The Washington herald., 1909-07-04
COTTON sPINDLEs.
NATIONAL BANKS.

! q. e. ss
lsJl ....'...'''..'.-''..'--''. -,
lto Afati
wells and evaporated IN pans or kettles,
/ sometimes by sun heat. sometimes by
FIRE. At the present time no salt IS being
made.
/ Besides the two plains Of the Clmarron
the Salt Creek plain. in Northern Blaine
/ County, is also fed by springs which
/ issue from below the gypsum lodges. and
\ like others. Il Is located IN q canyon al
! the foot OF the Gypsum Hills This plain
/ is much smaller than the Big Salt plain
/ OF the CimarrOn. II is not more than a
quarter Of a mile wide at the widest
/ place. and for the greater part OF its eX-
/ tension IS not more than 100 yards. with a
/ length OF perhaps three miles The springs
which supply the plains issue from the
/ head OF the main Salt Creek canyon. a
I ledge Of red and blue mOttled, cross
I bedded sandstone outcrops along the
heads OF several branches OF the main
I canyon, and springs issue from II. The
| flow is sufficient 70 form a small creek.
Along the bottom OF tho canyon the salt
hcrustations, formed by evaporation, COW
er a narrow strip 100 yards wide along
| the sandy channel Of the stream. mile
/ below the springs the canyon widens, the
/ creek leaves the wall OF hills and enters
the fat country, and the salt plain spreads
out and becomes. in one place, as much
as a quarter OF a mile wide.
Best of salt Plains.
From sthe standpoint Of economic i'm
portance the Salt Creek plain bids fair TO
exceed all others in the State. as II IS
nearer both 10 the coal fields and TO mar
ket than the others. A number OF primi-
tive salt plants have at different times
/ been located along the edge OF the plain.
The methods employed in securing the
salt are extremely simple. A well IS dug
I'm the sand OF the plain and the water
pumped by hand into watts and evaporated
/ by boiling. Fuel. chiefly cedar and oak
wood. was formerly obtained from the
I canyons near by. It IS stated that three
/ buckets Of brine VII make one bucket OF
/ salt The capacity OF one Of these plants
/ is said 10 have been from 500 10 ZOO
pounds a day. The salt IS hauled in
wagons TO supply local trade. and the de-
mand is said 70 have exceeded the sup
ply for a number OF years.
A few years ago a plant with a ca
pacity Of $50 barrels a day was erected
al Ferguson, Okla, the nearest railroad
point TO the plain. The brine was OBJ
tained from open and drilled wells and
was carried two milees IN a two and q
half-inch wrought iron pipe. Steam was
employed 70 operate the rakes. elevators.
and cOnveyors. The pans were Of cement,
/ = by 10 feet and % inches deep. The
plant remained IN operation but a few
months.
Beckham County Plain.
In the extreme southern part OF Beck
ham County. near Carter, is a salt plain
occupying an area OF about forty acres.
This plain. which is about half a mile
distant from the North Fork Of Red
River. is located near the base OF the
Gypsum Hills. In places springs OF salt
water issue directly from beneath gyp-
sum ledges, while IN other instances the
water boils up IN the form Of bold springs
from the level surface OF the plain. There
are more than twenty springs. the waters
of which unite 10 form a stream as large
as a stovepipe. In view Of the fact that
a great part OF the water sinks into the
sand It is probable that this amount rep
resents but a small part OF the actual
fow
Salt has been manufactured at this
plain for many years. The water Is said
to contain a considerable proportion Of
gypsum. but not so much as to render It
unfit for use.
Greer County Plains.
The two Greer County salt plains are
in small canyons which have been carved
in Gypsum Hills south Of Elm Fork OF
Red River. about FIVE miles cas-. Of the
Texas line. From the rames OF the own
ers these plants are locally known as the
Clancy Salt Plain ard the Kiser Salt
Plain Neither covers an area OF more
than an acre and they are not more than
a mile apart Both are fed by springs
that issue from the shales below heavy
ledges Of gypsum.
Springs boil up from the level sand
floor, and the water flows out OF the can
yOn to mingle with the water OF the
river. A fourishing local industry has
been carried on at these plains for twen-
y years, and some years as much as
100000 pounds Of salt have been manu-
factured at each. Since the timber which
formerly grew in the canyons has been
exhausted solar evaporation has been
largely employed TO produce salt The
average combined flow from each plain
forms a stream larger than a mans arm.
IN a number OF canyons emptying into
Elm Fork in this region there are salt
springs, bun no others have sufficient
strength of flow 10 warrant the estab-
ishment Of salt plants.
Little Salt Manufactured.
Very little salt is now being manufac-
tured IN oklahoma On the Greer Coun-
ty salt plains few thousand pounds of
salt Is made each year By solar evaoora-
ton. The salt brine is led out into earth
en- reservoirs and allowed 10 remain till
II Is evaporated-
On the Blaine County salt plain and the
one on the CimaTron River salt IS some
times made in a small way. Wells are
dug into the plain and the water allowed
TO accumulate. II is then pumped into
watts and evaporated by boiling.
There is no way Of estimating accu-
rately the amount OF salt water going 10
waste IN Oklahoma, but there IS certain
" enough to make 100 carloads Of salt a
day.
The people OF Oklahoma bring salt from
Kansas, Louisiana, and Michigan, and
pay not only the market price for the
salt, but an exorbitant freight rate as
well. when there IS an inexhaustible sup
ply going to waste at home. These con-
ditions cannot continue Some dav the
brine which is now running away. con-
taminaung the, streams, viii be utilized.
CHARLES n GOULD,
Director Oklahoma Geological Surrey.