SALT ENTERPRISE IN MICHIGAN. 277 



state, it will be apparent that the strongest brines (among 

 which are included those in the vicinity of these borings) 

 make their appearance along a line which will be found 

 to correspond with the synclinal axis, or axis of the dip 

 of the rocks composing the great peninsula basin, a 

 circumstance which would be looked for from the fact 

 that the ordinary law of gravitation would conduct the 

 strong brines to the lowest levels of the rock strata" 

 (p. 139). Commenting on the geology of Lucius Lyon's 

 well, at Grand Rapids, he also says: "The brine now 

 obtained at a depth below the above of about 230 feet 

 may be supposed to proceed by veins from the lower salt 

 rock lying at a still greater depth, and from which the 

 strongest and best supplies of brine in our state may be 

 expected to be obtained" (p. 140). 



In the third place, he had an erroneous conception of 

 the geological succession in tJie peninsula. In his special 

 Report on salt springs, dated 1839, he states his plan to 

 be to sink a shaft on the Tittabawassee to the " bed rock." 

 The " salt rock " he supposed " to be at a depth of 500 

 to 700 feet " from the bottom of the shaft (p. 42). Then, 

 speaking of the well near Grand Rapids, he says: "The 

 amount of rock-boring required will not vary much from 

 that at the Tittabawassee salines 1 ' (p. 42). Thus, he sup- 

 posed both situations to be geologically similar, while, in 

 fact, the location on Grand River was at least 360 feet 

 below the other, and was separated by all the thickness 

 of the coal measures and the carboniferous limestone. 

 With similar inaccuracy he considers that " the rocks of 

 this northern portion of the peninsula may be regarded 

 as referable to the great carboniferous group of the state " 

 (Report, Feb. 4, 1839, p. 2). So he is " led to conclude 



