw works for drilling. Mr.. COner
offered to devote his time to suDerintend-
ing the work and also contribute in
money, but it was thought by those
present that if he devoted his time that
that would be fully his share. MIR, COner
has experience in the manufacture OF
salt, andis we'll qualified to take charge
Of the work.
There is yet to be raised $500 and
our citizens will be called upon to con-
tribute this amount, and we believe
there will be no difficulty in securing
it. We think this is the most import
ant project for the interests of our vii
lage that has been presented, and one in
which every citizen, and especial
ly business men and owners of prop
erty should be deeply interested. Should
salt be found, which we think is
highly probable, it would add an indus
trv that would be of incalculable value
to this entire region. The terms upon
which the subscriptions are asked are
such that if the well should prove sue
cess. the money will be refunded to the
subscribers. The success of this move
ment is largely due to Mr.. COner who
has been indefatigble in his efforts to get
our leading lumber manufacturers in
terested in the project. He has made
several trips to the Saginaw region and
has been in correspondence with the
state geologist, and at the meeting had
geological map showing the extent of
the salt basin which places Cheboygan
in the Heidelberg formation, the same as
Goderich, Ont, where the very best salt
is found. The letters of the state geOlO-
gist and the report of Inspector Garri
CUES are all encouraging.
hnd fn m
Coner as general manager and empOw-
cred him to make all necessary contracts
for the prosecution of the work to sue
cessful completion. We think we are
safe in saying that the well will be
sunk for we believe that our citizens
will not lose this opportunity to settle
the salt question definitely for so small
a sum as they are asked to contribute,
especially when the chances are good
for having it refunded them.