182 



Report of the State Geologist. 



Since 1797, when the state took possession of the reservation and began 

 leasing lots to makers of salt, an accurate record has been kept of all 

 matters pertaining to the production of salt at this locality. 



The annual reports of the superintendents show that in 1797, 25,45-1 

 bushels were manufactured. The production reached 100,000 bushels in 1804 

 and first exceeded 1,000,000 bushels in 1828. The largest amount in a single 

 year was in 1862 when 9,053,874 bushels were made, 2,000,000 bushels being 

 solar or coarse, and the remainder fine salt. 



Since 1882, when 3,032,447 bushels of course and 5,307,773 bushels of 

 fine salt were made, the production especially of fine salt has declined. In 

 1895, it was 733,854 bushels of fine and 2,332,052 bushels of coarse; total 

 3,065,906 bushels. 



The whole product from 1797 to 1896 was 365,434,887 bushels oi fifty- 

 six pounds each. 



Previous to 1846, the amount charged the manufacturers by the state 

 was variable, and figures to show the revenue derived are not at hand. 



Since 1846 the uniform charge has been one cent per bushel and the net 

 profit to the state from that date to 1886 was $668,200. Since 1886 there 

 has been a small deficit each year. 



Until about 1825, the brine was pumped from wells about thirty feet 

 deep and eight feet in diameter, located along the eastern border of the marsh 

 at the head of the lake, in the vicinity of the original spring. Later they 

 were sunk nearer the center of the marsh and it was found that clay, sand 

 and gravel were encountered to the depth of nearly 400 feet before solid rock 

 was reached and that as the depth increased in the drift material, the brine 

 had greater strength. Neither brine nor salt was found in the rock that 

 forms the floor of the basin. 



In the shallow wells first used it was found that by constant pumping 

 the brine lost a small proportion of salt, but the deeper ones were not so 

 affected. And although more than 10,250,000 tons of salt, enough to cover 

 an area a mile square, which is approximately that of the marsh, to the depth 

 of sixteen feet and three inches, have been taken from the waters of this 

 reservoir, the average strength of the brine is not diminished but rather 

 increased. 



In his report for 1890 as superintendent of these springs, Dr. 

 Englehardt says the average strength of the brine from all of the 

 wells, fifty in number, pumped during that year was 70.49 p salometer test 

 (100 c being full saturation; 100 pounds of brine of 70° strength contains 



