The Seaforth News, 1958-08-07, Page 2Plenty Of Salt!
A few weeks ago, with some
spare time on his hands, Mana-
ger Jack Williams took a pencil
Ind, piece of paper and figured
out the rate of depletion of the
salt bed on which stands the
Canadian Salt Company's Lind-
bergh, Alberta, plant
The figures left room for con-
siderable optimism. "Geological
surveys indicate the salt bed is
about 1,000 feet thick, 700 miles
long and 300 miles wide," says.
Williams. "At the current rate
of production — about 125 tons
a day — we've carved a hole 100
feet square in the past 10 years."
The Lindbergh works is just
one operation of the Canadian
Salt Company. Its holdings ex-
tend from Alberta to Nova Sco-
tia and include four vacuum pan
salt plants of which Lind-
bergh is typical - and two rock
salt mines, and they assure Ca-
nadians of a good supply of salt
for table, highway and industry
for many, many years to come,
The Lindbergh plant, 174 miles
east and north of Edmonton, is
probably unique, however, in
that it not only has its own na-
tural gas wells, on which its
operations run, but that it gen-
erates enough surplus power to
supply the needs of • the town
of Lindbergh, one mile west, as
well as many of the farms which
dot the rolling, wooded country
in which it lies. Right now, the
plant has four major gas wells
which supply its requirements
of one million cubic feet daily,
and two smaller, stand-by wells
which, in an emergency, could
carry production for about two
hours. Three more gas wells are
to be drilled this summer, to
ensure a continued supply.
The Lindbergh salt project
was created in 1946 out of the
search for oil in Alberta. Two
Alberta oil companies, Home Oil
and Anglo -Canadian Oils, moved
into the area in that year to be-
gin wildcat operations. They
sunk six shafts which yielded
natural gas only. The gas wells
were capped, since they would
require an uneconomic pipeline
to exploit their value, but geolo-
gists had a second look at their
drill corings and decided that a
salt bed they had tapped at
about 2,600 feet merited further
investigation.
The Canadian Salt Company
was formed that year as an inde-
pendent firm. In February, 1948,
it began operations, utilizing its
own natural gas to fire its boilers
and to produce power, as the
furthest -west salt company in
Canada, Then, on July 1, 1950,
Canadian Salt became one of
the two big salt companies in
Canada through a transaction in
which the salt holdings of Cana-
dian Industries Limited at Nee-
pawa, Manitoba; Windsor, On-
tario,
ntario, and Malagash, Nova Sco-
tia, as well as the Lindbergh
works were merged into one
company, selling salt under the
Windsor trademark. A United
States firm, Morton Salt Com-
pany, holds the major portion of
the shares, while the rest of the
stock is in Canadian hands.
Two brine wells produce Lind-
bergh's salt; and to bring the
salt up, water is pumped down.
The wells consist of a 71 -inch
casing with a three-inch tube
running down the centre. Water
is pumped at 420 pounds pres-
sure down the casing; It absorbs
salt from the bed and then is
forced, by the downward pres-
sure, up the three-inch tube to
the surface.
Because of the method used,
the salt reaches the surface 99.5
per cent pure. The subterranean
bed from which it comes - like
most Canadian salt beds, a pre-
historic' sea which was buried
millions of years ago — is a
mixture of stone, salt, earth and
debris, but only the salt isdis-
solved by the water.
Experiments have shown, in-
cidentally, that it takes three
and a half months for the water
which is pumped into the cas-
ings to circulate and come back
up the tube as saturated brine,
which, when evaporated, yields
about three pounds of salt from
each gallon of water.
From the wells the brine flows
into three huge putdoor settling
tanks, each with a capacity of
100,800 gallons. Here most of the
impurities which are present are
filtered out. Caustic soda is used;
it removes 70 per cent of the 0.5
per cent of impurities. The rest
is removed in the boiling pro-
cess. One settling tank is always
in use, one Is filtering and the
third is being filled, for, Lind-
bergh operates 24 hours per day,
seven days 'a week. Its' works
staff of 45 was able to take four
Statutory holidays in 1956, but
none last year: Business has been
just that good.
Treatment in the salt evapor-
ators the vacuum pans ---
comes
comes next. Here, under ex-
tremely low pressure, the brine
is boiled to evaporate its water.
It boils so readily in the vacuum
pans that the solution is hardly
hot, since the boiling point of
liquids drops as pressure is, low-
ered.
What's left is a soupy mixture
of brine and salt known as "slur-
ry." The slurry now passes into
a rotary vacuum filter -dryer
where it is spread•thinly on a
fine cylindrical metal screen
which rotates,. writes Erik Watt
in "Imperial Oilways."
Before the cylinder has com-
pleted one rotation the salt has
been dried out by heated air
which is drawn through the cyl-
inder by high-speed fans. Three
knife blades scrape the crust
which forms from the cylinder,
so that the salt does not crystal-
lize into unwieldly chunks.
All salt produced goes through
this process, finally passing
through a long, constantly turn-
ing cylinder in which it is cool-
ed before being carried away to
the two towering "silos" in which
it is stored until needed.
Before processing, the salt is
carefully screened to remove
over -size particles, and magneti-
cally treated so that any metallic
impurities are cleaned out, Then
it is mixed with materials which
make it free -running, and treat-
ed with iodine to conform to
Pure Foods Act standards.
That is the end of the line for
table salt, except for packaging.
Yet table salt represents only 8
to 9 per cent of Lindbergh's pro-
duction. All told, the firm mar-
kets 37 different varieties of salt,
ranging up to crystals three-
quarters of an inch long which
are used in curing hides. Of the
remaining salt, about 70 per cent
is used industrially — on city
streets in winter, for example —
and 30 per cent commercially.
Lindbergh now is supplying B.C.
fishing boats with salt for pack-
ing their catch.
Lindbergh's specialty lines ori-
ginate in the "fuse plant," a
highly -secret operation where
the salt is fused — literally melt-
ed until it runs like water --
under intense heat. Just how
hot the fusing furnace is, the
company will not say. It will
admit that it takes a tempera-
ture of 1,500 degrees F. to melt
salt..
The fused salt is poured into
molds where it cools and forms
solid slabs. These then are
crushed and screened to pro-
duce the grades desired.
Lindbergh's smallest salt crys-
tals are found in flour salt, which
is used in popcornamong other
products,- because it stays evenly
distributed through the popcorn,
instead of settling to the bot-
tom of the bag. Flour salt is
rated as "-50 to 70 mesh"—
which means it, will go through
a screen which has 50 openings
in each square inch, but stays.
on top of one with 70 openings
to the 'inch.
Some salt is treated with co-
balt for use in feeding cattle.
Some becomes salt blocks, com-
pressed under tremendous pres
sure, that go to the farm and
canning trade.
On top of all this display of
efficiency at the. Lindbergh
works, • another proud boast was
added by Production Supervisor
Howard Austin: "It is three and.
a half years since we have had
a lost -time accident."
READY TO TALI( — United Arab Republic President Gamal
Abden Nasser, left, was greeted upon his arrival by ship at
Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, by Marshal Tito.
STREET SCENE -•In a sandbag emplacement in the middle of a-
street in Beirut, Lebanon, government troops stand guard with
rifles at the ready, while one lone pedestrian' hurries home,
right. Soldiers' like these were on guard at other trouble spots
in the ciiy.,
',TABLE TALI(S
eicate Anckews.
In homes where peanut butter
is a prime favorite—and there
are thousands such although
mine is not one e£ them—the fol-
lowing recipes and suggestions
will probably be welcome.
SANDWICHES
1. Thin peanut butter with
tomato juice or French dress-
ing. Spread into sandwiches and
-fry in the usual French toast
(egg and milk mixture. Cut into
three "fingers" and serve with
cups of hot soup, carrot and cel-
ery sticks,
* * *
2. Dessert sandwiches can be
made by thinning peanut but-
ter with milk or fruit juice.
Spread on half the slices and on
the rest spread jam or jelly.
Put together and dip in egg and
milk mixture, with a European
twist taught us by a French
friend. To the dipping mixture,
add 1 tbs. sugar, '/a tsp.. vanilla,
and a dash of nutmeg. Fry as
usual. Serve with apple sauce
and hot cocoa or chocolate milk.
3. Sunday morning toast is a
special treat. Spread peanut but-
ter on lightly toasted bread;
cover with banana slices and
drizzle honey lightly over all,
shaking on a little cinnamon, if
desired. Broil until it all bubbles.
• • •
4. Luncheon toast is made as
follows: Spread the toast with
chunky peanut butter, cut each
slice into triangles and put on
serving plate. Pour over 11 a
thick sauce made of slightly di-
luted cream Of tomato soup.
Served with a green salad and
potato chips, this is an ample
lunch and a wonderful menu in
an emergency.
a a •
Stuffed Celery Sticks
Thin peanut butter with
French dressing, adding a little
savory salt. Stir in as much
finely grated carrot as possible,
and stuff celery 'sticks. Cut into
suitable lengths and garnish.
with sliced stuffed olives. Serve
as an appetizer with tomato
juice.
5 * •
Salad Dressing
cup boiled dressing or may-
onnaise
'/ cup peanut butter
1% tbs. Lemon juice
3 :cup French, dressing (scant)
Blend well. This dressing is
particularly successful with
bananas, grated carrot, and
raisins; or cabbage, apple and
• raisins, When used with cab-
bage, carrot and finely .chopped
pickle, 15' ,makes an excellent
accompaniment for bakedbeans.
u 5 5
Sauce for Vegetables
1A cup peanut butter
3/s cup hot water or milk
1 can condensed cream of cel-
ery soup
Blend well and use over
freshly cooked cabbage or 'on-
ions.
Or merely parboil onions,
slice rather thick or lightly cook
and coarsely grate cabbage, and
alternatewith sauce in casserole
dish. Top with fine crumbs or
crushed corn flakes. Bake 20 to
30 minutes. Serve with baked
or German fried potatoes and
cold meat, or hamburgers.
Variation:
A similar sauce :rnay be made
by substitdting .cream of tomato
for celery soup Alternate with
cooked macaroni and sliced or
drained tinned tomatoes.
e m
*
Peanut Soup
3 tbs. peanut butter
5/ cup hot milk
1 can tomato soup, thinned ac-
cording to directions '
Blend well. Pour into bowls
and top each bowl with a few
kernels of popped corn.
' • •
Peanut Camp Loaf-
% medium-sized onion, sliced
thin and fried gently in but-
ter until golden in color
% cup milk, heated
a/ cup peanut butter
1%' cups cream style corn (1
No. 2 can) •
2 eggs slightly beaten
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1/4 tsp. monosodium glutamate
1 cup bread or cracker crumbs
Mix well but lightly, turn intb
buttered pan. Let stand .a little
while before baking: It can be
refrigerated at this point if you
are preparing ahead. Bake in
medium oven (350° F) about 30
to 40 minutes.
Serve piping hot with tomato
sauce. Serves 6.
F k •
•
Carrot Rice Loaf'
2 cups grated raw carrots
1 cup cold cooked rice
% cup peanutb utter
2.tsp. grated onion
' cup wheat germ
1 cup condensed cream of
celery soup
3 tbs. salad oil
Celery salt and sage to taste
Mix thoroughly but lightly. If
mixture seems too soft add a
few cracker crumbs. Bake 'slow-
ly 1 hour. Serve with -sauce of
celery soup. Serves 4-6.
Suitcase Living
Made Much Easier
Drip-dry fabrics mean that
today's traveller needs to pack
fewer clothes. But now she must'
be prepared for hotel -room laun-
dering,
That's why manufacturers are
producinglaundry aids especi-
ally designed to be tucked into
a corner of'a suitcase.
For instance, there's an elas-
tic clothes line that hooks onto
doorknobs, nails or any handy
hook. Clothes pins aren't neces-
sary with this line for the
twisted: ropes separate to grip
the clothes. Collapsable .plastic
clothes hangers avoid danger of
hanger rust ` or stain when the
dresses, blouses or shirts are be-
ing drip-dried. And small enve-
lopes of detergent come in handy
for rinsing out clothes in a hotel
bathroom. •
Since so many people are on
the move, a great deal of thought
has been given to, travel acces-
sories: Now on the market are
tubes of toilet soap which double
as shampoo for the hair. And for
freshening -up where soap and
water aren't available, naanu-
•facturers have introduced pack-
ages of moist towelettes: This
novelty cleans hands , and face
without water, soap or towel.
Though not a new item, poly-
thene bags are still indispensable
to the traveller. They keepshoes
from soiling clothes and make
a neater job of packing. A few
extra bags in various sizes will
invariably come in handyfor
wet time cloths, bathing suits Or
for keeping soiled laundry sep-
arate from clean clothes.
Already tried and proven for
travelling are polythene cosmetic
bottles. Because they are un-
breakable, there's no fear of spil-
ling make-up or lotion and they
THEN THE FAT WAS
IN THE FIRE
Maria Trichinoglou; an attrac-
tive housewife of Athens, Greece,
had a perfect defence when she
was charged in a magistrate's
court recently with causing facial
burns to her husband by throw-
ing boiling cooking fat at him.
She explained to the court:
"The oil was in the pan and
be was trying to pour it over
my head, but I hit it from un-
derneath and he got it in the
face, Maria was acquitted.
weigh next to nothing. However,
perfume doesn't travel well in
polythene so it's advisable te.
take along some stick cologne.
A polythene soap dish is just
the thing for carrying jewelery
Being soft :it•,doesn't mark thl
jewelery and takes up lath
space in a crowded suitcase.
The wise traveller takes along
an emergency sewing kit. Pins
needles and thread all togethei.
in a plastic bag can be packel
inside a shoe,
It's easy to live out of a suit
case these days, A trip to thi
local department store will tura
up dozens of handy travellin:
gadgets.
Faded awnings .and canvas
chairs can be brightened wits
special paints that won't mak:
the canvas stiff. There's a choice
of gay colors and you can have
'fun painting multi - colorer
stripes. Here's the, trick fol
straight lines — use maskint
tape. It prevents the stripes fron
running into each other.
SKI FOR TWO—Making quite t
splash in the calm waters of
Cypress Gardens, Mary Loi
Rhodes and Buster MacCalit
prove that one ski is sometime
enough for two. Ws 'a goat
trick, if you can do it.
French Nation Waits While De Gaulle Works
By ROSETTE HARGRAVE
NEA Staff Correspondent
PARIS—(NEA)—It is difficult
to believe nowthat there was a
moment a few weeks ago when
all France seemed poised on the
edge of civil war.
For less than two months af-
ter Gen. Charles de Gaulle came
to power as premier, the con-
flicting passions and uncertainty
that could be felt in the streets
during the last days of May have
given way to calmness, 'security
—and waiting.
When he took power on June.
1, de Gaulle gave himself six
morth- fn solve — or make a
ving the multitude
that beset his be -
...nee. Already, he can
claim several solid achievements.
The state loan. has been a
great success thus far, which •is
an indication that French men
and women have regained some
confidence in the future. In one
day alone, 18 million dollars in
carefully hoarded gold came
pouring into thesadly depleted
national treasury.
The explosive dispute with
Tunisia over withdrawal of
French troops from the former
protectorate has been ended with
agreement that all forces will be
removed ,save those at the major
base at Bizerte.
Work is well under way on
reform of the constitution, which
de Gaulle and many French and
foreign observers believe is the,
•key to future political stability.
There remains, of course, the
crucial problem: Algeria. The
details of de Gaulle's formula
for the future Of the North Afri-
can territory are one of the
things for which France is wait-
ing.
If de Gaulle's return to power
has changed the mood of the •
nation, his personality and meth-
od of operation have revolution-
ized the premier's office.
Before the general even could
settle down in the Hotel Matig-
non, official residence of the
prime minister, one important
,change had to be -made. A longer
bed had to be brought into the
25 -room, 17th Century • Paris
mansion so that the towering de
Gaulle could sleep in comfort.
Perhaps the fact that de Gaulle
is the first military ,man to oc-
cupy Matignon is what gives a
visitor the impression of orderly
bustle. Motorcyclists dash in and
out of the inner courtyard. Re-
publican guards in full dress
scurry . about carrying bulging•.
dispatch cases.
A beautiful staircase leads to
the second floor and the gen-
eral's office, a large, high-ceil-
inged room overlooking a land-
scaped garden. The premier, up
at 6 a.m., is at his desk at 9.
The desk is. free of papers; there
is no telephone in sight;
The "patron" or boss, as his
staff refers to him, insists on
three things: punctuality, dis-
cretion and brevity and clarity
in writing or talking.
The second rule is a major
change, for Matignon used to be
known as "the Palace of Ru-
mors." But now newsmen find it
more difficult to contact mem-
bers of the premier's staff, and
when they do, find the staff close-
mouthed.
In -an effort to avoid being
overwhelmed with purely ad-
ministrative details, the general's
closest 'advisors have been in-
structed to sum up in brief notes
the matters calling for his study
and approval. De Gaulle tends
to be angered by the countless
minor matters that call for his
signature.
The general's lifetime of mili-
tary service and his personality
make it impossible for him to
be informal — he never. calls
members of his staff by their
first names. But his attitude is
not dictatorial, if only because
he is ready to listen to the ideas
of -those with whom he works.
In. fact, those who have had
the opportunity of talking with
de Gaulle in recent weeks say
that the' general has acquired
during his 12 .years of retirement
a fund of patience, and even a
slight skill at engaging in hu-
morous small -talk. During the
war years, these were among
his minor virtues.
The premier never works past
8 p.m., and neither ,.wishes nor
expects his staff to work beyond
that hour. He has given orders
never 'to be disturbed after office
hours save in the event of a
national emergency.
In these days, the Premier of
France needs his sleep,
IN THE FIRST few weeks of General de Gaulle's premiership, the mood of French men anti
women has become more confident.
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