The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-09
GREAT SALT LAKE
YIELDS ASPHALTUM
Drilling Outfit Operated From
Raft Opens New Pos
sibilities.
SATISFACTORY RESULTS
FROM EXPERIMENTS
Los Angeles Operator Secures
Patents and Will Start
Work.

~. L
has been experimenting for some time
past on a method for the recovery of
the asphaltum deposits underlying the
Great Salt lake near the northeast
shores, was in this city Wednesday and
expressed himself as being firm In the
opinion that he has at last solved the
problem. and. as n result, he believes
that the production of asphaltum Will
rapidly become an important industry
of this state. DR.. Palmer and crew
of mon have been working diligently
for some time past, though nothing has
been said of their operations, pending
the success or failure of the undertak-
ing. and now that n practicable plan
has been worked out he and associates
VIII prepare for permanent develop
ments. DIR, Palmer has done the re-
quircd legal work, has secured regular
United States patents, paid for his
operating territory and is prepared to
produce asphaltum on a large scale.
Works From Raft
Some years ago, and Mt different
times in fact, efforts have been made
to get at the product which has been
known to exist in large quantities in
the neighborhood of the lake and In
the lake proper, and after q number
VI experiments IL WAS ocClceu "
make the proposition commercially
profitable it would be necessary TO ex-
tract the product from the lake bot
toms, and it is in the perfecting of
feasible plan of this kind that DR..
Palmer has been successful. DR..
Palmer, when it was made known that
n company was being organized in Utah
for the manufacture of Hcoalette,' or
brick coal n plant of this kind being
in operation at Coalville at the present
time, came to Utah to become interested
in the industry. he holding the Ger
man patents for a very successful
"binder' used in the manufacture OF
the new fuel. Upon his arrival how
ever. be found that a suitable grade
of asphaltum for the "binder had
not been developed in the state, and
having some knowledge of the deposits
OF the lake. he proceeded in his en-
dcavors to extract 1T and put 1t on the
market.
DR.. Palmer, though his idea was not
taken seriously at first, announced his
intention of working a drilling outfit
from raft on the lake. He accord
ingly constructed huge "float" of
drift logs, his experiences in the waters
of the northwest having taught him
that this form of raft would be the
only kind that could be expected TO
withstand the punishment which 1t
would receive in being buffeted about
during the stormy season on the lake.
The raft, having been completed, was
equipped with q drilling outfit, pile,
driver, engine, ETC., and while at work
1t carries a total weight of about 40
900 pounds. The raft is 60X40 feet
Tests Successful.
Dr. Palmer made his tests about 1000
feet from shore, and the drill at depth
of 14l feet encountered the oil-sands,
and core of asphaltum was secured
as the drilling progressed. DR.. Palmer
states that the product is filled with
gas, which, in its efforts to escape,
gives the long core the appearance Of
a big, moving snake, and until the
gaseous properties are all expelled, the
apparent life continues, To the pres
ence of the action Of the gas, also, is
attributed the fact that the asphaltum
rises through the drill tube,
Numerous experiments Of this kind
were successful, and it is believed that
the production Of asphaltum from this
source can now be made very profita-
BILE The product as analyzed by A. w
Dow, inspector OF asphalts for the
United States government, is proven to
be Of splendid quality, showing 95 per
cent possible commercial extraction.
Major H. P. Myton is one of the 10.
cal interests in the proposition and will
act as the local representative of the
company which will carry on operations.