History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY.

PRODUCTION DURING THE HISTORY OF SALT MANUFACTURE IN THE
STATE.
The salt manufacture in this State commenced in 1860, and
the inspection law was not enacted until 1869. Previous to
the inspection law the annual product was as follows: 1860,
4,000 barrels; 1861, 125,000; 1862, 243,000; 1863, 466,356; 1864,
529,073; 1865, 477,200; 1866,407,077; 1867, 474,721; 1868, 555,690. The product since 1869, at which the inspection law took
effect, is as follows: 1869, 560,818 barrels; 1870, 621,350; 1871,
728,175; 1872, 724,481; 1873, 823,346; 1874, 1,028,979; 1875, 1,081,865; 1876, 1,462,729; 1877, 1,960,997; 1878, 1,855,884; 1879,
2,058,040; 1880, 2,676,588.
The average price obtained for the Saginaw product during a
series of years shows as follows: average price per barrel-1866,
$1.80; 1867, $1.77; 1868, $1.85; 1869, $1.58; 1870, $1.32; 1871,
$1.46; 1872, $1.46; 1873, $1.37; 1874, $1.19; 1875, $1.10; 1876,
$1.05; 1877, 85 cts.; 1878, 85 cts.; 1879, $1.02; 1880, 75 cts.
IMPROVEMENTS.
The numerous and extensive improvements effected in buildings
and machinery, during 1880-'1 are, beyond precedent, all tending
to show that as years pass by the salt interest grows in importance
and extent. There are few industries in the United States of comparative growth that can compete with that of the development and
magnitude of the Michigan salt interest, and as has been stated,
nothing in the line of legitimate resources could have been more
fortunate for the Saginaw Valley than the discovery of the underlying saline deposits, and their practical development. No industry could by any possibility have worked more in harmony with
other leading industries of this section of the State. Continued experience and present realization have demonstrated beyond the
question of argument the wisdom, foresight, and business sagacity
of those who inaugurated an industry which has added largely to
the importance and wealth of the Peninsula.
SALT WELLS OF THE VALLEY.
The salt wells of the State form one of its great wealth-givers.
This industry of 20 summers is only in its infancy. The rich brines
which permeate the sandstone will flow on until that period when
the stone itself may change, when the economy of nature may convert it into veritable rock salt. We extract the followingSparagraphs
from apaper, prepared by Dr. S. S. Garrigues, on the geological
formations of the Valley, the boring of salt wells, and the process
of salt manufacture:
PORT AUSTIN, IURON COUNTY.
"The first well that we have good record from is the Port Austin.
This well stands in the upper part of the Waverly group, being tlle