▁Chicago , ▁the ▁business ▁is ▁North ▁America ' s ▁leading ▁producer ▁and ▁mark eter ▁of ▁salt . ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁min ing ▁company ▁K + S . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁company ▁began ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁Illinois , ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁as ▁a ▁small ▁sales ▁ag ency , ▁E . ▁I . ▁Whe eler , ▁started ▁by ▁the ▁On ond aga ▁salt ▁companies ▁to ▁sell ▁their ▁salt ▁to ▁the ▁Mid west . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁the ▁business , ▁which ▁had ▁by ▁that ▁time ▁become ▁both ▁a ▁manufact urer ▁and ▁a ▁merchant ▁of ▁salt , ▁was ▁incorpor ated ▁as ▁the ▁Mort on ▁Salt ▁Company . ▁It ▁was ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁owner ▁and ▁founder , ▁Joy ▁Mort on , ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁J . ▁Ster ling ▁Mort on ▁who ▁founded ▁Ar bor ▁Day . ▁Joy ▁Mort on ▁started ▁working ▁for ▁E . ▁I . ▁Whe eler ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 0 , ▁bu ying ▁into ▁the ▁company ▁for ▁$ 1 0 , 0 0 0 , ▁with ▁which ▁he ▁bought ▁a ▁fleet ▁of ▁lake ▁boats ▁to ▁move ▁salt ▁west . ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁the ▁name ▁' M orton - N or wich ' ▁came ▁into ▁use . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 6 , ▁Alfred ▁Be vis ▁founded ▁the ▁Be vis ▁Rock ▁Salt ▁Company , ▁building ▁on ▁the ▁failed ▁Ly ons ▁salt ▁company ▁he ▁had ▁previously ▁inv ested ▁in ▁and ▁run . ▁His ▁daughter , ▁Florence ,