54 Saliferous Rock Formation in the Valley of the Ohio. 



engaged in the salt business on the Kenhawa. The principles of the 

 process are probably the same with those now in operation in the 

 manufacture and crystallization of sugar, and found to be far superior 

 to the mode formerly,, and still generally, in use. 



Process pursued in sinking a salt well. 



The operator having fixed on a spot suitable for the purpose, al- 

 ways near some water course, and where the adjacent hills are high, 

 proceeds to excavate the earth down to the rock, and then the rock 

 itself to the depth of twenty or thirty feet, and from four to six feet 

 in diameter. In this cavity, called "the head," is usually placed a 

 hollow sycamore trunk, called " a gum," which is imbedded firmly 

 in the rock, in such a way as to exclude the springs of fresh water; 

 others make use of planks to form the head. When this part of the 

 work. is accomplished, the process of boring, or drilling, commences. 

 This was formerly done by hand, with the assistance of a spring pole, 

 and was a tedious and laborious operation. It is now performed by 

 a horse or horses, placed on an inchned tread wheel, and machinery 

 very simply, but ingeniously arranged, so as to act, by means of a 

 lever, on the poles attached to the auger, raising it from two to three 

 feet, at each rise of the lever, and letting it drop again very regu- 

 larly. A grass rope, with which the poles are suspended to a high 

 frame, by its spiral convolutions, at each rise and fall gives them a 

 slight rotary motion, so necessary to the progress of the work. Two 

 men are employed in this business, who stand regular tours, of six 

 hours each, night and day. When so much of the rock is chiseled 

 up, and comminuted so finely as to make, with the water, which al- 

 ways fills the hole, a soft muddy mass, and impedes the motion of 

 the auger, the poles are withdrawn, and a tube, made of copper, five 

 or six feet in length and three inches in diameter, called " the pump," 

 is screwed to the pole and let down. A valve, at the lower end, pre- 

 vents the escape of the contents, which are discharged through a hole 

 made for that purpose, near the top. A cord or rope is sometimes 

 made use of in this process, in place of the poles. The poles are 

 made of tough, white ash wood, twenty five feet in length and two 

 inches in diameter. . They are attached to each other by strong iron 

 sockets and screws, so as that a screw at the lower end enters into a 

 socket at the upper end of each pole. By the addition of fresh poles, 

 as the well descends, they are lengthened to any desirable depth. 

 The auger is pointed with the best cast steel, and is from twelve to 



