KETTLE PROCESS 51 



chimney are most effectually brought in contact with the 

 entire heating surface of the kettles confined in the arches. 

 The slanting of the walls and the gradually decreasing dis- 

 tance between the kettle and arch bottoms is specially de- 

 signed to further this object. Lengthwise and a few inches 

 above the central wall is a wooden conduit placed, provided 

 with one faucet, and the necessary plug for each salt kettle, 

 in the block. The entire arrangement is such that the 

 workman when standing on the walk can with ease fill the 

 kettles by means of these faucets with brine from the con- 

 duit. The latter is connected with two laro-e wooden cis- 

 terns situated outside of the, building and sufficiently 

 elevated to supply the brine contained therein by gravity 

 to the kettles in the block. Their capacity varies in 

 accordance with the amount of brine required for the 

 block in 24 hours. Usually they are from 20 to 25 feet 

 wide, 6 feet deep and from 25 to 40 feet long, having a 

 capacity from 30,000 to 40,000 gallons or about the quan- 

 tity required in 24 hours, while the salt block is in opera- 

 tion. A smaller tank which holds fresh water is also 

 connected with the conduit. Thus the workman is enabled 

 to draw, as occasion requires, either salt brine or fresh 

 water from the same faucets by closing the gate of the one 

 or the other tank. On both sides of the double row of ket- 

 tles is a walk made of earth and from 12 to 18 inches 

 below their rims, for the use of the workmen in attending 

 to the various operations connected with the manufacture 

 of salt. It is from 5 to 6 feet wide extending the entire 

 length of the block with a gutter running lengthwise of 

 it and on the side farthest from the kettles to carry off 

 any bitter water (" bitterns "), etc. requiring removal. 

 Next to these gutters are the so-called " salt bins," having 

 usually a depth from 6 to 8 feet below the level of the 

 walk, a width of 10 to 14 feet and a length of nearly 100 

 feet and over, according to producing capacity of the 

 block. They are always divided into several compartments 



