168 REPORT OF THE 



a brine of considerably greater strength. In February of this 

 year, I found it standing 5° Beaume, (20° Salometer,) at the 

 temperature of 50" Fah. 



In the meantime, borings had been undertaken by the Grand' 

 River Salt Co., (Powers, Martin and Leonard,) and by Mr. R. 

 E. Butterworth. The former, on the west side of the river, 

 nearly opposite Scribner's, at the depth of 140 feet, found them- 

 selves in possession of brine which stood at 100" of the Salom- 

 eter. This, however, did not rise to the surface, and the supply 

 was found to be limited. According to information received 

 from Mr. Martin Metcalf, the phenomena presented by this well 

 are as follows: 



" When we first put in the pump, only about two quarts per 

 minute were furnished, ranging 80'° to 100°. Now, we can 

 pump one gallon in 16 seconds, for 2| minutes, before we feel a 

 tendency to vacuum; after which, we get 1 40-100 gallons per 

 minute. Now, if we let the well rest five minutes, we can 

 again pump one gallon every 16 seconds, for 2§ minutes, as 

 before, when we find a vacuum creating; and afterwards, if the 

 pumping is continued, we can obtain for half an hour, at least, 

 1 40-100 gallons per minute. I am told that 11 gallons per 

 minute have been obtained for several hours together — in fact 

 as long as they have continued pumping — salometer ranging 

 from 80° to 86"."* These phenomena are probably attributable, 

 as Mr. Metcalf suggests, to the existence of a cavity holding 

 about 11| gallons. 



Mr. Butterworth's well attained a depth of about 500 feet. 

 The flow of water from the surface was immense, being not less 

 than 300 gallons per minute. By means of an ingenious ar- 

 rangement for stopping off the fresh water, Messrs. Metcalf and 

 Butterworth found the brine, at 325 feet, to possess a strength 

 • of 22°; and they succeeded in obtaining a constant flow from 

 the top, of one gallon per minute, of, the strength of 20°, which 



would require about 131 gallons for a bushel of solid ingredients. 

 During the past season, two other wells have been bored. 



• Letter doted March 15th, 1860 



