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Home My WebLink AboutZurich Citizens News, 1972-06-15, Page 16PAGE 16 ZURICH CITIZENS NEWS THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 1972 Salt early industry in Hensall This week the Citizens News is running another story in a series written by the local young people who are working on the "Opportunity for Youth" program in this area. Part of the work of the group is digging into old records to find out what industry was in the area many years ago. In their research work the group are coming across many inter- esting facts concerning early activities in the area. This week's story deals with a salt mine which had been in operat- ion in Hensall many years ago. 1IENSALL SALT MINE Although when one thinks today about the production of salt in Huron County, he thinks almost automatically of God- erich, In the latter part of the 19th century, salt was mined and processed in the village of Hensall, just south of South Richmond Street, behind the present Thompson silos. In July, 1880, it was reported in the Huron Expositor that Mr. Petty, Carter, and Wilson had formed a stock company to sink a salt well. The optimism with which the prospect of this new industry was greeted was reflect- ed in this newspaper account of June 2, 1881: "The Hensall Salt Well Com- pany have commenced operat- ions and the work is progressing satisfactorily. The engine and other machinery necessary has been erected, and drilling will commence today. Mr. McEwen, the contractor, feels quite sanguine in regard to finding salt, although he says it is con- siderably inside the salt block line. If sufficient salt be found, the company proposes running the works to their fullest capac- ity and will give employment to about 30 hands, and will also carry on coopering in con- nection. The G.W.R. Comp- any have already delivered the rails for a siding from the well to the main line." By November 1881, Mr. Mc- Ewen had finally succeeded in striking the salt rock at the depth of 1, 011 feet, but appar- ently the industry was not active until 1883 when a new salt well syndicate was formed. In April, the evaporating pans had arrived and were being assembl- ed, and in June a large smoke stack was erected. By June 22, 1883, the Hensall Salt Comp- any was reported to be in full operation, After the salt brine was pump- ed from the well by a steam engine pump, the brine was piped into the two evaporator pans from a large wooden stor- age tank. A fireplace beneath the pans supplied heat for the evaporation process, and fine salt was produced in the hotter front pans, coarse salt in the back pans which heated more slowly. In 1893, a sample of the Hensall salt was taken tc the World's Fair, in Chicago, and it won the highest award, thus attesting to the quality of the product. The salt was disposed of both by retailing it locally, espec- ially to farmers for sowing on the land, and by shipping it abroad by train. Some of the salt was shipped out in barrels, and, consequently, a barrel - making industry was established consisting of a stave factory, a heading mill, and a cooperage Rec program starts Monday This past week,' the gymn- asium in the Zurich Arena has been undergoing a face-lifting. A basketball court and two badminton courts have been painted on the floor. Four additional people have been added to the recreation staff; -Bill Mills, London, Mike Miller, Dashwood, Ruth Ann Fleischauer, Zurich, and Jamie Kneale from Grand Bend. All have had previous exper- ience in recreation. The following programs will begin Monday, June 19: - Registration for swimming instruction (all ages) Monday, June 19, from l; to 8 p.m. at the Zurich Arena. Teens Badminton, Monday, June 19, from 2 to d p. in. at the Zurich Arena. Ladies' Physical Fitness, Ivlonday, June 19, from 7 to 8 p.nt, at the Zurich Arena. Men's Physical Fitness, Tues- day from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Zurich Arena, PLEASE NOTE: for both fit- ness classes, please dress in loose clothing and soft solid shoes. Thu. t Fri.I 6 Sat.! 6 Con 'i PARAMOUNT PICTURES IS N PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE RETURN OF THE wceitCommoid w GREATEST FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT OF AU. TIMEI THE PARTING OF THE RED SEA The Single Most Spectacular Scene Ever Filmed. Sun.18 Mon.19 Toe.20 Off LIFE Ir a Png...l C.I.• Pnlu,e. enJam. 7 IVES uol. Suddenly STARRING: ..ehole .hhoh.P o huge whne .hmh. DON SCARRING, RALPH EtNDERSBY, tom./ en Prd MIKE 1Ie•TKULEWICH moneudnr P,.em AOIIKT EHTEAIAINMENT MIErIN1ERTAINMENT ...WILL RIP YOU ApARr! BURT REYNOLDS • BARRY SULLIVAN • ARTHUR KENNEDY Wed. 21 rhu.22 Frr.23 Sar.24 ACADEMY AWARD WINNER!' /1 In everyone's life there's a SUMMER OF '42 A Robert Mulligan/Richard A. Roth Production JENNIFER O'NEILL • GARY GRIMES JERRY HOUSER • OLIVER CONANT Mullen by pAnduced by ADALTENRATAINMENT HERMAN RAUCHER RICHARD A. ROTH PAUL NEWMAN IN HARPER TECHNICOLOR. (' #I5T44' RRIVR'IN THEATRE VJ,Y 8 014E8188 AT CONCESSION Rp, 4 OPENS AT 8:30 ADULTENTERTAINMENT shop where the barrels were assembled, at the rate of 500 barrels a day in the apple season The barrels were used to ship flour and oatmeal in addition to salt and apples. The salt mine and the barrel industry together employed approximately 40 men, thus proving to be a great asset to a young village. however, this large industry was to have a fairly short life, for after about 20 years, the works were closed down when an outside syndicate purchased the salt business in 1904, • FIRM EXPANDS J . C . Finnen, president of Dashwood Industries Limited, recently announced the acquis- ition of Glenway Supply Limit- ed, effective June 1, 1972 which will operate as a division of the company. Federation plans lob survey A referral system for students seeking summer employment on Huron County farms is to be set up by the Huron County Fed- eration of Agriculture. Directors of the Federation voted recently in a meeting in Clinton to have the names of students seeking farm work registered through the high schools with the Federation office in Clinton. Tohn Stafford, past president, explained that any farmer want- ing work could call the HFA office and get the names of students in his area wanting farm work. At the same meeting, the directors also heard details of the Rural -Urban exchange prog- ram carried out through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture Dianne Finnes, co-ordinator of the program in Huron, Middlesex and Elgin counties spoke to the directors about the program which was first operated last year. She said the program must have been a success because three quarters of the applications so far have come from farm families who took part in the program last year. Although there was no organ- ized arrangement for return visits of the farm children to the city, she said about two- thirds of the farm children in- volved did visit their city counterpart. Vince Austin of Dungannon -reported on the last meeting of the Ontario Federation of Agric- ulture. He noted a definition of a farmer had finally been worked out as being a person whi had an income of $3000 or more from farming and who had more than 50 per cent of his income from farming. Bill Crawford, the secretary- fieldman for the HFA told the directors of the discussion FATHER'S SWIVEL ROCKER AY CHA 1R ROCKER RECLINER S KRQEHLER Si namM DESIGNS Special Prices LAZY BOY MAS TCHAIR LEATHER RECLINERS Occasional Chairs — priced from $26.95 up Tell Father von want him to enjoy the soft Life ... to know that luxurious comfort awaits him every day and night of the year! Westlake Furniture Main Street ZURICH Phone 236-4364