DEVELOPMENT OF THE ONONDAGA SALT FIELD 1 7 



the first laws relating to the manufacture of salt at the 

 Onondaga salt springs and William Stephens was appointed 

 superintendent. Details of this act may be found in the 

 laws of that year. 



In 1798 an association called the Federal Company was 

 organized. It erected the largest plant known at that period, 

 consisting of 32 kettles which were set in blocks of 4 each. 

 The brine was pumped by hand from the shallow wells, less 

 than 30 feet deep, into reservoirs made of hollow logs. The 

 first well of any large size was sunk under the direction of 

 William Kirkpatrick who was appointed superintendent in 

 1806. This well was at Salina. It was 20 feet square and 

 30 feet deep. Each manufacturer had his own pump which 

 was worked by hand and the brine was carried in conduits 

 to the different works. 



In 1 8 10 under Sup't John Richardson, the water of Yel- 

 low Brook was conducted from Syracuse to Salina in order 

 to drive a wheel for pumping the brine. Shortly afterward 

 the pumps were worked by horse-power. 



In 1 820 the legislature authorized Benajah Byingtontobore 

 for rock-salt on the reservation, offering a premium for any 

 salt produced. His explorations were chiefly made on the 

 high grounds east of Salina and were entirely unsuccessful. 

 In 1838 an appropriation was made to enable the superin- 

 tendent to sink a shaft or well 600 feet deep. A well was 

 sunk to this depth but without finding any rock salt. 



The further history of the Onondaga Salt Reservation 

 may be found in detail in the works quoted in the 

 preface. 



The brine springs of Montezuma in Cayuga Co. were 

 only second in importance to those of Onondaga Co. and 

 for a time were utilized in the manufacture of salt. In 

 1823 the salt made there amounted to between 16,000 and 

 20,000 bushels. 



The following additional list of brine springs is taken 

 from the report of Lewis C. Beck on the mineralogy of 

 3 



