THE STORY OF MALAGASH SALT

Salt springs in Nova Scotia were known by the Micmac Indians long before the advent of the European.

Many exploratory holes were drilled near these springs throughout the province. However, it took Peter Murray, a farmer of North Shore, Malagash, to spark the first true salt industry in the Province.

The men responsible for establishing the industry were A. R. Chambers, (1880-1937) an engineer at Wabana Iron Mines, Bell Island, Newfoundland, and George Walker MacKay (1880 - 1972) of New Glasgow; a McGill Graduate in Civil Engineering.

The existance of salt in the Malagash area of Cumberland County on Nova Scotia's north shore had long been known. Its worth realized by Chambers. In 1917 he convinced George Walker MacKay that a search for salt at Malagash was worth a try. The two formed a partnership and L. Herber Cole (a mining engineer working with the Federal Department of Mines) was brought to Malagash to overseer the diamond drilling. While Chambers remained in the employ of the steel company, MacKay overseered the drilling of test holes. A shaft was sunk, and on Labour Day, 1918, the first salt was hoisted. Salt in commercial quality and quantity was struck at the very shallow depth of 85 feet and soon they were taking out salt at a rate of 30 to 40 tons a day. Horse wagons freighted the salt to the nearest rail point, eight miles away.

This was Canada's first rock salt mine. Until then all Canadian Salt came from the brine evaporation process. Chambers and MacKay continued as a partnership to develop the salt deposit.

(Taken from the book 'Malagash Salt', first published in 1975)