The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-05-28
Bo0orA, March 20. 1856.

Emerald Mines OF Mus0-M0del Turning IN |
the Tropics-7Ae Emerald Mountains of SINH !
taea-Nocsi Method Of Working the Minss-
Curious Hanging Bridge Deer the River Minero
Shrine Of the Virgin at ChiquinQuira-M Modern
M,racies-RefuJn to Bogota.
Having visited the Falls of Tnquenahsma, as 1
wrote you some days since, Judge B. and myself
determined to make another sightseeing trip before
the rainy season, or they call it here the winter,
set in, and made travelling both disagreeable aud
dangerous.
Although Bogota is situated between the fourth
and fifth degrees of latitude north of the equator,
those months which with constitute the summer
season here the most disagreeabe OF the year.
Hail storms often accompany the daily showers, and
cold winds from the high and desert mountains are
most prevalent. The hilly roads become slippery,
and all travelling for pleasure is at an end.
The present trip combined visit to several note
worthy Obe ts including the salt works OF Zipaquira
the emerald mines Of Muse, and the shrine Of the
Virgin Of Chiqunquira, the Mecca Of New Granada.
Having made our preparations on more extended
scale than for our former trip, az we were to be
twelve or fifteen days absent we started at early
morn on horseback.
A pleasant ride Of about thirty.ive miles due
north, through the plain Of Bogota, brought US to
the city of Zipaquira, where the principal salt
works Of the government are established. The town
hes at the foot Of the hills that form the northern
limit of the great plain Of Bogota, and is in the
great line of travel and trade with the northern
provinces Of the republic 1t was city at the time
Of the conquest and the residence Of powerful
Indian chief from which fact it derives it's name
Zipa meaning in the Indian tongue chief or prince;
! and quira, city.
The works are placed at the foot Of the salt hills
ia p1;alv
one Of the mines by aqueduct about one third of
mile long. 1t is not from salt spring. but is a
stream Of fresh water carried into the mine, where
it runs through channels continually supplied with
| mineral salt. The water takes up between twen-
| tytwo and twenty three per cent of salt,
! which is afterwards crystalized by evaporation
in open pans. The operation thus far is very SIM
pie and cheap; but the roads Of the country require
another operation, called here compactng in order
to render it capable of transportation the backs
| Of mules without packages of any kind to protect
from loss by rains abrasions In order to attain
this, the salt is formed into immense loaves, some
| thing like a sugar loaf in shape, about four feet
high and nearly two feet 10 diameter at the base.
| This is still d,ne by the system found in use by
the Indians here at the time Of the conquest Large
conical pots are made of clay, and fre-baked or
burned in ovens built for the purpose. These pots
are then arranged in open fireplace, made of the
black salt clay that is everywhere found with mine
raj salt-ninety or one hundred of them being put
in each fireplace and set that there i draft I'M
der and around each pot. The fire is built and work
men with long ladies throw small quantities Of salt
water alternately into the heated pots. The water
evaporates rapidly, and the salt deposits itself in
crystals the bottom and sides Of the pots. When
these are about one-third full, and with coating
Of salt covering their sides, they filed up with
salt from the open boiling pans, the salt water is
continued to be thrown iu, aud the fire being kept
up night and day, the process Of evaporation forms
the whole into solid mass OF salt almost hard as
rock. When the pots full the fires put out,
and after cooling they broken in pieces from the
loaf of salt This is then broken up into smaller
| pieces for convenience in handling. It takes eight
days Of constant labor, day and night, to compact
oven Of salt, each Of which yields about seventy
five thousand pounds The process is continually
gong on in all its stages, and fifteen ovens a
month. or about million OF pounds of salt;
are made. The mine and works are carried
On by private company, under contract with the
government, which pays for the working half a
| cert pound on the salt produced. The manufac-
ture Of salt ie government monopoly, and it j. sold
at fixed price of three cents pound at the works.
The revenue from this source is little over 100000
/
! year.
These are not the only salt mines in the republic
for the salt bed is known to extend over belt Of
country three hundred miles long; but none others
| are worked, and only three four natural salt
| springs are improved on small SCALE under similar
| contracts.
! We were very kindly received at Zipaquira by
| Mr.. Richie, an English gentleman, who has the
management of the works, which carried on by
an English company, and who entertained US most
! Hospitality. He accompanied US over them,
and explained all the operations and the
| reasons that exist for their not being car
| ried on on more scientific and cheaper principles
The system Of short contracts which the govern
ment persists in adhering to, and the frequent poll
tical changes in the country, prevent the expendi
| ture of large capital in improved works. "Thus
we obliged to work in the old Indian manner"
said he, 1.-THE only difference being that they used
wood and we coal, and that we have made the clay
pots for compactng much larger in order to meet
the greater demand for consumption The
coal used is very similar to the Newcastle coal Of
England, and is mined about three miles from the
satworks. Congress here is engaged in an earnest
discussion Of the best manner to arrange and re-
establish the public credit; but it would seem to me
that if it would properly arrange the saltworks, and
improve the means of transit in the country these
alone would suffice to pay the interest its debt,
and honest compliance with that duty is all that
is wanting to reestablish the public credit. II is
be hoped that such event is not far distant.
From Zipaquira we continued our journey north
wardy, through Ubate, where we slept to the |
plain of Smijaca. This is another singular geo
logical formation, similar to the plain of Bogota,
but with a level few feet lower. The country |
along the road is extensively cultivated in wheat.
but in most rude manner The ploughs are simple |
branches Of trees, shod with iron at the point, like
those Of all Spanish countrie and the grain Is trod
ont by cattle, each farm having It's motive thresh-