HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-07-16, Page 61PoQo 411
.,:
Search for oil led to discovery of salt
o A small company was formed in
GI erich in the year 1&k for the purpose of
exploring this district for oil. The site
chosen for these activities was Maitland -
vine, afterwards called. Saltford, in Col-
borne
olborne Township.
The company drilled some 900 feet
without any sign of oil, and were ready to
give up the project. In their absence sod
rneone poured oil down the drill hole, and
when they found signs of oil it created
quite a flurry of excitement and they con-
tinued
ontinned to drill deeper. •
When they had reached the 1000 -foot
level they struck a solid salt bed. The news
soon spread, and before long more com-
panies were formed and six wells were
drilled in a radius of one-eighth of a mile.
At that time the bed was supposed to be.
quite small and eachcompany was afraid
of missing the deposit.
The most important one and the one that
continued the longest in operation was
owned by Peter MacEwan.
This was the first salt well in North
America where the fully saturated brine
was pumped out of the salt rock bed,
After the brine was pumped out, there
were several methods of evaporation. The
first method was the natural evaporation
by the sun. This was very, slow and better
methods had to be devised. The second
method consisted of huge iron kettles, with
a diameter of 41%i feet, set in pairs and ten
tura .row, and seton a flue and fired from
one end. As the salt was deposited it was
ladled out, and put in bins to dry before it
was barrelled for market,
The process next : devised was a huge
double -bottomed open pan about ;80 feet
1'ong'b r 20 feet wide,. Boilers were placed
below and the, steam generated , went.
through the double pan and evaporated the.
brine. This was a vastly improved 'design,
as the steam was condensed and returned
to the boilerswithout loss.
• This last method was again changed and
larger pans 22 feet wide and 100 feet long
were installed, with sloping sides allowing
the operator to use long rakes to rake the
salt up on to dry platforms. This was the
e\
in 1905*
The Bridge to Saltford vas constructed in 1883. Photo*
wa$ taken
type used by Peter MacEwan and was.
capable of making about 100 to 125 barrels
per day.
It required four_furnaces mounted at the
front of this pan to produce, the required
temperature.. It was necessary to operate
this. system 24 hours a day, and it took a
cord of four -foot body wood each hour.
At that time salt was delivered , into
. railway cars at Goderich for as low as 45
cents for a 300-1b. barrel. The retail price
of salt was from 60 cents to 75 cents per
barrel. Eizen at that price some complain-
ed
omplained of the high cost of salt. There was a
•
•
standing offer that if a man could roll out a
300 -Ib. barrel, and put it on his wagon box,
he could have it for, nothing. Salt sold .at
that time for $1.50 for soiled salt and $2.50
for clean salt, per. ton. •
There were a number of
different grades
of salt. Some was kept fortable use, some
for butter and dairy use. Chemicals bad to
be added to keep it free -running, as salt
will absorb moisture. This better -grade
saltwas put into cotton bags, in 2, 3,: 5, 8,
10 -pound lots. These bags were made in the
.plant and filled by. girls. They were then
put into barrels for .shipment. Some salt
0
• also was shipped in 50,100, and 200-1b. bags °
of cotton or jute.
The lumber produced by this firm sold
as follows: Hemlock No. 1 at $7.00 per
thousand at the mill; basswood, delivered
on freight cars at. Goderich, $10.00 per
thousand; white ash No. 1 perfect, 12 feet
long, fit for tongues, $12.00; white ash No. 1
perfect, 14 feet long, fit for binder tongues,
$14.00; rock elm, 16 to 20 feet long for
culverts, $14.00 per thousand.
Saltford was a busy place in those days,
and about eighty persons were engaged in
• the plant which is now obsolete.
HAPPY :1.5.0
Wishing all the residents
of Colborne Township a
very special time during
your Sesquicentennial.
o ng rat uia
orne Towns
(6 JIIB
�►= _,orf
r 'j `
"MEW
On behalf of McDonald`s Restaurants World -Wide it is with great honour
that we salute the Sesquicentennial Committee and the people, past and present,
who have worked so hard to make this area a place 'all' can be proud of..
We too are proud -to call this area `home for the past 12 months and look
forward to serving.your needs
and contributing to the
community for many years to
come..
Best Wishes for a
terrific weekend of
° Celebrations full of
, fun and merriment,
From the Management and Staff at
HAYTER Chev-OIds
Kingston St. Goderlch,
354 BAYFIELD RD.
GODERICH
MCDonaids
1111 111 (04