THE MINING AND QUARRY INDUSTRY IQIO 53 



brine without evaporation. The actual product of evaporated salt 

 for the market was less than in 1909. 



The total quantity reported by the mines and wells for last year 

 v/as 10,270,273 barrels of 280 pounds, as compared with 9,880,618 

 barrels in 1909, showing an increase of 389,655 barrels or about 4 

 per cent. The production in 1909 was the largest up to that time 

 and represented a gain of 875,307 barrels for that year. Converted 

 to a tonnage basis the output in 1910 amounted to 1,437,838 short 

 tons against 1,383,386.5 short tons in the preceding year. 



Notwithstanding the gain in quantity, as shown in the above fig- 

 ures, the value of the output last year was less than that reported in 

 1909, the amount being $2,258,292 as compared with $2,298,652. 

 The value averaged 22 cents a barrel, against 23.3 cents a barrel in 

 1909; 23.7 cents in 1908 and 25 cents in 1907. Prices have thus 

 diminished steadily for a number of years. It is to be noted, how- 

 ever, that the average values are reduced to some extent by the in- 

 clusion of the salt used in the form of brine for alkali manufac- 

 ture. Since this salt is not marketed as such and is not even evap- 

 orated it is given only a nominal valuation, representing practically 

 the cost of pumping. The production of this brine is confined to a 

 single company, the Solvay Process Co., which has a number of 

 wells in the town of Tully, Onondaga county, whence the brine is 

 carried through a pipe line to the alkali works near Syracuse. 



The year was unmarked by any notable developments or changes 

 in the industry. The list of producers included about thirty works 

 and mines or the same number as in 1909. Under the conditions 

 which have obtained during the last few years, there has been no 

 incentive to the establishment of new enterprises. On the other 

 hand the low prices for evaporated salt have caused the closing of 

 some of the smaller plants and those less favorably situated with 

 respect to manufacturing and marketing facilities. Another effect 

 has been to introduce more economical methods by the use of the 

 grainer and vacuum pan which have generally superseded the old 

 kettle or direct-fire process of evaporation. 



A small part of the evaporated salt is made by the solar process. 

 Its manufacture is limited to Syracuse and vicinity where it has 

 survived from the early days of the industry, though it has lost its 

 former importance. The product is mainly coarse salt and is used 

 for practically the same purposes as rock salt. It is marketed 

 through the Onondaga Coarse Salt Association. The wells are 

 situated on lands once included within the Onondaga reservation ; 



