Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1896-11-20
RICHES IN THE LAKE
Discovered suIpAate of Soda DepOsits-Acci-
dent Revealed L


ton for another industry and that from
it IS to be obtained pure quality of
sulphate of soda.
The big inland sea has been furnish
ing a goodly part of the region with salt
for many years. The trade in salt has
increased greatly since 1861, at which
time the process was perfected for rein
ing. In analyzing the crude alt of the
lake. traces of sulphate of soda. sui
phate of lime and calcium chloride are
found. and f, has long been the custom
for few enterPrising men to go to the
lake in winter time and gather from the
shores and bars what has been known
to them as winter salr. IN fact, the
presence of large crystals appearing like
salt and found only in cold weather has
long been known and commented upon.
| This "winter salt" a. it has been called,
is really a very pure article Of sulPhate
of soda, commonly called gIauber salt
and it has been a subject of much COM
ment in the past that so much of it can
| be found in winter time-(as a result of
its crystalization at 50 degrees tempera-
ture or lower)-when such very small
evidence of its presence can be obtained
from an anylis of this water of the lake
or its salt. This, however, is now fully
cleared up.
Readers of the Tribune.will recall that
when the contract was let for putting
down the piling upon which the pavi
ion at Saltair rests, the contractor, after
three davs' futile efforts to get piling
through the hard matter below, was on
the point of giving the JOB up, as he be-
lieved a solid shale bed or strata of rock
lay there to defy pile driving: Quite by
accident the waste pipe from the pile
driver was directed into the shallow
water and it was found that the steam
had done what the pile-driver, with its
force. could not do; that it had made
hole through the hard substance below
the sand. This substance was broadly
| called soda"
A few weeks ago the salt company
/ found it necessary to extend, by ditch
of fume, their pumping plant at Salt
air owing to the lowering OF the lake,
and Manager J. w. Haywood in prose-
cutting the work struck at a depth of
I six inches below the old lake bed this
soda deposit. He brought samples to
town and 1t was found to be pure sui
phate of soda mixed with silica, which
can be separated without trouble. Sui
phate of soda is used largely by the
! soap and glass works of the country
and gives a particular luster to plate
| glass snd can be obtained in no other
way. Sulphate of soda. however, has
( but limited use as compared with
carbonate of soda (sal Soda. AS an in
stance it might be said that the country
| between Denver and San Francisco uses
about 700 pounds of sulphate per an
mum, as against $4,000 pounds per week
of the carbonate.
While large quantities of carbonate
are used in the United States, yet vast
quantities are imported from England.
Artificial carbonate is made from So
dunn chloride, or common salt, and the
first chemical change is from sodium
chloride to sodium sulPhate. The LIE.
blanc process is most generally used.
The product that is found in Salt Lake
in such vast quantities obviates the
first medical change from salt to sodium
sulphate and IT is believed a chemically
pure sodium sulphate can be produced
on the lake for ST. 50 per ton. The his
tory of various attempts at manufacture
ing chemicals in the West is a long and
DISASTROUS one. Il is stated that great
quantities of sulphate of soda exist in
the neighborhood Of Laramie, Wyo. |
The Union Pacific railway constructed |
a spur-some seven miles long-from |
Laramie to the soda lakes, and first and |
last expended rs much as $4,000 in |
trying to make a carbonate of soda from /
the sulphate there deposited at prices |
which would admit it being a CONNER
cial success. An expert from England |
was brought to this point, put failure
att .nded the enterprise. It is said that
the problem Of expelling the water
from the sulphate (crystalized sulPhate
contains ~ per cent water was prob
blem never successfully overcome.
At Green River, Wyo, a well was
sunk for oil last winter and instead of /
obtaining what was sought, water con-
tanning about p per cent solids was
encountered and the work was aban-
doned. Later. Il was found that the |