198 LOWER PENINSULA. 



There were manufactured into salt barrels, on the Saginaw River, 

 last year, staves, heading, and hoops as follows : 



Staves 16,195,480 



Heading 6, 1 38,000 



Hoops 9,872,000 



The barrels are mostly made by hand in cooper-shops connected 

 with the salt blocks. The average cost of salt barrels is from 28 

 to 30 cents each. The Rules and Regulations on Cooperage are 

 as follows : 



COOPERAGE. 



(Regulations in regard to Barrels.) 



All staves must be of such length that when the barrel is finished 

 it shall not be less than 3o|- inches, or more than 3i|- inches long. 

 Soft-wood staves, whether rove or cut, to be \ an inch thick. Hard- 

 wood staves -^-^ of an inch thick after seasoning. Staves not more 

 than 4 inches wide, of sound timber, and properly jointed. 



Heading must be |- of an inch thick, of good, sound lumber, 

 free from holes or unsound knots, smooth for branding. No 

 basswood will be allowed for either staves or heading. 



Hoops to be I inch wide and \ of an inch thick, 10 to each bar- 

 rel, shaved and well set. 



Barrels for fine salt must have heads i/^- inches in diameter. 

 Chime to be i inch from point of croze. Bilge from 21 to 2i|- 

 inches in diameter outside. 



Solar salt may be packed in barrels not less than 30 inches in 

 length with a head 16^ inches. Barrels charred on the inside must 

 be rejected. 



LABOR. 



The work connected with a kettle block can be accomplished by 

 7 men and i two-horse team, divided as follows : 2 boilers, 2 fire- 

 men, I engineer, i salt-packer and i teamster. 



The capacity of pan blocks being greater than that of kettle 

 blocks, more labor is required, and is divided as follows : 4 boilers, 

 3 firemen, 2 engineers, 2 salt-packers, and 2 or 3 teamsters. 



