The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-01-29
OKLAHOMA RICH
IN SALT DEPOSITS
New Industry Which Will
Flourish With Cheap
Fuel

Since me Opening Of oklahoma to
settlement thousands OF tons Of salt
Tor consumntion in Western Oklaho
ma have been manufactured on Salt
creek. near the new town OF Fergu-
son IN Blaine county The industry
has grown in Importance year after
year The tack Of railroad facilities |
restricted the market, as the canyons |
and hills made transportation by
wagon difficult and costly. The 5uild |
of four railroads through the valley
Of salt creek. the source Of the salt
supply. has stimulated investments
IN salt land property and induced a.
Henauenet. who owns most Of the
land Al. a homestead. TO engage in an
enterprise which he believes will
make The town Of Ferguson the cen
ter Of the greatest salt manufactur
ing industry ia the West.
salt creek rises in the canyons of
Northeaa tern Blaine county. several
small forks Joining to make the larg-
e. stream which empies into the
Cimarron river near the town of Par
sin. Kinghsher county To Salt creek
Is due much of the saltiness of the
Cimarron. which. at all seasons Of
the year. Is unfit for drinking pur-
poses and IN summer is almost as
s-.f.aa.tf..t g.. h.4hfnar ao fba con Tho
waters of SALT creek come from un-
derground sources. The salt deposits
that lie beneath the surface are of
unknown depth and are believed to
ne ineBhausdble In the bed Of Salt
creek IRE exposed great masses Of
saliFerous shale which is decompos-
ed aud carried away by the flowing
water Salt cgeek abounds in quick
sand By sinking well to a depth
Of there or fou. feet IN this sand an
Snfaning supply OF salt water is OBJ
taine1 Mr Henquenet believes that
rarthe. 9owa Is subterranean salt
nves.
Tba manufacture Of salt at Fergu-
500 Is a simple process The water
Is run iuto large pans and evaporated.
a quart Of water viii yield a paint of
salt Eight small plants are now pro
sucis..s twelve tons OF salt n day. A
man OF limited means who went from
dkilhoma to engage in the salt bust
ness is now producing four tons daily.
Manufacturers receive so cents n
hundred pounds. or $40 ton, but the
price win decrease with the building
OF the railroads This salt ls pur
chased b. peddlers, who freight it TO
Western Oklahoma and sell Il IRON
hOuse TO house 10 farmers and ranch
men
There Is room and mate .tal for a
thousand small salt plants, said Mr..
HenquensS. and many carloads
oouid be shipped every day just as
easily as one car load. AT present,
We are ulabie to supply the local de
maad I believe that in addition TO
the ioexhausa able brine, vast deposits
Of rooE salt lie underneath the river
and surrounding country The level
valley OF Salt creek near Ferguson,
Is aeaiy haif mile wide in some
places and about four miles long We
hDpe 10 establish salt industry to
nc maintained by many small plants.
By combining for market purposes,
salt could be shipped by the train
load The oheapness OF production
Uouid enable as to compete success
fully Ia the West with any salt trust
Ia the Uaited States"
The pressing need OF the manufac-
furers Is cheap fuel, aud the produc-
tioa OF salt at Ferguson by small
manufacturers will be limited until
the fuel question is solved Henque-
net purposes to drill for Oil and gas,
and says that if either is found in
eoamereiai quantities. salt manufac-
turers will make fortunes in a few
days tie will set aside number OF
lols ia the town Of Ferguson TO be
awarded By drawing TO persons who
pay $50 each for lot. This sum in
cludes a hye years lease free OF cost.
in 4 lOt IN Salt Creek In this man
aer funds will be provided for drill.
ins Tor oil and gas. Surface indica-
tons OF oil have been found where
crude pa5rOieum OOzes from the side
o. a canyon Ia the valley is a spring
50 hnt a. to be almost unbearable 10
the hand Companies have tried 10
secur, exclusive control OF HenQue-