The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-07-06
UTAH'S FIRST
SALT WORKS
Remains Still Stand on Coast Of
Antelope Island.
USED FIFTY YEARS AGO
FAILURE OF ENTERPRISE AND
DEATH OF PROMOTER.

On desolate and salt-covered beach
skirting a small bay on the west coast
" Antelope island in Great Salt lake
stand the time worn remains of the
first salt works built in Utah more
than a haf-century ago. Where then
stood thriving plant that shipped
quantities Of sodium chloride TO the
outer world every week, now remain
but crumbling walls, a few hollow ce-
dar posts used as pumps, some gal
Vanized tin piping strewn about the
beach, and two caved-in dUgouts used
by the salt workers.
more desolate and barren place
for signs Of human habitatiOn TO be
found could hardly be imagined. To
the west as far as the eve can see
stretch the salt-laden waters of the
lake. Back Of the old camp rise the
water chiseled peaks Of the island
rocky and devoid of vegetation save
for patches of stunted sage brush here
and there.
The old benches that mark the shore
lines of old Lake Bonneville stretch
along the island like gigantic stairs
leading to the clouds The bay is
hemmed in by the rocky points of two
mountains that extend far into the
lake PrecipitOus cliffs of hardened
lava. that have been worn into fan
tastic shapes by the receding waters
OF the lake, stand like sentineIs guard
ing the bay.
Covered by Minerals.
These crags have been covered by a
thick and bard precipitation of the
minerals in the lake water until they
CLEAN in the sunlight like snow-cov-
cred peaks. The sandy beach is COW
cred with carpet of precipitated salt
that sparkles like a bed of gems. Ma
hnr a. f.F h.. 10 reurus.
San works. The crystalline compound
can be picked up in large cakes.
It was in this lonely yet enchant-
ing spot on the sunset coast of a desc
late island that a pioneer by the name
of Meredith established his salt plant
in 1850. With huge evaDOrating pans
I'm which 20 boil down the briny wa
ter. and a sailbOat to carry the refined
product to a shipping point, he saw
visions of fortune, gathered free from
natures very hand.
Alas, his air castles, like the rock
house in which the salt was made
crumbled and became "a wreck His
boat went down in a storm in Bear
River bay and but a memory of him
remains. The ruins of the salt works
stand a crumbling monument to an
Inflated venture and buried hopes
When Meredith sailed TO the island
the water was much higher than IL is
SDow. He erected upon the beach a
Mouse of stones gathered from the
rocky coast. This was matched over
with pine poles cut from the mountain
ranges. In this house was built
large furnace and evaporating pans
were Installed.
Used Wooden Pumps
Cedar poles brought overland from
the far east were bored out and manu-
featured into pumps. They were driv-
en- into the lake bottom and galvan-
lied tin pipes were used to conduct
the water from the shore to the evap-
Grating pans
Two caves dug into the side of the
mountain and timbered with pine poles
served the salt manufacturers for
homes Provisions were taken to the
island by boats and water to drink
was hauled from springs on the island.
Spurred on by a mirage-lilxe vision of
wealth. Utah'S first salt manufacturer
began operations. Day after day men
worked the old cedar pumps and boiled
down the water in the rock house. The
salt was loaded upon a saiIbOat and
shipped to point near Ogden, from
which place it was hauled to the city
and sent to the outer world.
Then fate laid a whitening hand up
on the budding enterprise. The salt
was found TO contain other substances
that necessitated its being refined The
expense of handling it was too great
Tor the business to pay and. to cap
the climax, storm caught the boat
and wrecked it. The salt works. after
hourishing for only a few years were
abandoned to the ravages Of time.
Although half century has elapsed
since then, some of the old cedar pumps
are still standing on the beach. almost
unframed by time. and pieces Of the
old tin piping can be picked up about
the bay. Only the walls Of the salt
house remain, but the dugouts are in
almost as good shape as they were
when deserted.