The daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1892-1897, 1896-11-30
HOW SALT Is MINED.
METHODS EMPseYE0 AT THE ExTEN-
slvE WORKS IN MICHIGAN.

pr,pe, Is Practically Insxhaustibie The
IndustnT Has Grown Enormously Sinoo
1850. ut which Time IRBSeslly Began.
The existence OF salt springs in tie
lower peninsula OF Michigan was known
to the Iudians long prior to the advent
Of the white men in the country, and
they were resorted to by both Indians
and wild animals. So well known was
this fact Of the presence of salt springs 7
that the general government made nu- /
merous reservations Of lands which were
supposed to contain salt deposits. By (
the act Of admission Of Michigan into /
the Union tic state vas authorized 10
select ~ sections of salt land, or land !
where tho presence Of saline springs in /
dictated the occurrence CT stAt deposits.
On the oTganizatioa Of the geological
survey the state Geologist, DR.. Douglas
Eouehton, made "a examination, with
the Lew to the selection Of these lands,
ardin 1898 reported the results OF his
observations sin these examinations
were lirsited TO surface indications, and
no extenued experiments were made 10
preNe the coast Car below the surface.
However, behring's were finally under
taken in several localities, resulting
generally Ia such a good measure Of sue
cess as to stimulate still further sEJGls,
developing such gTa Trying results, es-
pecialiv II the Saginaw valley, that IN
1859 tie frst company was organized
for tieiinanufaoSdIe OF salt, since which
period this industry has reached Its
present suupeudous proportions adding
greatly to sac wealth and reputation q
the state and especially to the growth
of tie cities ana the region in which
the business IS carried On
The origin OF thcse deposits is not
known. Whence the waters, lying SO
far beneath TIE Surface, derive their sa-
line properly there IS noapparent means
of deterlu;nirF, nor IL the boundary Of
tie surIace 1Ia1n beneath which these
depesits of brine may te found. The
Michigan sails group has wide extent
in the state. though thus far the grest'
est SUCCESSES have ccme from the SgFi-
nav valley. Where the lowest horizon
is found u tine salt group the brine is
found TO h tie strorgegt, gTeStest Il
amount sno best in quality. Il is FOL
tbs reason tlat salt wells in the Sagi
nav valley have proved TO be more val
ushlo thsu elsewhere. Is Is the region
in which tic greatest depression occurs
TIE salt fsoup here lies at dept
reaching 10 more than /, 000 feet below
she surface Of the lake. A. what oeptl
below tie surfsoe Of the lake this brin
is found the writer Is unable 10 state
OF one thius tkeTe Is al apparent ceI
tainty, thar the supply Of the brine
inexhaustible. The extent to which tn
manufacture of salt IL Michigan ma
be carried en- is oDe e cost ard demand
The bziDe nay be assumed Is eX1stln
III ouartitT l4r IN eAces5 CT our ablllt
to diminish -
CT tho two n,edes Of securing II
eveporat On q the water, either by Il
application Of soar CT artificial hea
the Lister is the method mainly rosor
ed to l., ere Saginaw - ley. Solar eva
orsacn * s4fec eo - exposing tie Lril
in e'ls.nov wooden vS'G. Such vats
axe uSad dre a51ls u teet square and
inches deep IAog aIa supported
posts above Ghe round AID are provide
with q rocl, wa,1h as readily moved {
the vats - OF from them to cover q
brine t-ou ire ram CT to expose it
the suu. d. reeu led. The process is, ]
gun IL lLalc. s-13 tie contents remov
Il July. Il f-c7lc5 q tie second E
Ing . t.4s1 oct to lst Of SepiemhC
and IKE sr. and flal removal occU
the ias5c Jotc'er TIE a,-nual prodU
Of a silEla salt vt Of TINS size is
buzeciz
AEeu,o b.3ck contains 80 or so K
ties, re5 cic-e 1 < aer aud II lows
closed - stonevo4k CT brickvork.
launder conueces With d cistern kC
flied with Irile and runs along
tween the rows of kettles, and from Il
launder he brine is drawn cat into
kettles by cptniug q lateral spo
When 20 per cent CT the water has be
boiled away, cbe salE is dipped oat il
basket CT sieve to allow the water
run cat Of II, after which 1t Is empt
into blu, where, after Z sufficient Il
about two Veck5--it Is ready 10
put into Barrels. But the greatest
vance IN the way OF cheaponing the {
of tho salt production has been achie'
BY the use Of steam 70 afford heat
evaporation For this purpose the
harsgt steam Of the great rails in
Saginaw reilon Is used.
Pans are also made use Of a so G.
ed pan block. consisting Of a ''settl
pan, aud paei.iIg loom arc inelosed III
game building The brine is ORA
from thesset,ler into the pan, to the
tom Of which the fire IS directly
piled, making the evaporation very !
i'd and causing the salt to form cont
ously.
The salt brSiness in Michigan
swollen from the menufaoture in l
Of 1000 barrels 10 3, 0G7, 286 in 1885,
The estimated capacity Of the
firms now engaged III tie manufao
=. - 49, :; = o-a non ~