^ 
 
 w 
 
 i>. 
 
 
 IMAGE EVALUATION 
 TEST TARGET (MT-3) 
 
 
 1.0 
 
 I.I 
 
 ^1^ m 
 
 ^ 1^ 1 2.2 
 li: 1^ 12.0 
 
 L25 III 1.4 
 
 1.6 
 
 6" 
 
 % 
 
 ^a 
 
 
 
 Photographic 
 
 Sciences 
 Corporation 
 
 33 WEST MAIN STREET 
 
 WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 
 
 (716) 872-4503 
 
K<r^ 
 
 U.X 
 
 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
 CIHM/iCMH 
 Collection de 
 microfiches. 
 
 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 
 
Technical and Bibliographic Notaa/Notas tachniquaa at bibliographiquaa 
 
 Th 
 to 
 
 Tha Instituta haa attamptad to obtain tha baat 
 original copy availabia for filming. Faaturaa of thia 
 copy which may ba bibliographically uniqua. 
 which may altar any of tha imagaa in tha 
 raproduction, or which may significantly changa 
 tha usual mathod of filming, ara chackad baiow. 
 
 QCoiourad covars/ 
 Couvartura da couiour 
 
 pn Covars damaged/ 
 
 D 
 
 Couvartura andommagia 
 
 Covars restored and/or laminated/ 
 Couverture restaurAe et/ou pellicula 
 
 r~l Cover title missing/ 
 
 D 
 D 
 D 
 D 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 D 
 
 Le titre de couverture manque 
 
 Coloured mapa/ 
 
 Cartea gtegraphiquas en couleur 
 
 Coloured ink (i.e. other then blue or black)/ 
 Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) 
 
 Coloured plates and/or illuatrations/ 
 Planches et/ou illustrations wn couleur 
 
 Bound with oth jr material/ 
 Relii avac d'autres documents 
 
 Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion 
 along interior margin/ 
 
 La re liure serrie peut cauaar de i'ombre ou de la 
 distorsion la long da la marga IntAriaura 
 
 Blank leaves added during restoration may 
 appear within the text. Whenever possible, these 
 have been omitted from filming/ 
 II se peut que certainea pages blanches ajouties 
 lore d'une restauration apparaissent dana le texte. 
 mais. lorsque cela itait possible, ces pagaa n'ont 
 paa it* filmAaa. 
 
 Additional comments:/ 
 Commentaires supplimentaires; 
 
 L'Institut a microfilm* le meilieur exempiaire 
 qu'il lui e itt possible de se procurer. Les details 
 de cet exempiaire qui sont peut-Atre uniques du 
 point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier 
 une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent exiger une 
 modification dans la mithoda normale de filmage 
 sont indiqute ci-dessous. 
 
 r~~| Coloured pages/ 
 
 D 
 
 Pagaa de couleur 
 
 Pages damaged/ 
 Pages endommegies 
 
 Pages restored and/or laminated/ 
 Pagaa rastaurias et/ou pelliculies 
 
 Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/ 
 Pages dicoior^s, tachaties ou piquies 
 
 Pagaa detached/ 
 Pages ditachies 
 
 Showthrough/ 
 Transparence 
 
 Quality of print varies/ 
 Qualiti inigala de ('impression 
 
 Includes supplementary material/ 
 Comprend du matAriei supplimentaire 
 
 Only edition available/ 
 Seule idition disponible 
 
 Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata 
 slips, tissues, etc.. have been ref limed to 
 ensure the best possible image/ 
 Les pages totalement ou patiellement 
 obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure. 
 etc., ont iti filmies d nouveau de facon i 
 obtenir la meilleure image possible. 
 
 Th 
 po 
 of 
 fill 
 
 Or 
 bo 
 th( 
 slo 
 oti 
 fin 
 slo 
 or 
 
 Th( 
 shi 
 Tl^ 
 wh 
 
 Ma 
 difl 
 onti 
 bofl 
 rigl 
 raq 
 mv 
 
 This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/ 
 
 Ce document est filmi au taux de reduction indiquA ci-dessous. 
 
 10X 
 
 
 
 
 14X 
 
 
 
 
 18X 
 
 
 
 
 22X 
 
 
 
 
 mi 
 
 
 
 
 30X 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 y 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Wi 
 
 16X 
 
 20X 
 
 24X 
 
 28X 
 
 32X 
 
lira 
 
 details 
 jas du 
 modifier 
 jar una 
 filmaga 
 
 The copy filmed h«r« hat b««n r«produo«cl thanks 
 to th« gonorotity of: 
 
 Library, 
 
 Qaological Survay of Canada 
 
 Tha imagat appearing hara ara tha bast quality 
 possible conaldaring the condition and legibility 
 of the original copy and in keeping with the 
 filming contract specifications. 
 
 Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed 
 beginning with the front cover and ending on 
 the last page with a printed or illustrsted Impres- 
 sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All 
 other original copies are filmed beginning on the 
 first page with a printed or illustrated impres- 
 sion, and ending on the last page with a printed 
 or illustrated impression. 
 
 kas 
 
 L'exemplaira fllmi f ut reproduit griee i la 
 gAn4rosit4 da: 
 
 Biblioth4qiia, 
 
 CoHMnisiion G4oiogk|ua du Canada 
 
 Las images suivantea ont AtA reprodultes avac la 
 piua grand soin, compta tenu de la condition at 
 de la nattetA de l'exemplaira film*, at an 
 conformity avac las conditions du contrat da 
 filmaga. 
 
 Las exemplairas originaux dont la couverture en 
 papier est imprim^e sont fiimis en commenpant 
 par la premier plat at en terminant solt par la 
 darnlAre page qui comporte une emprelnte 
 d'impression ou d'iliustration, soit par la second 
 plat, aaion ie cas. Tous lea autras axemplairaa 
 originaux sont filmte en commen9ant par la 
 premlire page qui comporte une irmpreinte 
 d'impression ou d'iliustration at en terminant par 
 la darnlAre page qui comporte une telle 
 emprelnte. 
 
 The last recorded frame on each microfiche 
 shall contain the symbol -^ (meaning "CON- 
 TINUED"), or tha symbol y (meaning "END"}, 
 whichever applies. 
 
 Un des symboles sulvants apparattra sur la 
 darnlAre image de cheque microfiche, selon ie 
 cas: la symbols — ► algnlfla "A SUIVRE", ie 
 symbols ▼ signifie "FIN". 
 
 IMaps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at 
 different reduction ratios. Those too large to be 
 entirely included In one exposure ere filmed 
 beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to 
 right and top to bottom, as many frames as 
 required. The following diagrams illustrate the 
 method: 
 
 Les cartas, planches, tableeux, etc., peuvent §tre 
 fiimAs h des taux de reduction dS;f Arents. 
 Lorsque ie document est trop grand pour Atra 
 reproduit en un seul clichA, 11 est film* A partir 
 de i'angle supirieur gauche, de gauche A drolte, 
 et de haut en bas, en prenant la nombre 
 d'imagas nAcessaira. Las diagrammea suivants 
 illustrent la mAthode. 
 
 errata 
 H to 
 
 i pelure, 
 on A 
 
 32X 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 
 3 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
n 
 
 McNo 
 
 « 1 
 
 -«^.^mi oiiDYEY OF CANADA. 
 
 JWYN, Director. 
 
 '" n?A^/^/?J J*L^«ARY. BUREAU OF 
 
 GEOLOGY AND TOPOGRAPHY , 
 
 Victoria Mamorlal Muiaum Bldg. Ottawa i 
 
 ^*« -- .,... 0M>^ 
 
 AL aa a>oa-SM-7-4e 
 
 ON THE 
 
 GODERICH SALT REGIOJf; 
 
 - BV 
 
 T. STERRY HUNT, LL.D., F.R.S., 
 
 jTffmmjO ilpTtI MINKRAtoniaT. 
 
 Lddrksskd to 
 
 SIR WILMIAM E. TiO»AlSrj F.R.S., 
 
 LATWIUGCTOR OP THB QKOLOUICAL SUKVKV. 
 
 From the General Report of the Geological Suroey of the Dominion of Cann la for 1807-09. 
 
 MONTREAL : 
 
 DAWSON BROS, 
 
 1870. 
 
 y. 
 
 11 
 
GO 
 
 T. 
 
 From the G 
 
« 
 
 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
 
 ALFRED R. C. SELWYN, Director. 
 
 REPORT 
 
 ON THE 
 
 GODERICH SALT KEGIOK; 
 
 BT 
 
 T. STERRY HUNT, LL.D., F.R.S., 
 
 OBKHIST AND MINKBALOOIBT. 
 
 ADDRESSED TO 
 
 SIR AVILLIAM E. T.OGAN, F.R.S., 
 
 LATB DIBKOTOB OV THE QEOLOOICAL SUBVET. 
 
 IVom the General Report of the Geological Survey of the Dominion of Canada for 1867-69. 
 
 MONTREAL : 
 
 DAWSON BROS. 
 
 1870. 
 
 I . f f * 
 
 
PBnrrxD bt jobm lotsll, homtbeau 
 
 t • • •• • 
 
 In the 
 will be 
 recently 
 near the 
 it was tb 
 mation s 
 lower 20 
 sum, an 
 was said 
 blue cla^ 
 
 •• • • • 
 
REPORT 
 
 OK THB 
 
 GODERICH SALT REGION, 
 
 BT 
 
 T. STERRY HUNT, LL.D., F.R.S., 
 
 CHEMIST AND MINERALOGIST, 
 
 ADDBE8SED TO 
 
 SIR WILLIAM E. LOGAN, F.R.S., F.G.S., 
 
 i^iKECTOR OF THE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 
 
 Montreal, May 1, 1869. 
 
 In tho Report which I had the honor to submit to you in 1866, there 
 will be found, on pages 263-272, an account of the salt deposit then 
 recently discovered by boring, at a depth of 1,000 feet from the surface, 
 near the town of Goderich, in Ontario. As regards its geological position, 
 it was there shewn from the results of the boring that the Onondaga for- 
 mation attains in that region a thickness of about 1,000 feet, of which the 
 lower 200 feet consist of reddish and bluish shales, including beds of gyp- 
 sum, and near the base a layer of rock salt, which in the Goderich well 
 was said to have a thickness of about forty feet, including some layers of 
 blue clay. From this depth there was obtained, by pumping, a saturated 
 
GEOLOaiCAL SURVEY OP CANADA. 
 
 brine, my analysis of which was given. Attention was in this Report 
 called both to the strength and the remarkable purity of the brine, and 
 comparative results were given to show its great superiority over the brines 
 of Saginaw in Michigan, and of Syracuse in New York. A table show- 
 ing the strengths of brines of different specific gravities, and the number of 
 gallons required for a bushel of salt, was also given in this connection. It 
 is deemed advisable, however, to give with the present Report a more 
 extended table of the same kind, which is reprinted from Professor Alex. 
 Winchell's Report on the Geology of Michigan, published in 18G1. 
 
 Since the publication of my Report, the well then described, which 
 belongs to the Goderich Company, has been constantly pumped, and large 
 quantities of salt have been manufactured from the brine. Encouraged by 
 the success of this well, several other borings have been sunk in the imme- 
 diate viciiiity, and are yielding brines like the first one The record of 
 all these wells is essentially the same as that of the first. The presence of 
 a stratum of rock-salt has been established by the grains of salt brought up 
 by the sand-pump from the borings. In the course of 18G7 Mr. Ransford 
 
 Clinton. sunk a well at Clinton, thirteen miles to the south-east of Goderich, on the 
 
 line of the Buffalo and Lake Huron railway, and was rewarded by the 
 discovery of the salt-bearing stratum, offering, it is said, a thickness of 
 sixteen feet of rock-salt. The depth of this well is 1180 i'eev, and the 
 greater thickness of rock overlying the salt at Clinton is due to the south- 
 eastward dip of the strata ; from which it results that the summit of the 
 Onondaga formation, which appears at the surface at Goderich, is at 
 Clinton covered by about 200 feet of the Comiferous limestone. This 
 overlying formation occupies, to the north of Goderich, a broad triangular 
 area extending north-eastward nearly forty miles, and bounded to the north- 
 east and north-west by the out-crop of the underlying Onondaga formation. 
 
 KincMdine. Upon this latter, at Kincardine, thirty miles north-east of Goderich, 
 
 another well was sunk last year, and showed the existence of the salt-bearing 
 stratum at a depth of about 900 feet. The record of the boring furnished 
 me was as follows : — 
 
 Ft. In. 
 
 Sand and gravel... 91 6 
 
 Limestone and hard strata 508 6 
 
 Red shale 23 
 
 Blue shale trith a red band * 117 
 
 Limestone 30 
 
 Blue and red shale, partly very soft 125 4 
 
 Rock salt 13 8 
 
 909 
 
 I 
 
 Uy cor 
 Goderich, 
 of the lim( 
 attains at 
 ncludcd 
 perhaps b 
 boring at ' 
 tion at Gc 
 removed I 
 of the One 
 the same 
 removed 
 appear, 
 may diffei 
 of Cornif 
 feet, aecoi 
 than at G< 
 to detcrmi 
 extracted 
 
 The bas 
 of the Sai 
 last year 
 furnished 
 which 35< 
 August 2' 
 limestones 
 boring wa 
 Another v 
 ampton, o 
 depth of S 
 tion may 
 Waterloo, 
 same geol 
 
 •The accc 
 Gravel 
 Hard-pi 
 Blue cl 
 Coarse 
 Hard-] 
 Soft 
 Blue 
 Hard 
 
 .pi 
 
 : me 
 
 ell 
 
 •P 
 
I this Report 
 10 brine, and 
 irer the brines 
 L table show- 
 he number of 
 nncction. It 
 sport a more 
 ofessor Alex. 
 18G1. 
 
 ribed, which 
 sd, and large 
 icouraged by 
 in the imme- 
 10 record of 
 lO presence of 
 It brought up 
 ^r. Ransford 
 Icrich, on the 
 ardcd by the 
 thickness of 
 eev, a.i>d the 
 to the south- 
 iimmit of the 
 ierich, is at 
 stone. This 
 id triangular 
 to the north- 
 ga formation, 
 if Goderich, 
 3 salt-bearing 
 ng furnished 
 
 I 
 
 REPORT OP DR. T. STERRY HUNT. 5 
 
 Dy comparing the abbve result with that obtained in the first well at 
 Goderich, it will be seen that while the amount of shaly strata from the base 
 of the limestone to the bottom of the salt was only 205 feet at Goderich, it 
 attains at Kincardine a thickness of 809 feet ; in which, however, are 
 ncludcd thirty feet of a rock described as limestone, but which may 
 perhaps bo gypsum, masses of which wore encountered in the shales in 
 boring at Goderich. Of the 775 feet of limestone belonging to the forma- 
 tion at Goderich only 508i remain at Kincardine, the upper portion being 
 removed by erosion. It is not, however, certain that the original thickness 
 of the Onondaga, or Salina formation as it is sometimes called, was precisely 
 the same here as at Goderich, and thus the amount which has been 
 removed by erosion may be somewhat gieater or less than would at first 
 appear. In like mann«r, the thickness of the same formation at Clinton 
 may differ somewhat from that at Goderich, so that the overlying portion 
 of Corniferous limestone at that place may be greater or less than 200 
 feet, according as the volume of the Salina formation is less or greater 
 than at Goderich. Careful examinations of future borings Avould enable us 
 to determine these important points, and for this end samples of the material 
 extracted at intervals of fifteen or twenty feet, should be carefully preserved. 
 
 The base of the Onondagf. formation comes to the surface at the mouth 
 of the Saugeen river. Here, at Southampton, an ill-advised attempt was Southampton, 
 last year made in search of salt by boring. According to the record 
 furnished me, the solid rock was only reached at a depth of 230 feet,* after 
 which 350 feet of white and gray limestone had been penetrated up to 
 August 22- 1808. The subsequent record is incoiuplete, but beneath the 
 limestones were encountered several hundred feet of red shales, and the 
 boring was finally abandoned at a depth of 1,251 feet from the surface. 
 Another well also was sunk last year at Port Elgin, five miles below South- Port Elgin, 
 ampton, on the coast, and the boring in November last, had attained a 
 depth of 890 feet, and was still going on in the red shales. In this connec- 
 tion may be noticed a well which was sunk in 1867, at the village of 
 Waterloo, about eighty miles to the south-east of Port Elgin, but in the Waterloo, 
 same geological position, that is to say near the base of the Onondaga 
 
 *Tbe account of this portion of the boring is as follows:— 
 
 Gravel and sand, with trunks of trees at the base 23) 
 
 Hard-pan and boulders 36 
 
 Blue clay 5 
 
 Coarse sand and gravel 16 
 
 Hard-pan and boulders • 4) 
 
 Soft marly beds 50 
 
 Blue clay with boulders 6? 
 
 Hard-pan and boulders, with gravel 28 
 
 Feet. 
 
 230 
 
Bitter wfttcn. 
 
 Onondaga and 
 lower rocks. 
 
 Mistakes in 
 boring. 
 
 t OBOLOOIOAL BURVBT OF CANADA. 
 
 formation, and was abandonod at the depth of 1,120 feet. The record of 
 the boring was as follows : — 
 
 Superficial olaji and grareli* 130 Feet. 
 
 Limeitone 40 \ 
 
 Oypium 17 > 77 
 
 Shale 20 ' 
 
 Limestone, gray and white 340 
 
 Blue ahale 114 
 
 Red tbale , 450 
 
 1120 
 
 At this depth the well was abandoned ; bitter saline waters were met with 
 at depths of 800 and 900 feet, and were probably similar to the bitter 
 water found at St. Catherines at the same geological horizon. In tho 
 Report for 1866, on pages 271, 272, the waters of this class are noticed, 
 and their unfitness for the manufacture of salt pointed out. Tho 77 feet 
 of limestone, gypsum and shale in the Waterloo section belong to the base 
 of the Onondaga, or salt-bearing series, beneath which no valuable brines 
 have yet been found. The 840 feet of limestone underlying the shale, 
 represent the Guelph, Niagara and Clinton formations, and the red and blue 
 shales beneath these belong to the Medina formation. By reforrhig to the 
 account of a boring at Barton, near Hamilton, it will bo seen that these 
 shales have there a total thickness of about 600 feet. (Report for 1866, 
 page 251). 
 
 It will be noticed that the Onondaga formation, as shewn in the borings 
 of Goderich and its vicinity, consists of several hundred feet of limestone, 
 chiefly magnesian, underlaid by two or three hundred feet of red and blue 
 shales, which carry rock-salt at their base. These are succeeded, in 
 descending order, by the magnesian limestones of the Guelph, Niagara and 
 Clinton formations, which rest upon the red shales of the Medina, as seen 
 in the Southampton and Waterloo borings. We have the following succes- 
 sion in going downwards : 
 
 1. Limestones of the Onondaga or Salina formation. 
 
 2. Red and blue shales of the same. 
 
 3. Limestones of the Ouelph and Niagara formations. 
 
 4. Red and blue shales of the Medina formation. 
 
 On account of the resemblances in color between the upper and lower 
 couples of the above series mistakes may easily occur, as at Southampton, 
 where the strata of 3 and 4 were supposed to be those of 1 and 2. Such 
 errors, which have caused the expenditure of considerable sums of money at 
 Southampton, Port Elgin and Waterloo, would be avoided by a careful 
 
 * For a notice of the superficial deposits of this region, see the Geology of Canada, page 
 897. 
 
 i 
 
 atudy of th 
 as describt 
 limits of tl 
 Mr. Alex, 
 various ex] 
 few years. 
 As rcga 
 sideration, 
 Report for 
 " With 
 borings in 
 sit of aalt t 
 its area m( 
 inland, or 
 ment. It 
 in basins, 
 time ; and 
 deposits a 
 which, in i 
 of salt ; a { 
 salt-bearin 
 it would h 
 the Onond 
 St. Mary's 
 farther bo 
 6unk, may 
 In confi 
 to the exis 
 cardine, tl 
 miles apai 
 the cast o 
 region bet 
 and may 
 ascertaine 
 The su( 
 have seen 
 horizon, 
 reaching i 
 For the u 
 some of tl 
 of which 
 seen that 
 
REPORT OF DR. T. BTERRY HUNT. 
 
 [Iherooord of 
 
 .. 130 F««t. 
 
 > 77 
 
 .. 340 
 .. 114 
 . . 459 
 
 1120 
 
 were met with 
 to the bitter 
 zon. In the 
 s are noticed, 
 The 77 feet 
 ng to the base 
 aluable brines 
 ing the shale, 
 le red and blue 
 eferrhig to the 
 )en that these 
 port for 1866, 
 
 in the borings 
 t of limestone, 
 ' red and blue 
 succeeded, in 
 , Niagara and 
 edina, as seen 
 lowing succes- 
 
 basin. 
 
 )er and lower 
 Southampton, 
 and 2. Such 
 ns of money at 
 by a careful 
 
 of Canada, page 
 
 study of the distribution of the various geological formations of this region, 
 AS described in the Geology of Canada. The accuracy with which the 
 limits of the various formations throughout this region were traced out by 
 Mr. Alex. Murray, has received repeated confirmation in the course of the 
 various explorations for oil and salt which have been made within the past 
 few years. 
 
 As regards the possible extent of the salt-bearing area now under con- Extent of lait 
 sideration, I take the liberty of quoting the following passage from my 
 Report for 1866, page 271 :— 
 
 " With regard to the probabilities of obtaining salt wells by other 
 borings in this region, it is to be remarked that the thickness of the depo- 
 sit of salt traversed in the Goderich well may warrant us in expecting that 
 its area may be considerable ; though whether its greatest extent will be 
 inland, or beneath the waters of the lake, can only be known by experi- 
 I ment. It has already been explained that salt deposits have been formed 
 in basins, whose limits were determined by the geographical surface at the 
 time ; and it is worthy of remark that both here and in New York the salt 
 deposits are connected with a thickening of the Onondaga formation, 
 which, in its thinner intermediate portion, is apparently almost destitute 
 of salt ; a fact suggesting former geographical depressions, in which the two 
 salt-bearing portions of the formation may have been deposited. Although 
 it would be unsafe to predict that this development of salt at the base of 
 the Onondaga formation is so widely extended, its thickness at Tilsonburg, 
 ^ St. Mary's, London and Enniskillen, is such that it seems probable that 
 farther borings in these localities, where deep wells have already been 
 sunk, may reach saliferous strata capable of yielding valuable brines." 
 
 In confirmation of the first portion of the above extract, we can now point 
 to the existence of salt at Clinton, thirteen miles to the S. E.,and at Kin- 
 cardine, thirty miles N. N. E. of Goderich. These two stations are forty 
 miles apart, and a line connecting them would pass about seven miles to 
 the east of Goderich. It is, therefore, extremely probable that the whole 
 region between Clinton and Kincardine will be found underlaid by salt, 
 and may belong to a single basin, whose extent yet remains to be 
 ascertained. 
 
 Tlie success of the borings at Goderich and in its vicinity has, as we 
 have seen, led to the sinking of wells for brine below the salt-bearing 
 horizon. At the same time, other trials have been made in the hope of 
 reaching it, by boring through rocks overlying those of the Goderich region. 
 I For the information of inquirers, it may therefore be well to recall briefly 
 I some of the facta with regard to the nature and thickness of these rocks, 
 of which the details are given in my Report for 1866. It will there be 
 seen that the most recent rocky strata in south-western Ontario are the 
 
8 
 
 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OP CANADA. 
 
 HaiDilton for- 
 mation. 
 
 Portage forma- greenish sandstones of the Portage formation. These pass downwards 
 into hard black slates (the so-called Genessee slates) which, in their turn, 
 rest upon the soft gray strata of the Hamilton formation. This series of 
 sandstones and hard shales, which appears at the surface atKettle Point in 
 Bosanquet, and also in Warwick, is generally concealed by the clays of the 
 region ; but from the records of numerous borings, chiefly made in search 
 of petroleum, we have been enabled to determine its thickness in many 
 places. Thus, in a boring at Corunna, on the St. Clair river, near Sarnia, 
 it measures 213 feet ; in two borings in Camden, 146 and 200 ; in 
 Sombra, 100 ; in Alvinstone, eighty feet ; in Warwick, and near Wyoming 
 station, about fifty ; a little north of Bothwell, about eighty ; and further 
 south, towards the shore of Lake Eric, about sixty feet in thickness. It 
 wi". be understood that this varying thickness is due to the erosion 
 along the anticlinals, before the deposition of the clays, so that in many 
 parts of the region only the lower portions of the black slates remain, while 
 in other places they are entirely wanting. 
 
 The hard strata just described are conformably underlaid by those of 
 the Hamilton formation, which m some parts of New York attains a thick- 
 ness of 1,000 feet, but is reduced to 200 feet in the western part of the 
 state. !;• consists, in Ontario, chiefly of soft gray marls, called soapstone 
 by the well-borers, but includes at its base a few feet of black beds, 
 probably representing the Marcellus shale. It contains, moreover, in some 
 parts, beds of from two to five feet of solid gray limestone, holding silicified 
 fossils, and in one instance impregnated with petroleum ; characters which, 
 but for the nature of the organic remains, and for the associated marls, 
 would lead to the conclusion that the underlying Corniferous limestone had 
 been reached. The thickness of the Hamilton formation varies in different 
 parts of the region under consideration. From the record of numerous 
 wells in the south-western portion it appears that the entire thickness of 
 soft strata between the Corniferous limestone below and the black shale 
 above, varies from 275 to 230 feet, while along the shore of Lake Erie it 
 is not more than 200 feet. Further north, in Bosanquet, beneath the black 
 shale, 350 feet of gray shale were traversed in boring, without reaching 
 the hard rock beneath ; while in the adjacent township of Warwick, in a 
 similar boring, the underlying limestone was reached 396 feet from the 
 base of the black shales. It thus appears that the Hamilton shale (including 
 the insignificant representative of the Marcellus shale at its base) augments 
 in volume from 200 feet on Lake Erie to about 400 feet near to Lake 
 Huron. 
 
 The Hamilton formation, as just defined, rests directly upon the solid 
 non-magnesian limestones of the Corniferous formation. The thickness of 
 this formation in western New York is about ninety feet, and in south- 
 
 Comifprons 
 formation. 
 
 eastern Mi 
 
 in going no 
 
 of Woodhov 
 
 I but for a gi 
 
 ;} it is so muc 
 
 ;? we may cor 
 
 I locality not 
 
 I sunk throu^ 
 
 the separat 
 
 part of the 
 
 nating with 
 
 The salifcro 
 
 part of the 
 
 borers, and 
 
 Ontario. 
 
 At Tilsoi 
 stone direct 
 about two r 
 ^shales, prob 
 boring at Ti 
 |to a depth 
 jorings from 
 )elow that c 
 (fhich occur 
 this boring, 
 Id was inforn 
 furnished, b 
 i)ut I was 1 
 Abandoned, 
 the proximit 
 . In a borii 
 ^as marked 
 jyroschist, ( 
 Ihrough bef 
 |he depth of 
 ind from an 
 Ihow that pi 
 if 400 feet 
 i^om the top 
 H At St. Ml 
 Ipnestone ai 
 ^hile in anc 
 
REPORT OP DR. T. STERRY HUNT. 
 
 ass downwards 
 , in their turn, 
 
 This series of 
 Kettle Point in 
 ;he clays of the 
 made in search 
 jkness in many 
 r, near Sarnia, 
 
 and 200; in 
 near Wyoming 
 ' ; and further 
 thickness. It 
 the erosion 
 
 that 
 
 m many 
 
 remain, while 
 
 id by those of 
 ittains a thick- 
 rn part of the 
 died soapstone 
 of black beds, 
 cover, in some 
 olding silicified 
 iracters which, 
 sociated marls, 
 1 limestone had 
 ■ies in different 
 d of numerous 
 re thickness of 
 he black shale 
 f Lake Erie it 
 eath the black 
 ihout reaching 
 Warwick, in a 
 feet from the 
 ale (including 
 lase) augments 
 near to Lake 
 
 upon the solid 
 
 le thickness of 
 
 and in south- 
 
 eastern Michigan is said to be not more than sixty, although it increases 
 I in going northnard, and attains 275 feet at Mackinac. In the townships 
 I of Woodhouse and Townsend its thickness has been found to be 160 feet ; 
 I but for a great portion of the region in Ontario underlaid by this formation, 
 ;| it is so much concealed that it is not easy to determine its thickness. If 
 I we may conclude from the boring at Clinton, it would seem to be in that 
 i locality not far from 200 feet. In the numerous borings which have been 
 I sunk through this limestone, there is met with nothi' ,3 distinctive to mark 
 I the separation between it and the limestone beds which form the upper 
 part of the Onondaga or Salina formation, and consist of dolomite, alter- 
 nating with beds of a pure limestone like that of the Corniferous formation. 
 The salifcrous and gypsiferous soft magnesian marls, which form the lower 
 part of the Onondaga formation are, however, at once recognized by the 
 borers, and lead to imj?ortant conclusions regarding this formation in 
 I Ontario. 
 
 i At Tilsonburg, a boring showed the existence of the Corniferous lime- Tjisonburg. 
 I stone directly beneath about forty feet of clay, while in another boring, 
 I about two miles to the south-west, it was overlaid by a few feet of soft 
 ishales, probably marking the base of the Hamilton) formation. The lirst 
 iboring at Tilsonburgh, as mentioned in the report for 1866, was carried 
 |to a depth of 854 feet in the soHd rock. Numerous specimens of the 
 |borings from the first 196 feet, were of pure non-magnesian limestones, but 
 |below that depth similar limestonv^j alternated with dolomite. The marls 
 |which occur at the base of the Onondaga formation were not met with in 
 Ithis boring, though the water from 854 feet was said to be strongly saline. 
 M. was informed by the proprietors, Messrs. Hebbard & Avery, that the well 
 Ifurnished, by pumping, a brine marking from 35° to 60° of the salometer, 
 l)ut I was not able to get any of the water, and the well was soon after 
 |ftbandoned, although the presence of so strong a brine would seem to show 
 Ihe proximity of a saliferous stratum. 
 
 ^ In a boring at London, where the presence of the base of the Hamilton London, 
 vas marked by about twenty feet of gray shales, including a band of black 
 jpyroschist, overlying the Corniferous, 600 feet of hard rock were passed 
 Ihrough before reaching soft magnesian marls, which were penetrated to 
 pie depth of seventy-five feet. Specimens of the borings from this well, 
 |nd from another near by, carried 300 feet from the top of the Corniferous, 
 Hiow that pure limestones are interstratified with the dolomites to a depth 
 if 400 feet. At Tilsonburg a pure limestone was met with at 524 feet 
 Hom the top. 
 
 H At St. Mary's, 700 feet, and at Oil Springs in Enniskillen, 595 feet of st. Marv's. 
 Ipnestone and dolomite were penetrated, without encountering shales ; 
 f^hile in another well, near the last, soft shaly strata were met with at 
 
 en. 
 
10 
 
 OEOLOOICAL SURVET OF CANADA. 
 
 Thickness of 
 Corniferoufl. 
 
 Thickness of 
 Onondaga. 
 
 Syracuse salt 
 region. . 
 
 about 600 feet from the top of the Corniferous limestone, there overlaid 
 by the Hamilton shales. It thus appears that the united thickness of the 
 Corniferous formation and the solid limestones and dolomites which com- 
 pose the upper part of the Onondaga formation, is about 600 feet in 
 London and Enniskillen, and farther eastward, in Tilsonburg and St. 
 Mary's, considerably greater ; exceeding by an unknown amount, in these 
 localities, 854 and 700 feet. 
 
 As the few observations which we as yet possess of the thickness of 
 the Corniferous limestone in this region, do not warrant us in assigning to it 
 a thickness of over 200 feet, it is evident that at London and in Enmskillen 
 the hard strata which form the upper portion of the Onondaga formation, 
 and have at Goderich a thickness of not less than 775 feet, are greatly 
 reduced in thickness, since the volume of the two united is only 600 feet. 
 To the south-eastward, however, the augmented thickness of the Onondaga 
 would appear, from the results of the borings at St. Mary's and Tilson- 
 burg, to be maintained. The thickness of this formation is, however, known 
 to be very variable ; while at the Niagara river it is reduced to 300 feet, 
 and is apparently destitute of salt, it augments to the eastward, in central 
 New York, where it again attains a volume of from 700 to 1000 feet, 
 being equal to that observed at Goderich, and becomes once more salt- 
 bearing. The increased thickness of the formation, in these two regions, 
 connected with accumulations of salt at its base, would seem to point to 
 ancient basins or geographical depressions in the surface of the under- 
 lying formation, in which were deposited these thicker portions. 
 
 Most of the details here given with regard to the thickness and character 
 of the rocks of this region are condensed from the observations collected 
 in my Report for 1866, pp. 241-250. They are embodied in a paper by 
 me entitled Notes on the Geology of South-western Ontario, and published 
 in the American Journal of Science for November, 1868 ; parts of which 
 have been reprinted, with some few changes, in the last three pages. 
 
 It is a curious fact that the numerous and productive salt wells of 
 Syracuse, New York, although occurring upon the outcrop of the Onon- 
 daga formation, do not penetrate into it, but are sunk in a deposit of 
 stratified sand and gravel, which fills Up a valley of erosion on the shores 
 of Onondaga Lake. The limits of this valley are nearly four miles from 
 north to south, by two miles from east to west. The shales belonging to 
 the base of the formation crop out to the northward, and are found in the 
 various borings beneath the ancient gravel deposit, which is itself covered 
 by thirty or forty feet of a more recent deposit of loam or sand. The bot- 
 tom of the basin is very irregular, the shales being met with at depths ot 
 from 90 to 180 feet in some parts, and at 382 feet in the middle of the 
 valley. According to Mr. Geddes, the greatest depth of this ancient basin 
 
 V 
 
REPORT OF DR. T. STERRT HUNT. 
 
 u 
 
 V 
 
 is not less than 414 feet below the surface-level of Onondaga Lake, and 50 
 feet below the sea level. — (Trans. N. Y. State Agricultural Society) 
 1859.) 
 
 Beds of the ancient gravel are occasionally found converted into a hard 
 concrete, the cementing material of which, in some cases at least, is crys- 
 talline laminated gypsum. The wells are bored in this gravel to various 
 depths up to 350 feet ; brine is met with at about 100 feet, but the brines 
 of the deeper wells are strongor, and less liable to variations in quality 
 with the season of the year. 
 
 Thej|report of the superintendent of,the Onondaga salt springs, for 1868, sait wcus, 
 contains some interesting details of wells sunk in this region during the 
 preceding year. One of these, at a distance of two or three hundred 
 yards from the wells which supply with brine the Liverpool district, was 
 found to be outside of the gravel basin, the green shales of the Onondaga 
 formation having been encountered at a depth of 82 feet, beneath which 
 the strata, to a depth of 715 feet from the surface, consisted of green, red 
 and gray shales, with a few beds of bituminous limestone, and a little 
 gypsum, green shales forming the base. Fresh water was met with at 
 116 feet, and salt water first appeared at 164 feet. Analysis of the 
 saline waters, from 291 and 540 feet, are given by Dr. Goessmann. That 
 from the latter depth contained in 100 parts, chlorid of sodium, 4.5478 ; 
 chlorid of calcium, 5.8658 ; chlorid of magnesium, 2.0237 ; sulphate of 
 lime, 0.1070 = 12.5433. The water from the higher level contained 
 nearly the same proportions of elements, but was less strong. The water 
 from a well 148 feet deep in the shales, four miles farther west, was very 
 similar in composition to that of which the analysis has just been given, 
 and the same is true of two wells sunk in 1867 at Canastota, about twenty 
 miles to the eastward of Syracuse. 
 
 In one of these, after penetrating through about 300 feet of red and canastota. 
 blue clays, a cemented gravel was met with, followed by loose gravel and 
 sand to a depth of not less than 648 feet, where a hard rock was encoun- 
 tered, and the boring discontinued. The water from these wells was a 
 strong but bitter brine containing in 100 parts, sulphate of lime, 0.0058 ; 
 chlorid of calcium, 4.8200; chlorid of magnesium, 0.9281; chlorid of 
 sodium, 15.2288, and carbonate of iron 0.0150. For this analysis and 
 description of the well I am indebted to Dr. C . A. Goessmann. Here, 
 then, as at Syracuse, the brine occurs in a deep excavation in the Onon- 
 daga formation. The shales of this region, as long since pointed out by 
 Eaton, show, in many parts, peculiar hopper-shaped markings, which are 
 recognized as the casts of crystals of chlorid of sodium, and hence it was 
 conjectured that the source of the brines was to be found in these strata ; b^"^** 
 although it was not impossible that they might be derived from more 
 
^ 
 
 GEOLOaiCAL SURVEY OP CANADA. 
 
 Fort Austin, 
 Uiobigan. 
 
 Gocssman's 
 researches. 
 
 recent deposits of rock-salt occupying the remarkable gravel-filled basins 
 Avhich are shown to exist at Syracuse and Canastota. The discovery, in 
 Ontario, of rock-salt in solid masses interstratified with the base of the 
 Onondaga formation, leaves, however, but little doubt of the correctness 
 of the views long maintained by the New York geologists, that the source 
 of the brine is to be found in this formation. Borings like those of Goderich 
 will probably one day show the existence in the vicinity of Syracuse of 
 similar beds of rock-salt, which now yield to the action of infiltrating waters 
 tho brines that accumulate in the gravel beds occupying the reservoirs just 
 described. These also receive the bitter waters which are derived from 
 the shales of the same formation, and contaminate the brines of Syracuse ; 
 although they do not mingle to any injurious extent with the water from 
 the borings of Goderich and its vicinity. 
 
 In this connection it may be mentioned that brine has been obtained at 
 Port Austin, Hui\>n County, Michigan, on the opposite side of the lake 
 and a little north of west from Goderich. The surface rock of this region 
 is a sandstone of the Chemung formation, beneath which, at a depth of 
 1198 feet from the surface, there was extracted a brine of which a specimen 
 furnished to Dr. Goessmann marked 88'^ of the salometer, and gave for 
 100 parts, chlorid of sodium, 17.6161 ; chlorid of calcium, 3.1274 ; 
 chlorid of magnesium, 1.5675, and sulphate of lime 0.0129 = 22.3239. The 
 thicknesses of the different formations across this western region, from New 
 York to Michigan, are well known to be very variable, and it is impossible, 
 with our present data, to say at what depth the Onondaga formation should 
 be found at Port Austin ; but the occurrence there of a brine at 1198 feet 
 would indicate either a considerable diminution in the volume of the strata 
 between the base of the Onondaga and the Chemung, or the existence of 
 a saliferous horizon in the Devonian strata, and consequently intermediate 
 between the Onondaga formation and the Michigan salt group, which is 
 situated at the base of the Carboniferous limestone in that State. In the 
 vicinity of Lake Huron, in Ontario, the Onondaga has a thickness of 1,000 
 feet, the Corniferous probably about 200, the Hamilton very nearly 400, 
 while the Portage group is represented, both near Sarnia and in the 
 adjoining state of Michigan, by more than 200 feet, making thus 1800 feet 
 from the base of the Onondaga to the summit of the Portage formation. 
 (Report for 1866, p. 241-260.) The above facts with regard to salt in 
 Michigan and New York, are wortliy of being put on record, as they may 
 be found to have, in more ways than one, an important bearing on our own 
 salt deposits. Some are private communications of C. A. Goessmann, Ph. 
 D., now professor of chemistry at Amherst, Mass., but for several years 
 chemist to the Onondaga Salt Company. His published papers on the 
 Onondaga brines in the American Journal of Science for 1866, [2] XLii., 
 
REPORT OF DR. T. STBRRY HUNT. 
 
 13 
 
 led basins 
 covery, in 
 ase of the 
 correctness 
 the source 
 fGoderich 
 yracuse of 
 ting waters 
 ervoirsjust 
 rived from 
 Syracuse ; 
 water from 
 
 obtained at 
 of the lake 
 this region 
 a depth of 
 a specimen 
 id gave for 
 I, 3.1274; 
 3239. The 
 I, from New 
 impossible, 
 ition should 
 t 1198 feet 
 )f the strata 
 ixistence of 
 itermediate 
 p, which is 
 te. In the 
 33S of 1,000 
 aearly 400, 
 and in the 
 3 1800 feet 
 formation, 
 d to salt in 
 i they may 
 on our own 
 3mann, Ph. 
 veral years 
 ers on the 
 [2] XLII., 
 
 211, S:!"' have also been consulted, and various pamphlets and reports by 
 him win be frequently cited in the course of this Report. I take this occa- 
 sion to express my deep sense of the value of his important contributions to 
 the chemistry of salt-making in New York, and of the courtesy with which 
 he has aided me in my inquiries into the salt manufacture at Syracuse. 
 Ho has also visited the Goderich region and submitted the brine to analysis. 
 
 ANALYSES OF THE BRINES OF OODERIOH AND ITS VICINITY. 
 
 In the Report for 1866, a first analysis was given of the brine extracted 
 from the well of the Goderich Company, the first one bored at Goderich, Goderieh Co.'s 
 and at that time not yet pumped in a continuous or regular manner. Since ^* " 
 that time the well has furnislied an uninterrupted supply of salt water, and 
 has yielded, for the greater part of the time, 100 bushels of salt daily. It 
 becomes therefore an interesting inquiry whether, during this period of more 
 than two years, the composition of the brine has undergone any change, 
 and to this end we may compare four analyses made from brines taken 
 at the dates given below, the analysis II. being by Dr. Goessmann, the 
 others by myself : — 
 
 I. August 19, 1866 ; cited from Report for 1866, page 269. 
 
 II. April 1867 ; from a Report by Dr. Goessmann. 
 
 III. February 1868 ; brine sent me by the proprietors of the well. 
 
 IV. November 5, 1868 ; brine collected by me at the well. 
 
 I- "• "I- IV- Analy.es. 
 
 C hlorid of sodium 259.000 241.433 undet. 236.410 
 
 " "calcium 432 .216 .182 .190 
 
 " " magnesium. .254 .336 .288 .410 
 
 Sulphate of lime 1.882 5.433 .5679 4.858 
 
 269.568 247.418 241.868 
 
 Specific gravity 1.205 1.195 1.192 1.187 
 
 Degrees of the salometer. lOO" 95° 94" 92o 
 
 The cause of these variations is to be found in the fact that the sources 
 of saline matters in these brines are three-fold : 1st. The solution of nearly 
 pure rock-salt ; 2nd. The solution of beds of gypsum or sulphate of lime 
 which lie in the shales above the salt ; and 3rd. The intermixture of bitter 
 waters, containing large proportions of chlorids of calcium and magnesium. 
 Such waters occur in the strata both above and below the salt deposit, and 
 become mingled with the fresh waters which flow in to supply the void caused 
 by pumping. The composition of these bitter waters is very variable ; in 
 some the chlorid of calcium and in others the chlorid of magnesium predomin- 
 ates. The waters of this class are noticed in connection with salt-making 
 
 Causes of TMla- 
 tion. 
 
u 
 
 OEOLOQIOAL SUKVET OF CANADA. 
 
 ; . 
 
 in the report just cited, page 271, and analyses are given on pages 272, 
 278 and 276. The analysis of a similar crater from Syracuse is given in the 
 present report on page 219. The quantity of bitter salts in the Goderich 
 brines, however, is insignificant when compared with those of most other salt- 
 producing regions. It is to be noticed that at the time of the first analysis, 
 the well was not regularly pumped, and that the brine, though saturated, con- 
 tained less gypsum and more chlorid of calcium than it has since yielded ; 
 while the chlorid of magnesium has somewhat increased in quantity. The 
 density of the brine b subject to some little variation, but is said in the 
 Goderich Company's well rarely to fall below 92", and after a repose of a 
 few hours to rise considerably above it. Of the other wells which have been 
 sunk at Goderich, four were being pumped at the time of my last visit, in 
 November, 1868, and from these I took specimens of brine. It was not 
 considered necessary to analyse these brines from adjacent wells of the 
 same depth, but their specific gravity at 62° F. was determined, and is here 
 gi ven, with the corresponding degree of the salometer : — 
 
 Goderich Company's 
 
 well. 
 
 density 
 
 1.187 
 
 equal 
 
 92» 
 
 salometer 
 
 Dominion well, 
 
 
 II 
 
 1.175 
 
 II 
 
 870 
 
 II 
 
 Huron well, 
 
 
 II 
 
 1.176 
 
 II 
 
 870 
 
 II 
 
 Ontario well, 
 
 
 II 
 
 1.160 
 
 II 
 
 81° 
 
 II 
 
 Victoria well, 
 
 
 II 
 
 1.160 
 
 II 
 
 810 
 
 II 
 
 The brines of Clinton and Kincardine shew a strength and purity com- 
 parable to those of Goderich. Of the following analyses, V is that of the 
 brine from the Clinton well, collected by me on the 6th November, 1868, 
 and VI is that from Kincardine, sent to me by the proprietor a few days 
 later, the well not having been in operation at the time of my visit to the 
 district : — 
 
 V. 
 
 Gblorid of sodium 204,070 
 
 " "calcium .470 
 
 " *< magnesium .184 
 
 Sulphate of lime 5.583 
 
 210.307 
 
 Specific gravity 1.157 
 
 Salometer SC 
 
 VI, 
 241,350 
 .840 
 .230 
 
 3.264 
 
 245.484 
 
 1.191 
 94«> 
 
 MANUFACTURE OF SALT AT GODERICH AND CLINTON. 
 
 Of the wells above mentioned, that of the Goderich Company has been 
 regularly worked since October, 1866, and the manufacture of salt was 
 commenced at the four others named above, the Dominion, Huron, Ontario, 
 and Victoria wells, during the summer months of 1868. In November 
 
ages 272, 
 ven in the 
 Goderich 
 other salt- 
 t analysis, 
 rated, con- 
 3 yielded ; 
 ;ity. The 
 tdd in the 
 epose of a 
 have been 
 st visit, in 
 It was not 
 alls of the 
 and is here 
 
 lometer. 
 (I 
 II 
 II 
 II 
 
 [urity corn- 
 that of the 
 ber, 1868, 
 few days 
 risit to the 
 
 VI. 
 241.350 
 .840 
 .230 
 3.264 
 
 245.484 
 
 1.191 
 94° 
 
 J has been 
 salt was 
 1, Ontario, 
 November 
 
 REPORT OP DR. T. STBRRT HUNT. 
 
 16 
 
 i 
 
 last, the boring of three others was nearly or quite completed. Two of 
 these, called the Prince and Maitland wells, are, like that of the Goderich GodeHeb. 
 Company, on the north side of the Maitland River, while a third, the 
 Tecumseh well, is on the south side, near the others mentioned above. 
 The number of kettles used, and the daily produce of the wells then in 8»itworiu. 
 operation was, in November, 1868, stated to be as follows : — 
 
 Goderich Co, 
 Dominion, 
 
 104 kettles. 
 60 «« 
 
 yielding 100 barrels o 
 « 66 " 
 
 Haron, 
 
 120 
 
 II 
 
 II 
 
 no " 
 
 Ontario, 
 
 60 
 
 II 
 
 II 
 
 66 " 
 
 Victoria, 
 
 60 
 
 II 
 
 II 
 
 65 " 
 
 
 404 kettles 
 
 II 
 
 375 barrels 
 
 wood. 
 
 The Goderich Company and Huron wells have two blocks of kettles 
 each, the others but one, the block of kettles consisting of two parallel rows 
 of from twenty-six to thirty cast-iron kettles each. The arrangement is 
 copied from the works of the Onondaga Company, at Syracuse, New York, 
 where the number of kettles in a block varies from fifty to sixty. The sait boiling, 
 capacity of the kettles used at Goderich varies from 120 to 140 gallons, 
 the larger ones being placed towardf) the front, and exposed to the greater 
 heat, from which, however, they are partially protected by arches con- 
 structed under the first nine or ten kettles. At Syracuse, iu some of 
 the blocks, the rear kettles have a capacity of not more than 100 gallons. 
 The cost of a block of sixty kettles at Goderich is said to be $1,500, to 
 which is to be added for the construction of the furnace, $1,600, making 
 a total of $3,100. 
 
 The fuel hitherto used at Goderich has been chiefly wood, which costs Fueij coai and 
 there $2.50 the cord. Bituminous coal, which has been tried there to a 
 small extent, is shipped from Cleveland, and delivered at Goderich, as I 
 was informed, for $3.80 the ton. The amount of salt to be obUdned by 
 the use of a cord of wood, at Goderich, was variously estimated by the 
 different salt-makers. The figures furnished me by Mr. Samuel Piatt, 
 which seem to be the result of careful observations at the Goderich Com- 
 pany's works, give a consumption of sixteen cords of hard-wood for one 
 hundred barrels, of five bushels each, of salt. Of this amount of wood one 
 and a-half cords are consumed for the engine employed in pumping the 
 brine, leaving fourteen and a half cords for the evaporation, which gives 
 about 34i bushels to the cord of wood. The estimates at two other wells, 
 given me by persons worthy of confidence, corresponded respectively to 
 85J and 36 bushels to the cord, and we may therefore, I think, assume 
 35 bushels of salt, of 56 pounds each, to be the average result for the 
 cord of hard-wood employed at Goderich. 
 
16 
 
 GEOLOGICAL SUKVEY OF CANADA. 
 
 Syrtouse and 
 
 Goderich 
 
 biines. 
 
 Incrustcd 
 boilers. 
 
 At Syracuse, where wood is also used to a considerable extent, the 
 yield of salt is from 37 to 38 bushels to the cord of wood, and the ton of 
 coal gives about the same amount, so that in round numbers the production 
 of a pound of salt there, requires the combustion of a pound of coal (37 X 
 56 = 2072 lbs.) The cost of coal delivered to the salt-makers at 
 Syracuse was, in 1868, ii*8.o0 American currency. The wood used there 
 by some of the manufacturers is cut from lands in the vicinity. From 
 these figures, which I received at Syracuse from what I consider 
 undoubted authority, it would seem that the salt-makers of Goderich will 
 not be gainers by the attempt to substitute imported coal for the wood of 
 their own neighborhood, since, while the cord of wood is equal in salt- 
 producing power to a ton of coal, its cost in round numbers, is, at present 
 prices, only two-thirds as much. 
 
 The brines of Syracuse mark from 59° to 65° of the salometer, while 
 those of Goderich, as seen above, give from 81° to 90° and even 95°. A 
 pure brine of 60° contains 15.6 per cent, of salt, and 38.9 gallons of it are 
 required to yield a bushel of salt ; while a brine of 90° holds 23.4 per 
 cent., and yields a bushel of salt for 24.5 gallons. Hence it appears that, 
 in round numbers, the Goderich brines contain about one-half more salt 
 than those of Syracuse, or are fifty per cent, richer. So that, as remarked 
 by Dr. Goessmann, we should expect fifty-two bushels as the yield at Gode- 
 rich for the cord of wood, being an increase of nearly 50 per cent, on 
 that now obtained. 
 
 This great discrepancy between what might be expected, and the results 
 actually obtained at Goderich, is easily explained, and is found in the fact 
 that the system of evaporation pursued at Syracuse, and adopted at 
 Goderich, is one not suited to the strong brines of the latter region. On 
 this point Dr. Goessmann remarks that the only diflSculty with which the 
 salt-makers of Goderich have now to contend " is the i-apid incrustation 
 of the kettles, a trouble due to the strong concentration of their brine, ig 
 connection with their peculiar system of manufacture." Under these 
 circumstances, the salt separates in considerable amount in very fine 
 grains, and a hard incrustation forms on the bottom and sides of the kettles, 
 which soon becomes several inches in thickness. This not only causes a 
 considerable waste of salt, since these crusts are not fit for market, but, 
 what is of much greater importance, prevents the economical application 
 of the fuel ; besides which, the necessity of a frequent removal of the crust 
 of salt generally keeps one of each row of kettles out of service. The 
 crust may be removed either by mechanical means, or by dissolving it out 
 with fresh water, a process which involves the loss of time, fuel and salt. 
 "With weaker brines, on tlie contrary, like those of Syracuse, the fresh 
 supplies of brine added to the emptied kettles suflSce to dissolve any exist- 
 
REPORT OP DR. T. 8TERRY HUNT. 
 
 IT 
 
 ixtent, the 
 the ton of 
 production 
 )al (37 X 
 nakcrs at 
 ased there 
 ;y. From 
 '. consider 
 derich will 
 le wood of 
 al in salt- 
 at present 
 
 iter, while 
 >n95°. A 
 as of it are 
 3 23.4 per 
 pears that, 
 more salt 
 i remarked 
 Id at Gode- 
 r cent, on 
 
 the results 
 in the fact 
 tdopted at 
 gion. On 
 which the 
 icrustation 
 
 brine, ig 
 ider these 
 very fine 
 le kettles, 
 y causes a 
 arket, but, 
 application 
 f the crust 
 
 e. The 
 ving it out 
 
 and salt. 
 
 the fresh 
 
 any exist- 
 
 ing crust, and the difficulties which cause such a serious loss at Goderich 
 are not felt. 
 
 Dr. Goessmann proceeds, in describing the manufacture at Goderich : — Goeiiminn'* 
 «' The salt is, after separation from the pickle, (mother-lirjuor) as migh* 
 have been expected from a brine like that of Goderich, of a superior 
 color, of a hard fine grain, resembling the best brands of home and foreign 
 manufacture, and this success is attained without any but the ordinary 
 care required for the manufacture of common fine salt. It will be noticed 
 that the sole objection which may bo raised against the Goderich brine, is 
 merely incidental, for the brine is too strong to bo worked to its full 
 advantage by the system of manufacture at present pursued. Evaporation by 
 more moderate heat, for instance, on the European plan of large pans, or 
 evaporation by solar heat in wooden vats, on the Onondaga plan, would, no 
 doubt, prove more successful. Each of these methods would produce, with 
 less trouble, not only a very good marketable article of its kind, but secure 
 what is most important, the full percentage of salt, which might be 
 expected, comparing its concentration with the brines of Onondaga, to 
 be a difference of 60 per cent." 
 
 The above extracts are from a printed Report by Dr. Goessmann, 
 dated January, 1868, on the salt resources of Goderich. Since that time 
 the system of evaporation in pans has been tried at Clinton, and the results ETaporation in 
 fully justify the recommendation by Dr. Goessmann. The Stapleton salt- ^*"*" 
 work here erected by Mr, Ransford, has two pans, each twenty- one feet 
 wide by forty feet long, and fifteen inches deep. Under the front pan three 
 wood fires are kept up ; the brine in this is maintained in rapid ebullition, cunton. 
 while the waste heat passes under the second pan, in which a slower eva- 
 poration goes on, producing a coarse flaky salt. The daily production of 
 these two pans was, I was informed, equal to fifty barrels of fine salt from 
 the front pan and twenty barrels of coarser salt from the rear one, equal 
 to seventy barrels, and the consumption of wood for this production was 
 seven cords, being at the rate of fifty bushels of salt for the cord of wood. 
 Although the brine was said to mark generally 85°, the specimen taken by 
 me, whose analysis is given on page 221, was not above 80° ; the result thus 
 shows most satisfactorily the greater economy of fuel to be attained by the 
 use of pans, and the utilization of the waste heat, as practised at Clinton. 
 The crust which forms on the first pan is removed once a week, and is • 
 found in that interval of time to be from one and a quarter to one and a 
 half inches in thickness. But very little crust is deposited in the rear pan, 
 except at the end nearest the fire. In Cheshire, in England, where 
 brines as concentrated as those of Goderich are evaporated, pans similar in 
 dimensions to those at Clinton are made use of ; while single pans, having 
 a breadth of twenty by a length of forty feet, and a depth of two feet, are 
 
18 OEOLOOICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
 
 also employed, in which the evaporation ia carried at temperatures as low 
 as 150° Fahrenheit, for the production of coarse salt. 
 
 natt't ayitcm. Mr. Samuel Flatt, under whose superintendence the first salt was made 
 at the Goderich Company's well, has patented an evaporating pan, to which 
 the heat is applied by the means of steam heated to a pressure of thirty 
 pounds. In this way it is expected to effect an important saving of fuel, 
 and obtain other advantages. I have not yet learned the result of experi- 
 ments in progress for the purpose of testing the merits of this system. 
 Several other proposed improvements in evaporators have recently been 
 made the subject of patents in Canada. 
 
 Purity of the Attention was called, in the Report for 1866, to the great purity of the 
 Goderich brines, of which Dr. Goessmann subsequently writes, in his report 
 already cited : " The present brine of Goderich is not only one of the most 
 concentrated known, but also one of the purest, if not the purest, at present 
 turned to practical use for the manufacture of salt ;" and he proceeds to 
 
 Earthy ohiorida. remark that the proportion of obnoxious deliquescent chlorids (of calcium 
 and magnesium) is from one-fourth to one-fifth (»f that found in the 
 brines of Syracuse. It will be seen by referring to the table of analyses, 
 given on page 221, that the proportion has not increased after more than two 
 years pumping of the well first sunk ; the only change being that the 
 amount of gypsum has augmented. The earthy chlorids, just mentioned, 
 being much^more soluble than the salt, do not separate, but remain behind 
 in the mother liquor, which should, from time to time, be emptied from the 
 evaporating vessels. From a neglect of this it would otherwise happen 
 that the salt would, after a time, be rendered impure from the adhering 
 
 Mother liquors, mother-liquors, and be reduced to the condition of salt manufactured from 
 inferior brines like those of Saginaw ; the impurity of which consists in these 
 same earthy chlorids, which it becomes necessary to remove by a special 
 process. The precaution of throwing out the mother-liquors from time to 
 time, has not been attended to at Goderich ; and when it is found necessary 
 to empty a kettle for the purpose of removing the crust, it has been the 
 practice to transfer the brine into an adjoining kettle. The effect of this 
 is shown by the following comparative results for 100 parts of brine ; A 
 being the recent brine, marking 9-4°, whose analysis is given at III. on 
 page 221,^and B, a saturated brine, marking 100°, taken from one of the 
 boiling kettles at the same time : — 
 
 A. B. 
 
 Cblorid of calciuni. '182 -688 
 
 " " magDesium -283 1185 
 
 Sulphate of lime 5-679 4-908 
 
 The diminution in the amount of sulphate of lime is due to the fact that 
 both heat and the presence of earthy chlorids diminish its solubility. 
 
 101 
 
 ■1 
 
turcs 08 low 
 
 U was mado 
 an, to which 
 iro of thirty 
 ring of fuel, 
 lit of oxperi- 
 this system, 
 cently been 
 
 urity of the 
 n his report 
 of the most 
 ;, at present 
 )roceeds to 
 'of calcium 
 nd in the 
 f analyses, 
 re than two 
 5 that the 
 mentioned, 
 ain behind 
 d from the 
 se happen 
 
 adhering 
 ured from 
 ts in these 
 
 a special 
 m time to 
 necessary 
 
 )een the 
 ct of this 
 •rine ; A 
 t III. on 
 le of the 
 
 act that 
 lubility. 
 
 REPORT OF DR. T. 8TERRT HUNT. 
 
 19 
 
 Those latter salts arc present in a four-fold proportion in the evaporated 
 brine, showing clearly the accumulation of these which takes place when 
 the common salt is removed, and the necessity of throwing out the old 
 liquors from time to time. 
 
 In the brines of Saginaw, the chlorid of magnesium, which is more obnox- 
 ious than the calcium salt, is got rid of by the addition of a small portion of 
 quick-lime, as described in the Report of 1866, page 265. On page 267 
 of that report will bo found analyses of brines from other regions, that of 
 Syracuse included, which, as we have seen, contains from three to four 
 times as much of these bitter earthy chlorids as our own brines. These are 
 decomposed by an ingenious process, which consists in washing the pre- ruriiying (tit 
 viously drained salt in a pure saturated brine, to which has been previously 
 added a sufficient proportion of carbonate of soda to decompose the earthy 
 chlorids present in the salt, the proportion being determined by the results Futory-aued 
 of analysis. The salt purified by this operation is drained, and partially 
 dried in bins, after which the drying is completed in hot-air chambers, or 
 in revolving cylinders heated to 250° — 300° F., and the salt finally 
 screened and ground. This process yields the so-called " Factory-filled 
 Salt " of Syracuse, greatly estimated for dairy use, of which about 700,000 
 bushels are manufactured yearly. 
 
 ON THIS MANUFACTURE OF SOLAR SALT. 
 
 * 
 
 We have already referred to the advantages offered by Goderich for 
 the manufacture of solar salt, and now propose to give a brief account of 
 the system pursued for making it at Syracuse, New York, based upon 
 published reports, and upon my own observations in 1868. The condi- 
 tions in which the brine is met with in a gravel-filled basin of small extent 
 on the shores of Onondaga lake, near to Syracuse, have already been syraouMitit 
 described. The salt-producing area, known as the Salt Springs reserva- 
 tion, is divided into four manufacturing districts, known as the 1st, or 
 Syracuse, the 2nd, or Salina, the 3rd, or Liverpool, and the 4th, or Geddes 
 district. The wells in the Liverpool district became valueless and were 
 abandoned in 1866, and the brine now required for the works at Liverpool 
 is raised from the wells in the Salina district, and conveyed by a line of 
 bored logs of nine inches calibre, to a reservoir seventy-five feet long, 
 fifty-three feet wide, and eight feet deep. The large reciprocating pumps 
 hitherto used are now being replaced by small rotary brass pumps, one of 
 which, costing 1300 American currency, is said to be sufficient for the 
 most abundant well. 
 
 The various salt-makers in these four districts, were in 1860, united into onondntt 
 an incorporated company, known as the Salt Company of Onondaga. By 
 
 1 I 
 
20 
 
 GEOLOOICAL SURVEY OP CANADA. 
 
 Annnal produc 
 tion. 
 
 this union of their interests under one head they have been enabled to 
 secure great advantages. Among these liavo been the appointing of 
 agi nts in the principal markets of the country, the establishment of a 
 general direction ensuring uniformity in the quality of the salt and the 
 mode of preparing it for market, and finally the employing of a scientific 
 chemist to direct the works, and, by careful studies, to suggest improved 
 methods of manufacture. 
 
 These works pay to the state a tax of one cent per bushel, besides a 
 rental, which is, however, insignificant, since it appears that the whole sum 
 paid by the Company to the state in 1867, for rents and penalties, was 
 only S102 ; the duty amounting for the same time to 875,956.00, being for 
 7,595,505 bushels of fifty-six pounds each, the amount inspected in 1807. 
 Of this amount, 2,271,892 bushels were made by solar evaporation and 
 6,323,073 bushels by boiling. Of the solar salt, 808,206 bushels were 
 ground, and of the fine or boiled salt, 188,800 ; of which 41,929 bushels, 
 prcjiarcd in the Geddes district, are described as table-salt. 
 
 I am not able to give the entire number of blocks of kettles in the estab- 
 lishments of the Company ; but it is stated in their report for 1807, thai the 
 average daily produce of salt for each block during the year was equal to 
 nearly 261 bushels, while the average from the seven blocks of kettles at 
 Goderich, from the figures given on page 223, was 208 bushels. 
 
 The cost of making solar salt in the Onondaga region is estimated to be 
 a little less than that of boiled salt. 
 
 The process of making solar salt at Syracuse is divided into three stages : 
 First, the settling of the brine, as it is called ; second, its concentration, or 
 what is called pickle-making ; and third, the making of salt from the pickle. 
 The brine after being raised, is stored in reservoirs, from which it is led 
 settiing-roomg. through bored logs to the deep-rooms or settling-rooms, as they are termed, 
 where it is exposed to the air in large tanks, which are deeper than those 
 used in the subsequent stages. There the brine absorbs a portion of 
 oxygen from the air, by which means the carbonate of protoxyd 
 of iron, which is dissolved in the recent brine, is converted into insoluble 
 peroxyd of iron. This separates in a hydrated form, as an insoluble 
 yellowish mud, which accumulates in the bottom of the tanks, and the brine 
 becomes clear and colorless. This first stage is not required for out: 
 Goderich brines, which are free from any trace of iron. 
 
 The process of evaporation, of course, begins in the settling room, but is 
 Lime-rooma. continued in what are variously called lime-rooms , gypsum-rooms, or plaster- 
 rooms, from the fact that the sulphate of lime or gypsum, (which is the same 
 substance as uncalcined plaster of Paris) is here deposited in a hydrated 
 state, and in the form of crystals, which in time nearly cover the bottoms of 
 GypniD. the vats. As the brine approaches saturation, flakes of gypsum are seea 
 
 8olar-ialt 
 making. 
 
 ^ > 
 
REPORT OF DR. T. 8TERRT HUNT. 
 
 21 
 
 enabled to 
 ointing of 
 mcnt of a 
 t and tho 
 > scientific 
 improved 
 
 besides a 
 vbolo sum 
 iltics, was 
 being for 
 , in 1867. 
 ntion and 
 icls were 
 • bushels, 
 
 the estab- 
 
 , that the 
 
 equal to 
 
 iettlcs at 
 
 ted to be 
 
 e stages : 
 ation, or 
 e pickle, 
 it is led 
 termed, 
 an those 
 rtion of 
 )rotoxyd 
 nsoluble 
 nsoluble 
 le brine 
 for out 
 
 but is 
 plaster- 
 16 same 
 rdrated 
 toras of 
 e seen 
 
 < V 
 
 (fating on the surface of tho liquid, and at length the appearance of crystals 
 of salt sliows that the second stage of the process is accomplished, and that 
 Mio saturated brino, known as salt-pickle, is ready for the third stage. This 
 is then at once removed, and is ready for the salt-rooms, in which tho 
 deposition of the salt goes on. 
 
 By salt-rooms arc meant areas occupied by the evaporating v^ts or sait-roomf. 
 covers, as they are called, which are provided with moveable rootW, tha' 
 can be drawn over the covers in rainy weather, but withdrawn at other 
 times, so as to cxioso the brine to the action of the wind and sun. Tho 
 covers are rectangular in shape, and all of the same size, being sixteen by Stit-coTcr*. 
 eighteen feet, and six inches deep. They are raised on wooden supports 
 two or three feet from tho ground, and are arranged in sets or strings, each 
 from four to six inches above tho other, so that the liquid can be made to 
 flow from the higher to the lower by opening small gates. Tho whole num- 
 ber in use at Syracuse in 18G7 was 41,718 ; of these, in round niiiubcrs, 
 two-fifths belong to the settling and gypsum-rooms, while three-fifths, or 
 about 25,000, are salt-covers. The average yield for each cover at tho 
 Salt Company's works was, in 1 867, 541 bushels ; while for tho salt-covers, 
 which are fed with saturated brine, it would, if wc take their number to bo 
 25,000, equal more than 00 bushels to the cover, for the season. With 
 the purer and more concentrated brines of Godcrich the settling tanks are 
 unnecessary, and tho time required in tho gypsum-rooms to bring the brine 
 to the condition of saturated pickle would be very much abridged, so that a 
 much less proportion of the covers would bo required for the gypsum- rooms, 
 and the average production of salt to the whole number of covers, very 
 greatly increased. 
 
 One of the conditions required for the production of a good large- conditions ftur 
 grained solar salt, which is most esteemed in the markets, is that the bot- 
 tom of the covers in the salt-rooms should be as smooth as possible ; rough 
 surfaces favoring the deposition of numerous small crystals. It is also neces- 
 sary to have the salt-covers supplied with a suflScient supply of good pickle, 
 BO that the salt already deposited may always be covered. An exposure 
 of the salt uncovered to the air favors the formation of new s^raall crystals, 
 and the addition of an unfinished or not suflSciently concciiiated pickle 
 produces the same effect, inasmuch as it brings an excess of sulphate of 
 lime into the salt-room ; and the increased separation of gypsum will also 
 cause the production of a larger proportion of fine grains of salt. It is 
 also of great importance that the waste pickle, from which the greater 
 part of its salt has crystallized, should be re?ioved from time to time, as its 
 , presence not only impairs the quality, but diminishes the quantity of the 
 salt deposited. 
 A correct understanding of the chemical relations of the various con- 
 
 ( 
 
22 
 
 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
 
 Chemistry of 
 .brines. 
 
 Their compO' 
 sition 
 
 stituent3 of brines is so important to the manufacturer of salt that it is 
 well to enter into some details on the subject, and to embody the result of 
 a very careful and valuable series of experiments carried on by Dr. 
 Goessmann at Syracuse, and published by him in a report to the Onondaga 
 Company in 1864. In the Report of the Geological Survey for 1853-56, 
 pages 404-419, I have described in detail the manufacture of salt 'by the 
 evaporation of sea-water, and the chemical reactions which come into play 
 in the process.* The composition of sea-water differs in some important 
 particulars from that of brines like those of Syracuse and Goderich, and 
 especially in the presence of a large amount of sulphates, so that the 
 evaporated brine or salt-pickle from sea-water contains no chlorid of cal- 
 cium and only a trace of gypsum, but besides a large proportion of chlorid 
 of magnesium, a considei-able amount of sulphate of magnesia. 
 
 The compounds found in native brines, like those of Goderich and Syra- 
 cuse, are as follows : 1st, chlorid of sodium or common salt ; 2nd, chlorid 
 of calcium ; 3rd, chlorid of magnesium ; and 4th, sulphate of calcium or 
 sulphate of lime. In addition to these, small portions of carbonate of iron are 
 often present; this substance is separated at an early stage of the process, 
 as already explained, in the form of hydrated peroxyd of iron, and unless 
 carefully removed in the settling-tanks gives a reddish tint to the salt. 
 This objectionable impurity is, however, entirely absent from the brines of 
 Goderich and its vicinity. In addition to the substances already men- 
 tioned, the brines contain small portions of chlorid of potassium and of 
 bromid of magnesium. These, however, have no perceptible influence on 
 EarthycWorids. the manufacture of salt. The chlorids of calcium and magnesium, being 
 compounds of what are sometimes called the earthy metals, are frequently 
 spoken of as earthy chlorids, a term which, for convenience, will some- 
 times be made use of in discussing the relations of the various elements of 
 brine to water and to each other. 
 
 A saturated brine prepared with pure water and pure salt (chlorid of 
 sodium) has a specific gravity about 1.205 at 60° Fahrenheit, (Liebig) 
 and contains 26.423 per cent, of salt. The presence of earthy chlorids, 
 however, diminishes the solubihty ot salt in water, so that a saturated brine 
 containing these chlorids is less rich in salt than if it were pure. Another 
 point to be considered in this connection, is that as these chlorids are much 
 more soluble in water than the salt, the latter crystallizes out first, leaving 
 them behind in the pickle, where they accumulate ; the salt which separates 
 retaining only so much of the earthy chlorids as is present in the pickle 
 which moistens it. At length, after the separation of the greater part of 
 the salt, either by boiling or by solar evaporation, the proportion of these 
 
 Solubility of 
 salt. 
 
 ( i> 
 
 * See also the American Journal of Science for 1868, vol xxr. page 361. 
 
REPORT OP DR. T. STERRY HUNT. 
 
 23 
 
 les of 
 
 orid of 
 lebig) 
 
 orids, 
 
 brine 
 nother 
 
 much 
 eaving 
 arates 
 pickle 
 )art of 
 
 these 
 
 ( V 
 
 chlorids becomes so great that they predominate in the pickle or mother- iiother-uquor. 
 liquor, which becomes what is called bittern by the makers of salt from 
 sea-water. It has a sharp and bitter taste from the presence of the 
 chlorids of calcium and magnesium, and as these compounds have a great 
 attraction for water, and even absorb it from moist air, when in concentrated 
 solutions, it follows that the pickle from ^hich the greater part of the salt 
 has been separated no longer loses water by exposure to the air at ordi- 
 nary temperatures, and although very dense, and marking a high decree 
 on the salometer, holds but a small proportion of salt. 
 
 The sulphate of lime presents curious relations both to water and to tlie suiputeof 
 other compounds present in natural brines. 100 . 00 parts of pure water, 
 at ordinary temperatures, dissolve about .25 parts of the sulphate of 
 lime, but it is somewhat less soluble in water at the boiling point, and at 
 higher temperatures becomes almost insoluble ; a property wh*''^ causes it 
 to be deposited in high-pressure boilers in which sea-water and other 
 waters holding this sulphate in solution, are exposed to temperatures much 
 above 212° F. Sulphate of Ume is much more soluble in a strong 
 solution of salt than in pure water, while on the other hand the earthy 
 chlorids diminish its solubility. Thus 100.00 parts of pure saturated brine 
 are capable of holding in solution from .50 to .60 parts of sulphate of lime 
 while in the bittern or pickle in which there has accumulated a large 
 amount of earthy chlorids, the sulphate becomes nearly insoluble. Its 
 solubility in brine, as in pure water, is also diminished by heat, so that a 
 brine brought to saturation by boiling, deposits more of its sulphate of lime 
 than if concentrated by evaporation at the ordinary temperature. These 
 points are exemplified by the following series of analyses made by Dr. 
 Goessmann with the especial object of throwing light upon the manufac- Goessmann-s 
 ture 01 solar salt at Syracuse. 
 
 I. Brine from one of the wells at Syracuse, having a specific gravity of 
 1.1225, which corresponds to 65° of the salometer at 70° F. 
 
 II. Pickle or saturated brine obtained by concentrating I by solar heat 
 until it was ready to deposit salt. It then had a specific gravity of 1.2062, 
 equal to 100° of the salometer at 70° F. 
 
 II A. An artificial brine, almost identical with the last, and prepared 
 for certain experiments to be mentioned farther on. 
 
 III. Pickle " from the first cover of a string of salt-vats numbering 
 from thirty to thirty-four covers. The latter were partitioned into two 
 sub-divisions. The one towards the head of the string was from five to 
 six inches higher than the one towards its termination." 
 
 IV 
 
 Pickle " from the last cover of the same string," the whole having 
 
 been filled with new pickle for the season's work. The liquid flows from 
 III down to IV, so that the latter represents a pickle which has parted 
 with a considerable Dortion of its salt. 
 
24 
 
 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
 
 V. Pickle from the last cover or string of a similar series, at the middle 
 
 of the summer season, when evaporation had proceeded so far that the 
 pickle was low and the salt partly bare. 
 
 A comparison of* the results given under II, III, IV, and V, will show 
 
 that in these pickles, the proportion of sulphate of lime diminishes as that 
 of the earthy chlorids increases. 
 
 I. II. II A. 
 
 Sulphate of lime 0.5772 0.4U0 0.4090 
 
 Chlorid of calcium 0.1. "iSS 0.2487 0.2687 
 
 Chlorid of magnesium 0.1444 0.2343 0.2578 
 
 Chlorid of potassium 0.0119 0.0194 0.0194 
 
 Bromid of magnesium 0.0024 0.0039 
 
 Carbonate of iron 0.0044 
 
 Chlorid of sodium 15.5317 25.7339 25.6906 
 
 Water 83.5747 73.3488 73.3545 
 
 100.0000 100.0000 100.0000 
 
 in. IV. V. 
 
 Sulphate of lime 0.3188 0.1146 0.02G4 
 
 Chlorid of calcium 0.4223 2.6959 10.4690 
 
 Chlorid of magnesium 0.6005 2.7513 10.5020 
 
 Chlorid ofpotassi um 0.0194 0.8177 3.3769 
 
 Bromid of magnesium 0.0331 0.1160 0.4485 
 
 Chlorid of sodium 25.0462 20.10«6 8.7441 
 
 Water 
 
 100.0000 100.0000 100.0000 
 
 In this connection Dr. Goessmann gives the following analyses, in which 
 VI shows the proportion which the sulphate of lime and the earthy chlorids 
 bear to the salt in the fresh pickle, II ; and VII the average composition of 
 the solar salt made from this pickle at Syracuse. These results show that 
 only about one-eighth of the earthy chlorids present in the fresh pickle are 
 retained by the salt, the remainder accumulating in the mother-liquor, 
 except a small portion, which is supposed to pass through the pores of the 
 wood. 
 
 Sulphate of lime 
 
 Chlorid of calcium. . . 
 Chlorid of magnesium 
 Chlorid of sodium. . .. 
 
 The composition of the old and half-exhausted pickles is shown in the 
 analysis IV, and at a still later stage in V. The evils resulting from 
 this accumulation of chlorids are many : first, the salt removed from these 
 
 VI. 
 
 VII. 
 
 1.5400 
 
 1.3378 
 
 0.9335 
 
 0.0932 
 
 0.8817 
 
 0.1200 
 
 9G.6448 
 
 98.4490 
 
 100.0000 
 
 ino.oooo 
 
3378 
 0932 
 1200 
 4490 
 
 0000 
 
 in the 
 
 g from 
 
 m these 
 
 > 
 
 REPORT OF DR. T. STERET HUNT. 25 
 
 is impregnated with a very impure pickle, which not only adheres to the E(feot«ofe»rth7 
 crystals, but fills small cavities in them ; the presence of these earthy " 
 chlorids being unfavorable to the production of solid crystals free from 
 cavities. These adhering solutions of earthy chlorids never dry completely 
 at ordinary temperatures, and keep the salt constantly moist, and very 
 easily aflfected by damp weather. Again, these impurities affect the quan- 
 tity as well as the quality of the salt produced, by retarding the process 
 of evaporation. Under any circumstances the force of affinity causes such 
 saline solutions as these to evaporate less rapidly than pure water, at ordi- 
 nary temperatures. Thus it was found by Dr. Goessmann, on exposing equal 
 volumes to evaporation under the same conditions, that while pure water J?«te»of oTtpo- 
 lost 60 per cent, of its volume, a recent brine, marking 65° of the salometer, 
 (analysis I) lost but 45 per cent., a fresh pickle 43.66, and an old partly 
 exhausted pickle only 30.05 per cent, of its volume. Were the last to 
 evaporate as rapidly as fresh pickle, it would yield a less quantity of salt, 
 since, as appears from the analysis already given, it contains less 
 salt for the same volume ; but in fact, its evaporation is much retarded by 
 the affinity of the earthy chlorids for water. This becomes so manifest 
 that, after a certain stage of concentration, evaporation ceases altogether 
 at ordinary temperatures. It is well known to chemists that these chlorids, 
 if evaporated to dryness by artificial heat, will, on exposurti at ordinary 
 temperatures, absorb moisture from the air, and redissolve, or deli- 
 quesce, as it is termed. A similar process takes place with the concen- 
 trated bitterns, which at the temperature of the air lose water in dry 
 weather, and absorb it again in moist weather. This process, and the effect 
 of the purity of the pickle upon the quantity of salt produced, is shewn by 
 the following experiments of Dr. Goessmann : — An artificial pickle, closely ooeasmann's 
 resembling the fresh pickle II, and having the composition represented °^^" ^^^ 
 under II A, having been prepared, five glass basins were arranged, and 
 placed in a position exposed to air and Hght, but sheltered from rain. Of 
 these vessels, 1 was filled with the] pickle II A ; 2, with Cfjual parts of 
 II A and III ; 3, with equal parts of II A and IV ; and 4, with equal parts 
 of II A and V ; while 5 was supplied only with the impure pickle V. It 
 was found that during the whole season the GOO volumes of this lust, taken 
 for the experiment, were never reduced below 320, a bulk which was sub- 
 sequently augmented to 340 volumes when the damp weather of autumn 
 came on. After an exposure during the whole salt-making season, the 
 salt from each basin was collected and carefully wei^hod. wkh the follow- 
 ing results, the produce of the fresh pickle bein^ t.ikcu at 100 : — 
 
 1. giivo of Siilt i' ii'OO juris. 
 
 o li II ii ',i0'72 '' 
 
 3. <• ■' " ;i:-;;5 '■ 
 
 4. '• •' " 8l-'3 ■• 
 
 5. " " " ..-oO '• 
 
Seme pickles. 
 
 Bromine. 
 
 Brinai compa- 
 red. 
 
 Qoderich. 
 
 26 OEOLOQICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
 
 From the sparing solubility of salt in a bittern like V , it results that if 
 fresh pickle be mixed with it, the mixture can no longer hold the whole of 
 the salt in solution, but deposits a considerable portion of it in fine grains. 
 All of these considerations shew that the accumulation of the impure 
 liquors in the salt-covers is to be carefully avoided, and that they should 
 be thrown away before they reach such a stage of concentration and impu- 
 rity as to retard the efficient working of the process and reduce the yield 
 of salt. Such a result is shewn in the experiments 3 and 4, where the 
 falling oS* in the production is seen to be five and nineteen per centum. 
 These impure pickles have a specific gravity considerably greater than that 
 of pure saturated brines. Thus, according to Dr. Goessmann, the pickle 
 V, which contains less than nine per cent, of salt, marks 32° on Beaum^'a 
 scale, which corresponds to a specific gravity of about 1.278, and would 
 equal 123° of the ordinary saloraeter, were the scale of this instrument to 
 be extended; while a pure saturated brine, of 100° of the salometer, corres- 
 ponds very nearly to 25° of Beaum^'s areometer. Dr. Goessmann recom- 
 mends this latter instrument to be used for testing the old liquors, and 
 states that a pickle marking 30° Beaum^ (equal to a specific gravity of 
 1.256) is to be rejected, as no longer fit for the purpose of making 
 solar salt. 
 
 It will be seen from the analyses already given that the small amounts 
 of chlorid of potassium and bromid of magnesium which these brines contain,, 
 accumulate in the old pickle, and might, perhaps, in some cases be turned 
 to account as sources of potash and of bromine. Though this is not 
 attempted at Syracuse, bromine is manufactured from the bitterns of salt- 
 springs in western Pennsylvania and in Germany, and potash salts are 
 extracted from the bittern of sea-water on the shores of the Mediterran- 
 ean. The brines of Goderich are fortunately so pure that these foreign 
 elements are present in too small amount to be of significance, although 
 traces of both potash and bromine are found in them. 
 
 As we have seen that the earthy chlorids are the most objectionable 
 impurities in natural brines, it will be well to compare our own with those 
 of Syracuse and of Saginaw. The following table shews the proportion of 
 the two chlorids united, and also that of the sulphate of lime, calculated 
 for 100.00 (one hundred parts) of the solid matters of the different brines ;. 
 the difference between the sum of these and 100.00, being in each case 
 pure salt. 
 
 Earthy chlorids. Sulphate o/lime^ 
 
 1. Goderich Go's, well, Aug. 18GG -26 "69 
 
 2. " " Apr. 18G7 -22 2'19 
 
 3. " " Nor. 1808 25 2-00 
 
 4. Clinton " " " 31 2*65 
 
 5. Kincardine " " " -44 1*33 
 
 > 
 
 « I 
 
ts that if 
 whole of 
 e grains. 
 3 impure 
 sy should 
 nd impu- 
 the yield 
 ?here the 
 centum, 
 than that 
 lie pickle 
 Jeaum^'a 
 id would 
 •ument to 
 T, corres- 
 m recom- 
 lors, and 
 ravity of 
 f making 
 
 I amounts 
 i contain, 
 )e turned 
 is is not 
 3 of salt- 
 salts are 
 diterran- 
 |e foreign 
 although 
 
 Ictionable 
 
 lith those 
 
 )ortion of 
 
 ilculated 
 
 brines ; 
 
 lach case 
 
 fe of lime. 
 
 < r 
 
 KEPORT OP DR. T. 8TERRY HUUNT. 27 
 
 6. Syracuse brine, analysis I, page 232 1-42 3.51 Srraouse. 
 
 1. " saturated baU pickle, 1-81 1.54 
 
 8. Saginaw brine (analysis by Douglas) 16-63 .53 Saginaw 
 
 9. " " ( " Dubois), 1742 2.20 
 
 10. " " ( " Chilton), 2289 .45 
 
 • 11. " «' ( " Webb), 8-04 undetermined. 
 
 The amount of sulphate of lime in the Goderich brine in August, 1866, 
 before the well was pumped, was very small, though it has since increased. 
 The smaller proportion contained in the Saginaw brines is due to the large 
 amount of earthy chlorids present, which, as we have said, diminish the 
 solubility of sulphate of lime. The proportion of earthy chlorids in the 
 Goderich brines is seen to be but a small fraction of that contained in those 
 of Syracuse ; yet in the manufacture of solar salt these chlorids will slowly 
 accumulate, and so require, though to a less degree, the same precautions 
 as at Syracuse for getting rid of them from time to time. The following 
 recommendations for the improvement of the solar salt at that place, copied 
 from the Report of Dr. Goessmann already noticed, which was published 
 in 1864, are therefore worthy of notice. Alluding to the different stages 
 of the process, as described on page 228, which are carried on in three 
 separate systems of vats, known as settling-rooma or deep-rooms, gypsum- 
 or lime-rooma and salt-rooms, he observes : — 
 
 '* The successful working of these rooms, as a general rule, is best aided Pi«n of soiar 
 by building them in distinct systems, corresponding with the number of 
 processes intended ; the succeeding set of rooms always from four to six 
 inches lower than the preceding ones, and every system with a perfectly 
 even bottom, but a distinctly slanting position towards their termination. 
 Such a construction not only favors a desirable independent management 
 of each system of rooms, but admits of a more successful drawing-off of brine 
 or pickle. ***** rfjjg degree in which 
 the bottom of every system of vats has to incline, is best regulated by the 
 respective lengths of the strings ; the longer the string of vats the less may 
 be the rate of inclination. The latter ought to be such as to enable the 
 workmen to draw from every one of these divisions, whenever required, that 
 portion of the saline solution which has reached the desired point for which 
 it was retained there. The flow itself, on the other hand, ought to be 
 sufficiently slow to prevent the stirring up, and thus the carrying along of 
 sedimentary matter to the succeeding division. The latter purpose can be 
 much aided by a proper distribution of gates for discharging the brine from 
 the upper to the lower section. Several small gates properly located are 
 always preferable to one large one ; the additional trouble caused by being 
 compelled to open at every new charge or discharge, several gates instead 
 of one, is more than compensated by the decided advantage gained in being 
 enabled to draw or run off the old pickle uniformly, and thus more effectu- 
 
28 
 
 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OP CANADA. 
 
 ally, towards the termination of the lower rooms. The changes to which the 
 brine is subjected while still in the first two systems of vats — the settling 
 and the gypsum-rooms — manifest themselves, as we have observed, uniform- 
 ly throughout the whole mass ; and the vats being always filled with a saline 
 solution of the same or similar original composition, and terminating also 
 each time with a certain uniform state of the solution, in the form of a 
 saturated pickle, do not exactly require separate divisions within their 
 systems of vats. Nothing remains to be said here in regard to their construc- 
 tion, but that they ought to present a suflBcient area of surface for evapora- 
 tion, to enable the manufacturer to feed his salt-rooms whenever it may be 
 required ; this being requisite in order to produce a superior article of 
 salt. It may be a very difficult question to ascertain the exact relative 
 proportion between the surfaces of evaporation in the settling and gypsum 
 rooms on the one hand, and the salt-rooms on the other ; yet to find some- 
 thing near to it is one of the most important questions. A satisfactory 
 decision of that question can only be obtained by adopting a method for 
 working the salt-rooms to the best advantage, a method which tends to 
 protect free evaporation in the salt-rooms from retarding influences — influ- 
 ences which are undeniable, yet uncertain in force." 
 
 In relation to the foregoing extract, it is to be observed that the prepara- 
 tory stage, which requires two sets of rf oms at Syracuse, on account of iron 
 in the brine, may, in the absence of this impurity, be effected in a single 
 set of rooms, in which the brine shall be brought to the point of saturation 
 and a portion of gypsum deposited. The stronger the brine also the smaller 
 
 Gypsum-rooms, need be the area of the gypsum-roums as compared with the salt-rooms, so 
 that the comparative area of the former at Goderich may be very much 
 reduced, as noticed on page 229. The influences alluded to as retarding 
 free evaporation in the salt-rooms are those of the earthy chlorids, which, 
 as already shown in page 231, have — wlicn in considerable quantities — a 
 powerful effect in this way. Hence, the necessity of getting rid of these, 
 from time to time, by drawing off and rejecting the old pickle before it 
 becomes so impure as to become prejudicial. The means of determining 
 this point has already been shown on page 2^4. 
 
 As already remarked above, the settling and gypsum-rooms, in which the 
 evaporation is carried only to t)>;- p ji'.t of saturation, do not require sub-di- 
 visions in their systems of vats or covers ; but for the salt-rooms this is very 
 desirable, and Dr. Gocssmann recommends the following arrangement : — 
 
 Salt-rooms. " The vats are to bo built in sub-divisions, with a perfectly even bottom, 
 but slightly inclined towards the termination of the string. The first sub- 
 division, next to the gypsum-rooms, ought to have the largest number of 
 covers, the one following a less number, and the third, if the last, only one 
 cover to every ten or twelve covers preceding in the whole string ; for 
 
hich the 
 settling 
 uniform- 
 1 a saline 
 ;ing also 
 arm of a 
 iin their 
 jonstruc- 
 evapora- 
 t may be 
 article of 
 ; relative 
 I gypsum 
 tid some- 
 ;isfactory 
 ethod for 
 tends to 
 js — influ- 
 
 ! prepara- 
 
 mt of iron 
 
 I a single 
 
 aturation 
 
 le smaller 
 
 rooms, so 
 
 ry much 
 
 retarding 
 
 s, which, 
 
 itities — a 
 
 of these, 
 
 jcfore it 
 
 ermmmg 
 
 fhich the 
 e sub-di- 
 s is very 
 nent : — 
 bottom, 
 rst sub- 
 mber of 
 lonly one 
 ing ; for 
 
 REPORT OF DR. T. STERRY HUNT. 
 
 29 
 
 < » 
 
 itistanco the first division may have twenty covers, the second ten, and the 
 third only throe covers. These vai'ious divisions ouglit to bo connected 
 with each other by two or, better, three small gates, and the gates between 
 the second and third divisions should be larger than those between the 
 gypsum-rooms and the salt-rooms. Those sub-divisions facilitate a proper 
 division and economy of the salt pickle." 
 
 The vats or covers used at Syracuse have, as already mentioned, a uni- SHitcovers, 
 form size of sixteen by eighteen feet, and while settling-vats are generally 
 deeper, those of the gypsum and salt-rooms have a depth of six inches, four 
 inches of which is filled with brine or pickle. This, in the salt-covers, is 
 replaced, as it evaporates, by fresh supplies of pickle, a process which is 
 repeated as often as the salt itself appears above the level of the pickle, 
 and continued until a sufficient amount of salt has been formed for removal. 
 The gathering of the solar salt usually takes place twice or three times 
 during a season. The natural conse([uencc of this system of working is 
 that in proportion as salt is obtained from the pickle the soluble chlorids 
 accumulate in the remaining portion. This accumulation would sooner or 
 later be felt throughout the whole string of vats used for salt-making, par 
 ticularly if they were built on one level, and supplied with new pickle with 
 out certain precautions. Such conditions could not but interfere most 
 seriously with the quality and quantity of the salt. Hence, as Dr. 
 Goessmann emphatically says, the whole system of constructing and supply- 
 ing the salt-vats during the season should be arranged so as keep the 
 new pickle as much as possible separate from that which is old and 
 partially exhausted. 
 
 It is with this object in view that he recommends the arrangement of a Mode oi work- 
 string of salt-covers in three successive sub-divisions, numbering, respect- "^' 
 ively, twenty, ten and three. With such a system " the supply of new 
 pickle ought to be managed with the following precautions ; First, draw as 
 much uf the remaining old pickle as possible from the second into the third 
 division, tlien from the first into the second, and, finally, open the gates 
 '>etween the gypsum-room and the first salt-room, which is thus supplied 
 with fresh pickle. Aim always at the most successful separation of the 
 remaining old pickle before supplying the new. The last or lowest cover 
 will thus, in the course of the season, receive almost all the inferior old 
 pickle left from the previous charges of the string. The pickle thus accu- 
 mulating there will bo more or less highly charged with the clilorids of cal- 
 cium and magnesium, and a few weeks trial in the next season will soon 
 indicate the point where salt-making profitably ceases." As already 
 remarked, this impure or worthless pickle is much denser than saturated 
 brine, and its value diminishes with the increased specific gravity, so that 
 
 c 
 
:!0 
 
 fJEOUxUCAL SURVKY OF CANADA. 
 
 Dr. Goowsin.'inn informs us that a brino marking 30" of Baume's areometr 
 is wortliloss for salt-making purposes. 
 
 The site isclocted for solar salt-works should be on well-drained land, free 
 from stagnant waters ; the vats should never rest upon the earth, and 
 should turn their open front towards the prevailing currents of air. 
 •iyiwim. As regards the sulphate of lime, the only foreign material present in any 
 
 notable ([uautity in the brines of the Goderich region, it is to bo remarked 
 that it sonaratos with the salt, during the process of solar evaporation, in 
 the hydratod form, as small needle-shaped crystals of gypsum, which fill 
 up, more or less, the cavities in imperfectly developed crystals of salt, 
 adhere to the outside of these, or are mixed, in a loose state, with the 
 bulk of the salt. This latter condition '' enables the careful manufacturer 
 to separate a considerable portion of the gypsum by subjecting the salt to 
 a careful wasliing before harvesting it. An accumulation of a certain 
 excess of sulphate of lime within the salt-vats, towards the close of the sea- 
 son, is almost unavoidable, and it is, for this important reason, very 
 advisable to return the small-sized crystals of solar salt — for instance, the 
 scrapings of the salt-vats — at the end of the salt-making season, to the gyp- 
 sum-rooms. This precaution Avill not only secure an additional return of 
 a superior (piality of salt, afterwards, but will leave the excess of sulphate 
 of lirac where it properly belongs ;" the yet unsaturated brine of the 
 gypsum-room dissolving the salt, but leaving the gypsum behind. " To 
 start the solar salt-making anew from time to time — for instance, every 
 spring and fall before closing up the works, — is, on account of many 
 advantages, very advisable." 
 
 The average amount of sulphate of lime in the solar salt of Syracuse, as 
 calculated from the analysis of a good recently prepared pickle, need never 
 exceed I'o per cent., which amount is considerably less than some of the 
 best and most valued foreign coarse salts contain. The smaller quantity of 
 sulphate of lime actually observed in the solar salt from the first gathering 
 of the season, as well as in the coarser grained portion of the second crop, 
 (from 1-315 to 1*316 per cent.) and the more or less increased propor- 
 tion of it in the finer portion of the various crops, particularly in the last 
 crop of the season, confirm the above statements. Its uniform distribution 
 throughout the whole of every crop, remains, therefore, the sole object of 
 the manufacturer. Sulphate of lime is generally not considered as inter- 
 fering with the effects expected from good solar salt, yet being a matter 
 foreign to salt, and apparently not directly promoting its specific action, a 
 reduction of its proportion in salt should be sought, if for no other reason, 
 for that of improving the appearance of the product. The means of 
 effecting this has already been pointed out in the preceding paragraph. 
 The proportion of sulphate of lime to 100 parts of the solid matters of the 
 
REPORT OP DR. T. STERRY HUNT. 
 
 31 
 
 oometr 
 
 ,nd, froo 
 rth, and 
 
 nt in nny 
 Dmarkcd 
 ation, in 
 ,luch fill 
 3 of salt, 
 with the 
 ifacturor 
 e salt to 
 I, certain 
 'the sea- 
 on, very 
 nice, the 
 the gyp- 
 return of 
 sulphate 
 le of the 
 i. "To 
 !0, every 
 of many 
 
 icuse, as 
 ed never 
 le of the 
 lantity of 
 athering 
 nd crop, 
 propor- 
 the last 
 ribution 
 )ject of 
 as inter- 
 matter 
 iction, a 
 reason, 
 cans of 
 agraph. 
 s of the 
 
 Goderich brine is shown by the table on pages 234-35 to be considerably less oodorich nmi 
 than in the more dilute brines of Syracuse ; but the former, during conccn- " ^""'"*'' 
 tration to the condition of a pickle such as is required for solar salt, deposits 
 a considerable portion of the sulphate, so that in the pickle it amounts only 
 to 1*54 percent. ; while the Goderich brine, brought to the same condition, 
 holds, on account of its greater purity from the noxious earthy chlorids, an 
 amount of sulphate equal to about 2*0 per cent., or nearly as much as a pure 
 saturated solution of salt. From this it will be seen that, while free, to a 
 remarkable extent, from the chlorids of calcium and magnesium, whose 
 presence is so prejudicial, the Goderich brines contain of the sulphate of 
 lime a somewhat larger proportion than the Onondaga salt. This compo\md,a3 
 already remarked, is however no way injurious to the quality of the salt ; 
 in fact, the best Ashton and Turk's Island salt contain rather more sulphate 
 of lime than that of Syracuse. It is, as already remarked, the earthy chlorids 
 which not only injure the grain of the salt, render it liable to get moist in 
 a damp atmosphere, but prove injurious to the flavor of butter, to which 
 they impart a bitter taste. The presence of these in the ordinary salt of 
 Syracuse having been recognized as impairing its value for the uses of the 
 dairy, the treatment of the boiled, and in some cases of the solar salt by a 
 small portion of carbonate soda, as described on page 227, has been resorted 
 to, producing what is known by the trade-mark oi factory-filled salt, and, 
 being entirely free from the earthy chlorids, is peculiarly fit for the salting *»'*• 
 of butter. It is said that while for any other purposes than for the preser- 
 vation of butter the presence of small quantities of earthy chlorids is of 
 little or no importance, a very small proportion of them suffices to impair the 
 delicate flavor of butter. As our brines contain on an average only one- 
 fifth or one-sixth as much of these objectionable compounds as those of 
 Syracuse, it follows that with the same care in making the salt, cither by 
 boiling or by solar evaporation, a salt would be obtained a holding nuich less 
 proportion of these chlorids than the ordinary salt of Syracuse, and 
 scarcely requiring the subsequent chemical process which is there applied 
 for their removal. 
 
 ADVANTAGES OF THE OODERICH REGION FOR SALT-MAKING. 
 
 The finding of salt at Goderich attracted, early in 18G7, the attention 
 of the Onondaga Company, and Dr. Goessmann, who was sent to examine 
 and report upon the new discovery, visited the region for that purpose in 
 June, and again in December 1867 ; his object being to verify the truth 
 of the statement made.in my Report, published in the spring of 18(57, that 
 the brine of Goderich was the strongest an:l the purest known, and also to 
 determine what were the facilities offered by that region for the manufac- 
 ture of salt. In his Report thereon, addressed to the Onondaga Company, 
 
 Factory .(tiled 
 
Analysis of 
 Uodoricli salt. 
 
 8S (IKOLOOICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
 
 nnd (liitod January isr»8, Dr. (foessmann thus sums up tlio result ol'lils 
 examinutiou as to these two points : — 
 
 " The present l)rinc of Goderich is not only one of the most concentrated 
 known, but also one of the purest, if not tlie purest, at present turned to the 
 mamifucture of salt." After referrini^ to the discovery of salt at Clinton, Dr. 
 Goessniann proceeds : " Goderich possesses, in a high dc;^ree, all necessary 
 additional resources and facilities for the manufacture of salt and its trans- 
 portation to all the important commercial points in tlio western lakes, and 
 is, therefore, the most formidable competitor which the salt-works of the 
 state of New York have ever yet had to contend with." In confirma- 
 tion of the statements made by me in preceding pages, 1 make the follow- 
 ing citations from the Report in (jucstion, premising tliat they carry the 
 greatest weight, from the knownsciiutificaccuracy of Dr. (Joessmann, and 
 from the fact that he has, as chemi.n, to the Onondaga Company, devoted 
 himself for.years to the study of the salt-manufacture : — 
 
 It has been shown by the analyses on page 221 that on pumping the 
 Goderich Company's well the density of the brine fell from 100° to 05^, 
 while the amount of sulphate of lime increased. These change? were 
 already apparent when, in April, 180T, Dr. Goessmanr. received samples 
 of the brine and of tl: i boiled salt for examination. His analysis of the 
 former has already been given on page 221, II. lie proceeds to remark : 
 " The two samples of brine tested by Dr. Hunt and myself differ in 
 strength by about 1.7o per cent, of salt. The difference in regard to the 
 percentage of gypsum, which effects but little the relative commercial 
 value, may find a satisfactory explanation, etc. * * * 'l'l,e proportion 
 of gypsum obtained by myself is still somewhat less tlian that contained 
 in the Onondaga brines. Comparing the results of both analyses in regard 
 to the percentage of chlorid of sodium contained in the Goderich brine with 
 that known to be in the average of the brines of Onondaga, (about 10 
 per cent.) we notice that the (Joderich brine in either case exceeds the 
 former by^ about 50 per cent, of salt, or more ; while the proportion of 
 obnoxious deliquescent chlorids contained in the Goderich brine amounts 
 to only one-fourth or one-fifth of that found in the brines of Onondaga." 
 
 " A sample of boiled salt from the Goderich works gave as follows : — 
 
 Chi oriel of sodium 97.0309 
 
 Chlorid of calcium 0072 
 
 Chlorid of magnesium .0313 
 
 Sulphate of lime 1.4306 
 
 Moisture 1.5000 
 
 ' ► 
 
 100.0000 
 
 " This sample of salt, in a dried state, would contain not less than 98. ,3 
 per cent, of chlorid of sodium or pure salt. It ranks, consecpiently foremost 
 
I regard 
 
 1313 
 306 
 000 
 
 000 
 
 m 98.5 
 remost 
 
 ► 
 
 REPORT OP DR. T. STERRY HUfT. 
 
 38 
 
 among the common fine salt (boiled) in the market. In the percentage 
 of the deliquescent chlorids of calcium and ma^^nesium, which are consid- 
 ered the most obnoxious component parts of brine or salt, it compares most 
 favorably with the best foreign and domestic salt. In fact the composition 
 of the Godorich brine is such as to warrant, a priori, with hut little care, 
 a superior salt, common, fine and coarse. The commercial value of the 
 brine of Goderich, in conscquenco of its superior p\irity as compared with 
 the brine of Onondaga, is, judging from the previous statements, quite 
 obvious. The Michigan (Saginaw) and Ohio River brines, I need scarcely 
 add, have still less clianco to compete on anything like ecjual terms." 
 
 " The salt," ho adds, further on, '* is, after separation from the pickle, 
 as might have been expected from a brine like the Goderich, of a superior 
 color, and of a hard and fine grain, resembling the best brands of home 
 and foreign manufacture, and this result is attained without any but the 
 ordinary care required for the manufacture of common fine salt. It will 
 be noticed that the sole objection which may be urged against the Goderich 
 brine is merely incidental, for the brine is too strong to be worked to its 
 full advantage by the system of manufacture at present pursued." 
 
 The low price at which English salt is imported makes it probable that 
 the product of the Goderich region can scarcely compete with it in that part 
 of the Dominion to the east of Lake Ontario, while the wells already sunk 
 are probably more than sufficient to supply the remaining portion of the 
 country. From these considerations it would seem that the only chance 
 for a further development of the salt resources of the Goderich region is 
 be found in the United States market. The present duty on salt entering 
 that country amounts, however, to twenty- four cents in gold on 100 pounds 
 of packed salt, and eighteen cents on 100 pounds of loose salt, making it, 
 upon the barrr^ of 280 pounds, -f O.OTf^j . By a proper system of evapo- 
 ration, either oy solar heat, or by a more economical use of fuel, as has 
 been already pointed out, Dr. Goessmann conceives that the net cost of 
 the barrel of fine salt, the barrel included (which costs 30c.), should not 
 exceed $0.70, while the freight from Goderich to Chicago would cost 10c. ; 
 to this he adds for storage, landing, selling, etc., at Chicago, f^O.Sli, 
 making the cost of a barrel of fine salt from Godorich, delivered at 
 Chicago, fl.68i. This, at the price ruling in January, 1808, would 
 leave a small margin for profit, which might be increased if the salt were 
 shipped loose, and thus entered at a reduced duty. For this traffic the 
 position of Goderich, on the lake, and at the terminus of a railway, offisrs 
 very great advantages ; and, but for the duty against which it has to con- 
 tend, it seems probable that the salt region of Goderich, stretching, appar- 
 ently, to Clinton on the one side and to Kincardine on the other, might, 
 from the greater purity and strength of its brines, command the market of 
 the north-western United States. 
 
 ('08t of making. 
 
UEOLOUIOAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
 
 Table yiving a companion of different exprestnom 
 
 i\ 
 
 Hitluinutor. 
 
 
 1 
 •2 
 3 
 
 4 
 6 
 6 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 11 
 1*2 
 13 
 14 
 15 
 10 
 17 
 18 
 19 
 20 
 21 
 22 
 23 
 24 
 26 
 2« 
 27 
 28 
 29 
 30 
 31 
 32 
 33 
 34 
 35 
 36 
 37 
 38 
 39 
 40 
 41 
 42 
 43 
 44 
 45 
 46 
 47 
 48 
 49 
 50 
 
 lIuuiiiA. 
 
 
 
 .26 
 
 .52 
 
 .78 
 
 1.04 
 
 1.30 
 
 1.50 
 
 1.82 
 
 2.08 
 
 2.34 
 
 2.60 
 
 2.80 
 
 3.12 
 
 3.38 
 
 3.04 
 
 3.90 
 
 4.16 
 
 4.42 
 
 4.08 
 
 4.94 
 
 5.20 
 
 5.40 
 
 5.72 
 
 5.98 
 
 6.24 
 
 6.50 
 
 6.70 
 
 7.02 
 
 7.28 
 
 7.54 
 
 7.80 
 
 8.06 
 
 8.32 
 
 8.58 
 
 8.84 
 
 9.10 
 
 9.30 
 
 9.62 
 
 9.88 
 
 10.14 
 
 10.40 
 
 10.00 
 
 10.92 
 
 11.18 
 
 11.44 
 
 11.70 
 
 11.90 
 
 12.22 
 
 12.48 
 
 12.74 
 
 13,00 
 
 .MpclHo 
 Kravlty. 
 
 1.000 
 
 1.002 
 
 1.003 
 
 1.005 
 
 1.007 
 
 1.009 
 
 1.010 
 
 1.012 
 
 1.014 
 
 1.010 
 
 1.017 
 
 1.019 
 
 1.021 
 
 1.023 
 
 1.026 
 
 1.026 
 
 1.028 
 
 1.030 
 
 1.032 
 
 1.034 
 
 1.035 
 
 1.037 
 
 1.039 
 
 1.041 
 
 1.043 
 
 1.046 
 
 1.046 
 
 1.048 
 
 1.050 
 
 1.052 
 
 1.054 
 
 1.056 
 
 1.058 
 
 1.059 
 
 1.001 
 
 1.003 
 
 1.005 
 
 1.007 
 
 1.069 
 
 1.071 
 
 1.073 
 
 1.075 
 
 1.077 
 
 1.079 
 
 1.081 
 
 1.083 
 
 1.085 
 
 1.087 
 
 1.089 
 
 1.091 
 
 1.093 
 
 IVr cent. 
 ufHalt. 
 
 
 0.20 
 0.51 
 0.77 
 1.03 
 1.28 
 1.64 
 1.80 
 2.00 
 2.31 
 2.67 
 2.83 
 3.08 
 3.34 
 3.00 
 3.85 
 4.11 
 4.37 
 4.03 
 4.88 
 6.14 
 6.40 
 6.05 
 5.91 
 0.17 
 0.42 
 6.68 
 6.94 
 7.20 
 7.45 
 7.71 
 7.97 
 8.22 
 8.48 
 8.74 
 8.99 
 9.25 
 9.61 
 9.77 
 10.02 
 10.28 
 10.54 
 10.79 
 11.05 
 11.31 
 11.50 
 11.82 
 11.08 
 12.34 
 12.59 
 12.85 
 
 (IralnxorHtlt 
 In uiiu pliit. 
 
 
 19 
 38 
 60 
 75 
 94 
 114 
 133 
 162 
 171 
 191 
 210 
 229 
 249 
 209 
 2S8 
 308 
 328 
 348 
 308 
 388 
 408 
 428 
 448 
 469 
 489 
 510 
 530 
 551 
 672 
 592 
 013 
 634 
 655 
 676 
 697 
 719 
 740 
 761 
 783 
 804 
 826 
 848 
 869 
 891 
 913 
 935 
 957 
 979 
 1002 
 1024 
 
 Okllnni fnr a 
 buohelufHalt. 
 
 Infinite. 
 2599 
 1297 
 
 803 
 
 647 
 
 510 
 
 430 
 
 308 
 
 321 
 
 285 
 
 250 
 
 232 
 
 213 
 
 196 
 
 182 
 
 169 
 
 158 
 
 149 
 
 140 
 
 133 
 
 126 
 
 120 
 
 114 
 
 109 
 
 104 
 99.7 
 95.7 
 92.0 
 89.5 
 85.3 
 82.3 
 79. 
 76. 
 74. 
 72. 
 69.9 
 67.9 
 05.9 
 04.1 
 62.3 
 60.6 
 69.1 
 57.6 
 50.1 
 54.7 
 53.4 
 52.2 
 50.9 
 49.8 
 48.7 
 47.6 
 
 'V* 
 
KKI'ORT OF DR. T. 8TBKRV HUNT. 
 
 85 
 
 fnr th' Htrength of Brine from zero to taturntlon. 
 
 'V^ 
 
 UfjtrcPK ! 
 
 l>||«rt't'!< ; 
 
 Sinfltlo 
 
 i 
 I'cr cunt. ' 
 
 (ifHlllH III' Suit 
 
 Unlloiiii lor n 
 
 Sulomutcr. 
 
 llUUIIIl''. 
 
 (jravlty. 
 
 ..1 .>*alt. 
 
 1 
 
 III Ulll) Jllllt. 
 
 buvliul i)f halt. 
 
 fll 
 
 13.2(1 
 
 1.095 
 
 13.11 
 
 1017 
 
 40.0 
 
 63 
 
 13.62 
 
 1.097 
 
 13.36 
 
 1070 
 
 46.0 
 
 63 
 
 13.78 
 
 1 . 100 
 
 13.02 
 
 11192 
 
 44.7 
 
 64 
 
 14.04 
 
 I . 102 
 
 13.88 
 
 I 1 1 5 
 
 43.8 
 
 65 
 
 14.30 
 
 1.104 
 
 14. '3 
 
 1137 
 
 42.9 
 
 60 
 
 14.50 
 
 I.IOO 
 
 14.39 
 
 1 liio 
 
 42.0 
 
 67 
 
 14.82 
 
 1,108 
 
 14.06 
 
 11H3 
 
 41.2 
 
 6h 
 
 15.08 
 
 1.110 
 
 14 91 
 
 1 200 
 
 40,4 
 
 6D 
 
 15.34 
 
 1.112 
 
 16.16 
 
 1229 
 
 39.7 
 
 60 
 
 15.60 
 
 1.114 
 
 16.42 
 
 12.^2 
 
 38,9 
 
 «l 
 
 15.80 
 
 1.110 
 
 16 68 
 
 1270 
 
 .38,2 
 
 ti'i 
 
 10.12 
 
 1.118 
 
 15.93 
 
 1 299 
 
 37 . .'i 
 
 tJ3 
 
 16.38 
 
 1.121 
 
 16.19 
 
 1322 
 
 30,9 
 
 04 
 
 16.04 
 
 1.123 
 
 10.45 
 
 1340 
 
 30.2 
 
 G6 
 
 10.90 
 
 1.125 
 
 10.70 
 
 1370 
 
 35.6 
 
 tit) 
 
 17.16 
 
 1.127 
 
 10.96 
 
 1393 
 
 35.0 
 
 ti7 
 
 17.42 
 
 1.129 
 
 17.22 
 
 1417 
 
 34 4 
 
 Ort 
 
 17.08 
 
 1.131 
 
 17.48 
 
 14)1 
 
 33.9 
 
 09 
 
 17.94 
 
 1.133 
 
 17.73 
 
 1405 
 
 33.3 
 
 70 
 
 18.20 
 
 1.1 3(> 
 
 •17.99 
 
 1489 
 
 32.7 
 
 71 
 
 18.46 
 
 1.1.38 
 
 18.25 
 
 1513 
 
 32.2 
 
 72 
 
 18.72 
 
 1.140 
 
 18.60 
 
 1538 
 
 31.7 
 
 73 
 
 18.98 
 
 1.142 
 
 18.76 
 
 1502 
 
 31.2 
 
 74 
 
 ">.24 
 
 . .144 
 
 19.02 
 
 1587 
 
 30.7 
 
 75 
 
 ;d.50 
 
 1 147 
 
 19.27 
 
 1011 
 
 30.3 
 
 76 
 
 19.76 
 
 1.149 
 
 19 53 
 
 1630 
 
 29.8 
 
 77 
 
 20.02 
 
 1.151 
 
 19.79 
 
 1601 
 
 29,4 
 
 78 
 
 20.28 
 
 1.154 
 
 20.06 
 
 1080 
 
 28.9 
 
 7!> 
 
 20 , 54 
 
 1.156 
 
 20.30 
 
 1710 
 
 28.6 
 
 HO 
 
 20. HO 
 
 1.168 
 
 20.56 
 
 1730 
 
 28.1 
 
 HI 
 
 21.06 
 
 1.160 
 
 20.82 
 
 1701 
 
 27,7 
 
 82 
 
 21.32 
 
 1.163 
 
 21.07 
 
 1786 
 
 27.3 
 
 83 
 
 21.58 
 
 1.105 
 
 21.33 
 
 1811 
 
 20,9 
 
 84 
 
 21.84 
 
 1.167 
 
 21.59 
 
 1837 
 
 26.5 
 
 85 
 
 22.10 
 
 1.170 
 
 21.84 
 
 1862 
 
 26.2 
 
 8(i 
 
 22.36 
 
 1.172 
 
 22.10 
 
 1888 
 
 25.8 
 
 87 
 
 22.02 
 
 1.176 
 
 22.36 
 
 1914 
 
 26,5 
 
 88 
 
 22.88 
 
 i.l77 
 
 22.62 
 
 1940 
 
 25,1 
 
 89 
 
 23.14 
 
 1.179 
 
 22.87 
 
 1966 
 
 24.8 
 
 00 
 
 23.40 
 
 1.182 
 
 23.13 
 
 1992 
 
 24.6 
 
 91 
 
 23.66 
 
 1.184 
 
 23.39 
 
 2018 
 
 24.2 
 
 92 
 
 23.92 
 
 1.186 
 
 23.64 
 
 2045 
 
 23.8 
 
 93 
 
 24.18 
 
 1.189 
 
 23.90 • 
 
 2072 
 
 23.6 
 
 94 
 
 24.44 
 
 1.191 
 
 24.16 
 
 2098 
 
 23.2 
 
 95 
 
 24.70 
 
 1.194 
 
 24.41 
 
 2124 
 
 23.0 
 
 96 
 
 24.96 
 
 1.196 
 
 24.67 
 
 2151 
 
 22.7 
 
 97 
 
 25.22 
 
 1.198 
 
 24.93 
 
 2178 
 
 22.4 
 
 98 
 
 25.48 
 
 1.201 
 
 25.19 
 
 2205 
 
 22.1 
 
 99 
 
 25.74 
 
 1.203 
 
 25.44 
 
 2232 
 
 21.8 
 
 100 
 
 26.00 
 
 1.205 
 
 25.70 
 
 2259 
 
 21,6 
 
 • • • 
 
 
 
 
 .... 
 
 ■ • • • 
 
86 
 
 QEOIiOOICAL SURVEY Of CANADA. 
 
 Kxplanatioii of 
 Uble. 
 
 The prcccdin;^ table is extracted from Professor Alexander Winchell's 
 Report on the geology of Michigan, published in 1861. An abstract of 
 it was given in my Report for 1866, but it has been thought advisable to 
 re-print it at length as a guide to our salt-manufacturers. Pure water 
 dissolves at ordinary temperature a little over one-third its weight of salt, 
 or from thirty-five to thirty-six hundredths. The amount varies somewhat 
 with the temperature, and the results of diflFerent experiments are more- 
 over not perfectly accordant, but from the most accurate observations it 
 appears that 100 parts by weight of pure saturated brine, at temperatures 
 from 32" to 70° F., contain from 26-3 to 26-7 parts of salt. Some 
 earlier determinations however, gave but 25-7 parts, and upon this figure 
 the table was calculated. 
 
 The specific gravity of a saturated brine at 60° F. is 1-205, pure 
 water being 1,000. The salometer employed in many salt-works for 
 fixing the value of brines is an areometer with an arbitrary scale divided 
 into 100 parts. The density of pure water on this scale is represented 
 by 0°, and that of saturated brine by 100° ; each degree of the salometer, 
 therefore, corresponds very nearly to one-quarter of one per cent of 
 salt. The areometer or hydrometer of Baum^ has also an arbitrary scale, 
 but it is an instrumeni in common use and may conveniently replace the 
 salometer. In the following table the true specific gravity, with the corres- 
 ponclmg degrees of the salometer, £md of the hydrometer of Euumd are given 
 in the first three columns. The succeeding columns give the percentage 
 of salt in a pure brine for each dogrce of the salometer, the number of 
 grains of salt to the whie pint of o&(J2o cubic inches, and the number of 
 gallons of such brine re([uired to yield a bushel of salt, weighing 56 pounds. 
 These latter numljers are based upon the supposition that a saturated brine 
 contains only 25-7 per cent of salt, but if we take into account the effect of 
 the small quantities of earthy chlorids and other impurities which ordinary 
 brines contain, they will be found not only sufficiently accurate for all 
 purposes but nearer the truth than if based upon the composition of a 
 perfectly pure brines. 
 
 r> 
 
 ■/ 
 
>) 
 
 
 
 \