Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-12-11
THE MAKING OF SALT.

Everybody uses salt, altho but few
give any attention to the sources of sup
ply. A census bulletin shows the in
dustry of making salt has grown to be
a great one In 1900 there were 1853 es-
Establishments engaged in this work, with
capital of S27, 1928 1854, and an output of
15,1sT,S19 barrels, of which 2,543,619 were
rock salt. 91O,974 solar salt and II, 1888, l66
barrels made by the boiling process. OF
the latter more than half was fine salt
for table and domestic uses.
Altho the making Of salt is classed as
manufacturing. salt itself is a mineral
and it has not been clear to the authors
ties whether the process by which it is
obtained should be regarded as manu-
featuring or as q method of mining.
The early process of obtaining salt
consisted in the production from sea
water, either by exposure to evaporation
under the suns rays. or sometimes by
boiling in pans or kettles until the dig
solved salt was deposited. About the
close of the eighteenth century the man
ufacture was begun from brine obtained
from natural salt springs, following the
same crude processes used in the manu-
facture of salt from sea water.
At the present time. however, COM
paratfvely little salt is made from sea
water, or brine from natural springs,
and some of that SO obtained is evapor-
ated by artificial heat. Nearly all the
evaporated salt is now obtained by sink
ing wells to the salt body, pumping
fresh water into the wells and with
drawing the brine after 1t has become
well saturated. Practically all the prod
uct from natural salt water. by solar
evaporation is made along the shores of
San Francisco Bay in California, and
Great Salt Lake. Utah. With these two
exceptions the eyaporated product is al
most entirely obtained from deep wells.
Salt manufactured by artificial heat Is
made in kettles, open pans. vacuum
pans and grainers. the heat being APP
piled either directly or by steam. In
blocks where kettles or open pans are
used, the heat is usually applied directly
and the brine is boiled. In grainers and
vacuum pans steam heat Is used The
grainer process Is essentially American;
the brine in this process is evaporated
from rectangular watts about twelve
inches deep, in which are suspended
coils of pipe carrying either live or ex-
haust steam, according to local condi-
lions. The brine is usually kept agitat-
ed mechanically. 50 that the salt which
is formed ON top will be broken up and
precipitated. In some instances the salt
is removed from the bottom Of the pan
by mechanical scrapers; in others, hand
labor is employed. The grainer process
seems to be the most popular method In
the United States and most of the finer
grades of table and dairy salts are pro-
duced either by this or by the vacuum
pan process.
Solar salt is made In watts or ponds.
covered or uncovered. At Syracuse, N.
Y, the ponds are supplied with movable
covers No covers are used in Utah or
California, as the operations In those
states continue only during the dry sea-
son.
Rock salt is mined and prepared for
use in the states of New York, Kansas.
Louisiana and California. 1t is now pro-
duced in greater quantities than solar
salt. More than 80 per cent of rock salt
is mined in New York and Kansas.
The rank of the states in the manu-
facture Of salt, exceeding million bar
reis, Is Michigan, New York, Kansas.
Ohio and California. Michigan produces
more than onerthird OF the total of over
IL, 100000 barrels.
1t is noteworthy that there has been
a concentration of efforts in the making
of salt. In 1860 there We're 1893 establish
ments engaged in it, as against lSs IN
1900. 1t is understood, too. that trust
controls the output, and that prices
have been greatly increased, one local
dealer claiming that 1t is a third higher
in price than 1t was several years ago.
IOWA OPINIONS AND NOTES.
According to the Sioux City Tribune
"the people who understand watering
stock are the ones who make the money
these times. whether 1T is live stock or
Just the certificate kind"
The Burlington Hawkeye is of the
opinion that ut is not half so import
ant to register now as it is to vaccinate.
There are people who neglect both and
still want good government and pro-
lection
In speaking Of the couple recently
married by wire after a brief acquaint-
anca the Iowa CITY Republican Sug-