USA > New York > Onondaga County > Onondaga, or, Reminiscences of earlier and later times, being a series of historical sketches relative to Onondaga, with notes on the several towns in the county, and Oswego, Vol. II > Part 2
USA > New York > Oswego County > Onondaga, or, Reminiscences of earlier and later times, being a series of historical sketches relative to Onondaga, with notes on the several towns in the county, and Oswego, Vol. II > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32
In 1813, an act was passed providing for the appointment of an assistant deputy superintendent, to keep the office of inspection, which office was to be kept open from the rising to the setting of the sun ; and no deputy or assistant deputy was to have any interest whatever in any salt works.
January, 1815, Superintendent reports 295,215 bushels as the amount of salt manufactured at the several salt works in the town of Salina, and the revenue at three cents per bushel, $7,856 45 940 00
Other sources,
Whole revenue for year ending 1st. Jan., 1815, $8,796 45
In 1816 the office of Deputy Superintendent was abolished and the salary of the Superintendent increased by $250 per year.
In 1816, for the increase of the canal fund a duty of twelve and a half cents per bushel was laid upon Onondaga salt, to
B 2
18
ONONDAGA.
be collected as heretofore, the three cent duty being set aside, and the Superintendent instead of making a yearly report to the Legislature, was required to make a quarterly report, to the Commissioners of the Canal Fund, and pay into the treasury of the State, all monies collected, except satisfaction for sala- ries and expenses, on the first Tuesdays of February, May, August and November, in each year.
First of January 1816, Superintendent reports 322,058 bushels manufactured and the revenue at three cents per bushel, $9,661,74. The annual reports of Superintendent from 1818 to 1823 have not been obtained and the statistics for those years are necessarily omitted.
In 1820, the Commissioners of the land office were author- ized, to survey and lay out lots on the salt spring reservation, like other unappropriated lands in the State, and sell them for the convenience and furtherance of the growth of the vil- lages on said reservation, and to lay out so many village and manufacturing lots, with such additional streets, squares, &c., as the wants and future growth and accommodation of the villages, and the extension of salt manufactories on said tract might require. These lots were to be sold and the proceeds handed over to the Commissioners of the Canal Fund and $20,000, arising from the first of said sales, was to be applied and appropriated, to the improvement of the navigation of Oswego river. Additional caution was used in the manufac- ture and inspection of salt.
The use of lime or ashes was prohibited in the manufacture of salt, under a penalty of fifty dollars for each and every offense, and manufacturers were required to keep in use two good bittern pans, for every three kettles, employed in the manufacture of salt, under penalty of twenty-five cents for every case of neglect. The effect of these seemingly arbi- trary laws and their wholesome administration was the means of improving the quality of the Onondaga salt, which for years had been mingled with impurities incident to careless- ness and neglect.
The term reservation, was construed to mean and be, all
19
SALT SPRINGS.
the territory, which was originally set apart and reserved for the salt springs of Onondaga County. Privilege was given to every individual or company, to erect works for the manu- facture of coarse salt, by evaporation in the sun, or by arti- ficial heat in vats or pans, on any of the public lands, reserved by the commissioners of the land office, for the purpose of manufacturing coarse salt only, for the term of twenty years. Such individuals or companies, erecting manufactories of coarse salt, were allowed to pump and use any surplus water from any of the salt springs at Salina, and carry the same in aqueducts, to reservoirs, to be erected at proper elevations, and from the reservoirs to these manufactories, and to use so much of the surplus water of the Erie Canal on the Salina level, as might be necessary to pump the same; subject to the supervision of the canal commissioners, and they were obliged to pump for any other manufactories at a rate not exceeding two mills per bushel whenever there was sufficient water in the Erie Canal, for driving machinery and sufficient surplus brine in the springs at Salina. The State might take and occupy the same at any time by paying the owners a fair value for the same.
Major Benajah Byington, who for a number of years had been engaged in the manufacture of salt at Salina, was au- thorized by an act of the Legislature, passed in 1820, to bore for rock salt, at any point on the reservation. In case of dis- covery within three years, the State was to give him a premium of two cents per bushel of fifty-six pounds, on all salt dug, used or manufactured from such rock salt, for the term of ten years; at the same time, reserving the right to take back, into their own hands, any works, pits, mines, or erections, at any time, by paying three times what the same should cost the proprietor. This act was renewed and strenuous efforts were made to find rock salt, but without success; and it is now ge- nerally conceded that rock salt is not to be found, by boring in the immediate vicinity of the salt springs. His borings and explorations were mostly made on the high grounds east of Salina.
20
ONONDAGA.
To prevent frauds on the revenue and for the interest of the State, it was enacted, in 1821, that the Superintendent might charge duties on the salt water manufactured in vats or pans, according to the quantity of salt they were capable of producing, after making due allowance for waste and im- purities. Duties were to be paid quarterly, on the first days of January, April, July and October. In case of non-pay- ment, the Superintendent was authorised to enter on and sell such manufactory at public auction. The commissioners were directed to lay out and set apart, on and near the bank of the Erie canal, between the village of Salina and the Erie canal, and elsewhere in the town of Salina, suitable lands for the erection of manufactories of coarse salt, according to the pro- visions of the statute. This may be considered the origin and commencement of our solar evaporating salt works. Soon af- ter this were organized the Onondaga and Syracuse Salt Com- panies, who erected suitable vats and apparatus for the manu- facture of coarse salt.
As an encouragement for the manufacture of coarse salt, an act was passed in 1822, offering a bounty of three cents per measured bushel on all coarse salt which should find its way to the banks of the Hudson River or Lake Erie, or that should be shipped from Oswego to Lower Canada, for the term of five years. This bounty was to be paid to the two first manufactories of coarse salt, owned by individuals or compa- nies, who should first and within five years manufacture 100,- 000 bushels of coarse salt each. As a further inducement, these coarse salt manufactories were allowed the first privilege of salt water from the springs. The wilful destroying of any coarse salt erections by fire or otherwise was made a felony. All laborers engaged about the coarse salt works were exempt from serving on juries and from ordinary military duty.
Four thousand five hundred dollars was appropriated for the purpose of lowering Onondaga Lake. The canal com- missioners were instructed to cut a channel, of such width and depth as in their opinion would be necessary to permit the waters of the lake to subside to a level with Seneca River.
21
SALT SPRINGS.
This operation was considered quite an improvement in the navigation of the Onondaga River, and in laying bare a wide surface of the salt marsh, which at high water was inundated.
Previous to 1822, the manufacture of salt by boiling had been confined by law to particular portions of the reservation, called salt lots, at the villages of Salina, Geddes and Liver- pool. This year an act was passed, allowing salt to be man- ufactured on the east bank of the Salina canal and elsewhere. There seemed to be a settled opposition to this law and to its going into practical operation, by certain people who clamor- ously opposed it. The first demonstration towards extending works along the Salina canal was made by John Wilkinson, Matthew Davis, George Davis and Henry Gifford, who pro- ceeded to erect their salt works. The Superintendent remon- strated, stormed, scolded and threatened to tear it down; order- ed all workmen to keep clear of it, or they might bring them- selves into trouble. Amidst all the turmoil and confusion the work went vigorously on, till in due time it was completed, and directly their works went into successful operation. They were supplied with brine from the coarse salt company's works. Mr. Wilkinson sold his interest to Mr. Gifford, and the re- maining partners carried on the manufacture of salt, the first out of the original salt lots of Salina. After a while opposi- tion ceased. Others seeing these works going on in success- ful and unembarrassed operation, erected salt works all along the Salina canal, which have since continued, without opposi- tion, in uninterrupted prosperity.
In 1823, an act was passed for the closer inspection of salt, and provision made for the appointment of an Inspector, with necessary assistants ; one to reside at each of the villages of Salina, Syracuse, Liverpool and Geddes. Heavy penalties were enacted against every species of fraud, and against the waste of water. Amount of salt inspected in 1824 was 827,162. bushels.
In 1825, an act was passed providing an engineer for the salt works at Salina. Simeon Ford, Esq. was appointed by the Governor and Senate, and to him was assigned the whole
22
ONONDAGA.
possession and supervision of pumps, aqueducts, reservoirs, wells, conduits and machinery, and with the distribution of the salt water, at a salary of one thousand dollars per year. His first report was made to the Legislature on the 7th of February, 1826.
His first movement was to take possession in behalf of the State, of all the buildings and machinery of the Onondaga and Syracuse Coarse Salt Companies, and for the purpose of compounding with said companies for the reasonable value thereof, the whole matter was submitted to Azariah Smith and Sylvanus Tousley, of Manlius and Robert Richardson, of Vernon, who, after due examination, awarded the companies $8,700, which sum was paid them by the treasurer of the State.
The property, thus taken into the possession of the State, consisted of a well and reservoir with two chambers sixty feet long by twenty-five wide, each six feet deep, with about twen- ty-five miles of wooden tubes for conveying salt water. In his report he states the following observations :-
"There can be no doubt that there are large beds of fossil salt in the neighborhood of Salina, and recommends the carrying down a shaft to a considerable depth. The probability is, that the fresh water which enters into the salt pits enters the ground on the oak hills back from the lake, and passing over the rock becomes more or less saturated, according to the quantity ad- mitted and the time taken up in passing over the rocks. The reason why the water is supposed to come from the oak hills is, that whenever the present well is cleansed, acorns, hickory nuts, leaves, sticks and pieces of oak wood will be found rising through the orifices in which the salt water appears, from the bottom of the well. A large mandrake rose through one of the crevices at the bottom, and was taken out in a complete state of saturation."
Under the direction of the engineer, a new well was sunk, thirty feet deep and twelve feet in diameter. This was done as follows : staves were dressed out thirty-two feet long, well fitted together with grooves and tongues, and then set up in
23
SALT SPRINGS.
the form of a cylinder and strongly banded with iron. By means of a pile driver these staves were driven about two feet at a time to the depth of thirty feet, after which the earth was taken out from the inside. This and other erections and fix- tures cost the State over $30,000.
Mr. Henry Burden, Superintendent of the Troy Nail Fac- tory, was applied to, to visit the salt springs, in order to de- vise plans for new pumps, and such erections as might be thought necessary. An expensive outlay was made for the construction of machinery at the Cold Spring foundry, near West Point, and extensive reservoirs were erected for the convenience of the coarse salt fields.
The number of bushels of salt manufactured and reported for the year 1825, was 768,188. The superintendent received a premium of six cents per barrel, on all Onondaga salt going as far east as Albany ; tolls on canal being fifteen cents, which gave the State a nett profit of nine cents.
The Superintendent's report, February, 1826, says, " there are now on the reservation, 150 manufactories of fine salt, con- taining 2,275 kettles, viz. : at Salina, ninety-seven blocks, of 1,412 kettles ; at Geddes, twenty blocks, of 274 kettles; at Liverpool, twenty-three blocks containing 311 kettles ; and at Syracuse, seventeen blocks, containing 278 kettles ; and there are three manufactories of coarse salt by artificial heat, at Salina. The Syracuse Company have erected 36,416 feet in length of vats, for solar evaporation; the Onondaga Salt Com- pany, 35,800 feet; and Henry Gifford, 2,784; making in all, 74,700 feet in length, by eighteen feet in width, exposing a surface of 1,354,640 superficial feet. When in a proper state for evaporation, the vats contain at least 3,000,000 gallons of brine. There have been inspected on the reservation, 816,000 bushels. The whole works now erected, are competent to manufacture two million bushels." This year a pump was borrowed from the State Prison at Auburn, and set up and put in operation at Geddes. It proved unavailable, and the Messrs. Townsend, of Albany, furnished a new pump in the month of December. This year a well was sunk at Liverpool,
24
ONONDAGA.
which promised a supply of good strong brine. This well was dug in what Professor Eaton terms "saliferous rock." It is the only well dug on the marsh, which did not require a curb. A substantial double forcing pump was erected here to raise the water a sufficient height to run to Liverpool. The Super- intendent reports the works to have been greatly improved and enlarged, some of the blocks containing from sixteen to twenty kettles each, of the capacity of from ninety to one hundred gallons.
In 1827, borings were made at Geddes, Salina, and one mile north of Salina, where an abundance of brine was found, of a quality equal, if not superior, to that of the old well at Salina. The office of Engineer of the Onondaga Salt Springs, was this year abolished. Report for Junuary, 1828, states, that 1,103,172 bushels were manufactured and inspected at the several salt works on the Reservation, including the month of November of the previous year.
In 1829, Superintendent reports improvements in the various salt works, and the amount, inspected, 116,888 bushels ; the duties of engineer devolving upon him. That borings have been extended to the depth of from sixty to two hundred feet, with a great increase of quality. Number of blocks, 139; number of kettles, 3,065. Principal part of the salt made at Syracuse, is by the Syracuse and Onondaga Salt Companies, by solar evaporation.
In 1830, the first iron tubes were sunk by boring, at Syra- cuse. Tubes twelve inches in diameter, in sections three and a half feet long, strongly clamped together, proved entirely successful. At a depth of sixty feet, a brine was found of from twenty-five to thirty per cent. greater strength, than that of the Salina well. Six perforations were made in dif- ferent directions, of the same depths, with the like results. The consequence was, that the well at Green Point was aban- doned, the new borings affording a far better quality.
During the year 1831, there was manufactured 189,000 bushels of coarse salt; and, there were also 1,333,024 super- ficial feet of vats, 135 salt blocks, containing 3,076 kettles.
25
SALT SPRINGS.
The public works for raising salt water in 1831 were re- ported to consist of seven erections, four of which were car- ried by water power, and three by steam.
The pumps most in use were three, propelled by water power, two of which were located at Salina, the other at Ged- des. The two mill duty on every bushel of salt made for the purpose of defraying the expenses of pumping, &e., was strongly urged to be repealed.
In 1832, reported as manufactured 187,653 bushels of coarse salt, and 679,183 bushels of fine salt ; total, 866,836 ; and the amount collected for raising salt water, $3,305 97; amount expended during that time for tending pumps and keeping the same in repair, was $1,992 51.
In 1834, the sum expended on public pumps, during past year, was $2,897,27 ; collected for raising salt water, $3,677. All the manufactories in Liverpool, Salina and Geddes, drew their water from the Salina spring.
In 1831, Mr. Stephen Smith, an agent of the Onondaga Salt Company, and other persons, had bored to the depth of one hundred and sixty feet, and obtained water, which the proprietors of the spring claimed to be equal in quality and quantity to the best spring at Salina. They requested the Su- perintendent to take possession and charge of it according to law, to which he consented, if the manufacturers there would agree to relinquish the use of the water from the spring at Salina. The Syracuse and Onondaga Salt Companies de- clined aceeding to this proposition. For the purpose of test- ing the quality of the waters at this well, the Superintendent contrated with Mr. Gifford to put in operation a pump near the spring. Upon a thorough experiment, it was found equal if not superior to the well at Salina, and was taken in charge by the Superintendent for the State.
Whole amount of superficial feet of salt vats for this year, was 1,473,494; Onondaga Salt Company, 618,000 ; Syra- cuse Company, 668,488; Gifford's, 119,808 ; Brewster's at Geddes, 67,198.
In 1835, the best pump at Salina, was insufficient to afford
26
ONONDAGA.
water for the works. In consequence, most of the manufacto- ries at Liverpool were suspended for several weeks.
Amount paid into the treasury this year, $121,856 80.
Expenses of pumping, &c., -
6,130 60.
Collected for pumping by two mill tax, 4,445 77.
In 1836, the Superintendent reported 297,009 bushels less than the previous year. The uncommon depth of snow broke down the salt vat roofs ; consequently the best part of the season passed, before they could be repaired. The deep snow also prevented the banking of wood, and the unparalleled spring freshets, seriously injured the works on the banks of the lake, and greatly retarded the commencement of opera- tions. A new well was sunk at Liverpool, and new pump works erected, capable of raising 400 gallons per minute.
In 1837, cost of pumps reported for the year past, in- cluding pump houses, reservoirs, and all other fixtures, to- gether with the expense of supplying the Liverpool level of the Oswego Canal with water to propel machinery, $5,319 32. The whole expense of the engineer's department was $9,660. Collected from manufacturers, the sum of $4,322 36 for pumping water for their use, and $3,450 for ordinary repairs of making and tending the same. $6,208 99 was expended on canals and new structures. The report says that the present erections are capable, under favorable circumstances, of pro- ducing 4,000,000 of bushels, annually. Amount paid into the Treasury, $115,081 83; amount collected for duties, $129,677 26.
In 1838-39, was expended in the engineer's department, $7,762 02; paid by manufacturers for pumping, $4,849 79 ; building machinery for horse power, at Liverpool, $500 ; open- ing wells for better supply of brine, $1600 ; for instruments to test the strength of brine at different wells, $112 94; leaving the sum of $3,643 08 for ordinary repairs. $8000 was appropriated to enable the Superintendent to sink a shaft or well six hundred feet deep, in the vicinity of some of the salt wells at Salina, unless fossil salt, or a brine of maximum strength, should be sooner found near the present pump house.
27
SALT SPRINGS.
A well was sunk to the depth of 600 feet, and specimens of the rock preserved for examination. The sums expended, amounted to about $4000, without any satisfactory results. Complaint was made of the depreciation of the quality of the brine at Geddes, of from three to seven per cent.
In 1840, the ordinary expenditures amounted to $7,750, part of which, was appropriated to the erection of a steam en- gine, pump house and fixtures at Liverpool, and deepening and tubing the well at Geddes. A new well at Syracuse, was sunk and tubed, to the depth of 220 fect. This well has been abandoned. The well at Geddes was deepened to 200 feet, and a copper tube inserted to the depth of 80 feet, without improvement in the quality of the brine.
In 1841, wooden tubing was substituted for iron and copper, and reported as preferable to either, being much cheaper and better than iron, which on account of its great weight, was apt to sink below the point intended. A tube of iron, 245 feet long, 14 inches diameter and eight inches bore, weighed 18,000 pounds. There can be no danger of rot in wooden tubes. Reservoirs were erected at an expense of $15,000.
The following table will show the number of bushels of salt inspected in the town of Salina, from the several reports of superintendents, being all that have come to our hand : Salt inspected for the year 1805, 154,071 bushels.
66
1807,
159,563
1808,
165,448
66
66
1812,
221,011
66
66
1813,
223,712
66
66
66
1814,
226,000
66
66
1815,
295,215
66
66
1816,
322,058
66
66
1817,
348,234
66
Duties, previous to 1817, 3 cents per bushel, after which the duties were increased to 12} cents per bushel. From 1817 to 1825, reports were made to the Commissioners of the Canal Fund.
Salt inspected for the year 1824,
827,162 bushels.
28
ONONDAGA.
Salt inspected for the year 1825,
768,188
66
1826,
827,508
1827,
983,410
1828,
1,160,888
1829,
1,291,280
1830,
1,435,446
1831,
1,514,037
1832,
1,652,985
1833,
1,838,646
Duties 6 cts. per bush. from 1834,
1,943,252
1835,
2,209,867
1836,
1,912,858
1837,
2,161,287
1838,
2,575,033
1839,
2,864,718
1840,
2,622,305
1841;
.3,340,769
1842,
2,291,903
1843,
3,127,500
1844,
4,003,554
1845,
3,762,358
Duties 1 ct. per bush. from 1847,
- 1848,
4,737,126
The several Superintendents of the Onondaga Salt Springs and their periods of office, are as follows, viz. :
William Stevens, appointed 20th June,
1797
Sheldon Logan,
February, 1801
Asa Danforth,
October, 1801
William Kirkpatrick,
April, 1806
Thomas H. Rawson,
March, 1808
Nathan Stewart,
June,
1809
John Richardson, .
February,
1810
William Kirkpatrick,
March,
1811
Nehemiah H. Earll,
February,
1831
Rial Wright,
1835
Thomas Spencer, 66
1841
1846,
3,833,581
3,951,351
29
SALT SPRINGS.
Rial Wright, appointed 1843
Enoch Marks,
1845
Robert Gere, 66
1848
Deputy Superintendents : Orris Curtis, Cyrrel Hunt, from 1797 to 1801 ; Thomas Wheeler, John Rogers, 1801 to 1806; Thomas Wheeler, Arick Southerland, 1806 to 1808; Peter Lynes, 1809; none in 1810 ; Thomas Wheeler, David Stew- art, Michael Mead, 1811 to 1823. After 1823, inspectors were appointed by the Governor and Senate, and are as fol- lows: Simeon Ford, Engineer from 1824 to 1826 ; Inspect- ors : Augustus Wheaton, 1823 to 1826; John Maynard, 1827 to 1828; John Grinnell, 1829 to 1830 ; Matthew Van Vleck, 1831 to 1833 ; Thomas Rose, 1834 to 1835; James M. Allen, 1836 to 1840 ; Henry W. Allen, 1841 to 1843 ; H. G. Beach, 1844 to 1845; Jesse Mckinley, 1846 to 1847; after which this office was abolished.
It requires about thirty gallons of the brine now used, to produce a bushel of salt ; it formerly required over forty. One cord of wood used as fuel, will produce forty bushels of salt. Thirty bushels was considered a good yield, with brine formerly obtained. We are informed by the present Super- intendent, that the present erections and conveniences pos- sess the capability of furnishing over 6,000,000 of bushels an- nually.
The whole number of salt works in operation at this time, (1848) on the salt springs reservation, is 170; number of men engaged in boiling, about 400; in packing, 200; on coarse salt fields, 75; different offices, 34; sinking wells, &e., 15; getting out and boring logs, 20; engaged in procuring wood, about 900; for other purposes, 600; total, 2,414 ; besides at least 1000 horses. An average of over 1000 cords of wood are daily consumed in the several works when in operation.
There are now in operation, about 1,493,000 superficial feet of vats for solar evaporation. We are informed by the late Superintendent, Thomas Spencer, Esq., that the steam works are generally abandoned.
An experiment is now (1848) going on, in the trial of hard
30
ONONDAGA.
coal, which is likely to succeed. It is estimated that good coal can be delivered at the several works, at less than five dollars per ton; and that a ton of coal, if the experiment should prove successful, will exceed two cords of wood as fuel. Wood being worth about three dollars and fifty cents, makes a saving of about two dollars for every forty bushels of manu- factured salt .*
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