SALT ENTERPRISE IN MICHIGAN;. 259 



In these two costly and protracted experiments no 

 brine was obtained materially better than that previously 

 occurring at the surface. 



In the meantime, in January 1840, Mr. Lyon began 

 boring for salt on his own account. His location was 

 near Bridge-street bridge, in the village (now city) of 

 Grand Rapids, and by July 1841, he had penetrated to a 

 depth of 661 feet. This well began upon the Carbonifer- 

 ous Limestone, which was found 19 feet thick, and passed 

 171 feet through the Michigan Salt Group, 253 feet 

 through the Marshall Group, and 214 feet into the Huron 

 Group. It furnished an enormous flow of brackish wa- 

 ter, amounting to one hogshead per minute; and by means 

 of an ingenious contrivance brine was brought up un- 

 mixed with the flow of fresh water, which proved to be 

 one-fifth saturated, or at least equal in strength to brine 

 at that time used on the Kanawha and Ohio rivers. 

 With salt selling at three dollars per barrel, Mr. Lyon 

 was enabled to manufacture a limited amount without 

 loss. The want of brine of adequate strength, however, 

 led to an early suspension of the business. 



After the failures of 1838-42, the " Salt Spring Lands" 

 came into the market as little superior to ordinary agri- 

 cultural lands. In 1849 (March 28), on the organization 

 of the State Normal School, twenty-five sections were set 

 apart for the creation of a Normal School Fund, at the 

 minimum price of four dollars an acre for the unimproved 

 tracts; and in 1855 (February 12) twenty-two sections 

 were set apart for the endowment of an Agricultural 

 College. 



A lingering belief yet survived, however, that Mich- 

 igan was still destined to become a salt-producing state; 



