Theory of a Salt Rock. 115 



finds a free and easy circulation. It lies at various depths in dif- 

 ferent parts of " the valley," being deeper near its center or most 

 depending portion, and rising nearer the surface on its borders. At 

 the lower wells on the Muskingum it lies at eight hundred feet ; on 

 the Kenawha at four hundred. It is not uniformly white, but in 

 some places is highly tinged with red. It is an interesting fact, that 

 this rock on the Muskingum, lies at a depth far below the present 

 surface of the ocean, it having been pierced at nine hundred feet, 

 which is three hundred below tide water at the mouth of the Missis- 

 sippi. The mouth of the Muskingum is only five hundred and seven- 

 ty feet above, and the works on the Kenawha are about the same. , 

 The main salt strata on the Kenawha occupy an extent of twelve 

 or fourteen miles on the river ; above and below these extremes, the 

 brine is found at a greater depth and of a poorer quality. The 

 lower rock strata at the salines, as before noticed, approach much 

 nearer the surface, describing, in some measure, the arc of a large 

 circle. At the center, good brine is found at three hundred feet ; 

 at the upper end, or six miles above the center, at four hundred and 

 fifty feet, and at the lower end at five hundred feet. The surface 

 strata have also, a conformable curve, or dip each way from the anti- 

 clinal fine, near the center of the works. 



It is believed by many persons that the salt springs are supplied 

 from a large deposit of soHd rock salt. The following are the views 

 of a very intelligent gentleman, who has lived many years at the 

 works and been extensively engaged in the manufacture of salt. 



"Suppose a conical bed of rock salt, whose original apex was 

 nearly on a level with the water in the river — this bed is gradually 

 dissolved by the water passing downward through the perpendicular 

 fissures in the rock forming the bed of the river, and laterally in the 

 cavities below, until it reached the salt rock, where it receives its 

 impregnation, and thence is drawn off in openings made by boring. 

 These cavities run in inclined and irregular courses from the re- 

 gion of the salt rock in rather parallel directions — a cavity com- 

 municating with the upper surface of the rock is first reached with 

 the augur; the saline matter is speedily exhausted and fresh water. 

 rises in its stead. The next cavity is thus perforated and a more 

 strongly impregnated water is found, it having a more extensive sur- 

 face to act upon. It is more permanent, but will not rise quite as 

 high, having greater specific gravity and yielding not quite so large 

 a quantity of water in the same time, the cavities being smaller, 



