REPORT OF THE STATE GEOLOGIST. lxxvii 



Texas, reaching to the New Mexico line, while northeast of these in the 

 Permian region the constant recurrence of such names as Salt Fork, 

 Salt Creek, etc., tell of the prevalence of similar conditions. In addition 

 to the lakes and creeks from which salt is secured by solar evaporation 

 we have also extensive beds of rock salt. 



That which is at present best developed is located in, the vicinity of 

 Colorado City, in Mitchell County. The bed of salt was found by bor- 

 ing at 850 feet, and proved to have a thickness of 140 feet. A vein 

 of water was struck below it which rises to within 150 feet of the sur- 

 face. This is pumped to the surface and evaporated, and the resulting 

 salt purified for commerce. 



- In Eastern Texas there have long been known low pieces of ground 

 called "salines," at which salt has been manufactured by sinking shal- 

 low wells and evaporating the water taken from them. At one of these, 

 Grand Saline, in Van Zandt County, a well was sunk, and at 225 feet 

 a bed of rock salt was struck, into which they have now dug 300 feet 

 without getting through it. Many other similar salines are known in 

 Eastern Texas and Western Louisiana, and the great deposits of rock 

 salt developed at Petit Anse and Yan Zandt under practically similar 

 circumstances is certainly warrant enough for boring at the other salines 

 for similar beds. Some of these localities are in Smith and Anderson 

 counties. 



In the Carboniferous area many of the wells yield salt water, some- 

 times strong enough to render them unfitted for any ordinary purpose, 

 but no attempt has been made at their utilization. There are also brine 

 wells in limited areas in Central Texas. 



ALKALIES. 



The source from which the salts of potash and soda can be obtained 

 in Texas are : 



The alkali lakes, where there is a large percentage of sulphate of soda 

 (Glauber salts) deposited by the evaporation of the water. Its impuri- 

 ties consist of some sulphate of lime, or gypsum, and common salt. 



The Bat Guano. — Nitre, or saltpeter, was made from this material 

 during the late war, but the necessity for its manufacture ending, it was 

 abandoned. 



ALUM. 



The best material for the manufacture of alum is found in the clay 

 of the lignitic portion of the Timber Belt, or Fayette, Beds, which con- 

 tain both pyrites and lignitic matter. Nearly all the material used in 



