172 LOWER PENINSULA. 



subject became so fully satisfied of the existence of rich saline wa- 

 ters in our State, that they at once determined to extend their ex- 

 perimental researches still further, and soon demonstrated in the 

 most satisfactory manner the entire correctness of the theory 

 advanced. 



Saginaw valley has the honor of having practically proved the wis- 

 dom of our first State geologist, in regard to the saline resources of 

 the State, and demonstrated in a few short years, to an extent hardly 

 to be credited, their unlimited supply, as well as their profitable and 

 beneficial nature. Encouraged by the information furnished by 

 the geological surveys, borings in several localities have been extend- 

 ed to other groups of rocks, much older and lower than the preced- 

 ing, viz., Onondaga salt group — the representation in this State of 

 the group so called in the State of New-York — and though their pro- 

 ductiveness is not yet perhaps satisfactorily established, sufificient 

 encouragement has been received to afford reasonable hopes that 

 these rocks may yet yield a supply of salt sufficient to render them 

 a source of profit, thus adding immensely to the saline wealth of 

 the State. 



WELL-BORING MACHINERY. 



The proper location having been selected for the salt well, a 

 drill house, 16 by 30 feet, with a tower, is erected. This is large 

 enough for a boiler, small portable engine, and a forge for repair- 

 ing tools and keeping the drill sharp. 



The tower or derrick has a height of 50 feet, or is high enough 

 to draw out the drilling poles. The tool with which the boring 

 or^ drilling is done is a drill, 3 feet long, shaped at one end like 

 a chisel, and made of the best quality of steel. 



The drill is screwed into the sinker, which is a round iron bar 

 40 feet long and 3 inches in diameter, and weighing about 2000 

 pounds. 



Attached to the sinkers by strong screws are the '' jars ;" these 

 are about 7 feet long and made of good iron. The " jars " are two 

 slotted links, moving up and down within each other, and are 

 intended to increase the force of the blow of the drill upon the 

 rock by allowing it to fall with a sudden jerk. 



The jars are attached by a screw to the drill pole, which is, in turn, 

 connected by a swivel to a chain. The chain is fastened to an or- 



