American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1862-10-31
lFrem the Nississippian.
New Iberia Salt Mines.

EDITOR AIsSfsSlPPIAS A few facts con-
neeted with these mines may possibly oe of
interest and advantage TO your readers.
Business, few days since, took me to Frank
lin, La, where / met with Col. Robinson, of
Madison comfy, who bad just arrived with
authority from Richmond to seize the mines
or much of them as TO warrant a full
supply of salt for the army and the people 1
| accepted the invitation of the Colonel aud
Maj. Bfoaiwell, Government Agent at frank
lin, to accompany them upon a visit to the
works, some fifty miles distant from Franklin
by Bayou Tecbe, certainly Que of the most
beautiful of all the bayous of Louisiana
Reaching Iberia, or Newton, as it is called by
the natives, we took a carriage fer the island
of salt. Oar route lay for nine miles across
a'praire upon which large herds of fine cat
re were grazing, until we came to the marsh
aud Bayou Petit Ansis, which separates Salt
I Island from the main land. The marsh is
Icrossed by causeway and drawbridge,
aHording dry, hard road, for salt wagons
during the dry season, but it must be almost
impossible after the fall rains set in. The
island elevation of 10 or loo feet
/ from the level Of Yermillion Bay, and has a
rolling surface, reminding one of Newport
Island, L. |. There are two plantations on
the island, 'one owned by Mr.. March, and the
other by Judge Avery The mines are upon
the latter, though the vein extends under the
whole island. That now being worked is in
a deep basin upon the South side Though
this Invaluable mine was discovered last
i May, we found that it is only at this late day
beginning to be worked with some energy
only about 500, 600 lbs. have been taken out
in FIVE months! Seventy-fve or eighty ne
groes now at work, sinking new shafts 4
All the salt heretofore furnished has been
supplied from one small shaft, 81 by 24 feet,
| and two three kettles. Two new shafts
having been completed the day before our
arrival, in which blasting had commenced
j SKATING FOR SALT.-The salt lies from
fifteen to eighteen feet under the surface in>
the basin. The dirt is removed by the same
I process that cellars are dug IN our cities
carried out by carts SO long the denth will
admit of it, and then thrown upon stagings-.
4 Owing to a stratum ofsqaicksand the shafts
have to be eurbed up, and the seep water,
from time to time, thrown out. The dirt
lmoved, floor of the purest salt presents
Itself, of as yet, unknown thickness. The
salt is blasted and drawn out by windlasses,
and weighed into the waiting wagons, that
Icome supplied with goods boxes and -four
lbarrels-sacks are unnecessary, the salt is
solid and Dry and eithout the least drip, carried
any distance. The salts, finished and unfin-
ished, at the time of our visit are as foilows,-
! No. l, old one enlarged from a to 48 by
81 feet
No ., % dy Is feet
Three kettles that yield eight or ten bush
els of the finest table salt we ever saw.
Unfinished shafts
No. /, SO by 25 feet.
No 2, 60 by so feet.
8 No 3, $50 by 20 feet.
Two of these are by this time under blast
fif so, there is a surface of salt 10 by 1877
feet now being worked. / doubt not by this
time all who take their teams there are sup
piled without delay.
+ PaIcE.-These shafts are worked By indi-
vduals or companies who pay Judge Avery
3 IL cents per pound for what they mine,
and are not allowed to sell it for more than
IL cents. Every pound of salt is sold at
the mines for IL cents, the Judge making
3 l-2 cents clsar all that his own shafts
do not producei Already a of wealth,
at this tariff upon salt, if the blockade CON
Itinues, he will soon be the richest man in the
Southern Confederacy--or the continent it
self His son, who discovered the mine. Thy
sinking deeper an old salt welll informed
me that he could sell the salt for rs cents
per sack and make : 10 per pay on each hand
and yet IL cents per pound is charged for
so Indispensable an article at the mine and
Judge Avery could not afford to permit the
| Government to mine it for the army for less
than IL cents per pound y
Satisfied that the vein was extensive
enough for the Government and all the
States, Col. Robinson, much to the delight of
Judge Avery decided not to interfere with
individual enterprise and seized only so
much as might subserfe the purpose Of the
IGovernment.
1t is the present intention of Col. Robin
SON to work at least 1000 hands and furnish
salt, not by the 100 lbs, but by the 1000 tons
per day and if the Government will permit
lit, furnish one half of what he produces to
the people at one or two cents per pound.
One midi per pound would be handsome
compensation to the proprietor, and yield
him princely revenue. Col. Robinson, so
bpc cor nil he
ment, will let it be known if he can furnish
the people at reduced rates. One thing is
| certain, the price of salt is bound to come
dswn, for if the Government supplies itself
at this price, the large amounts of salt pro-
duced by private enterprise here and supplied
by Virginia will be thrown into. the market
and specuiatqrs cannot monopolize it.
/ We are aware that Col. Robinson, in his
zeal to serve his Government, exposes him
self TO the charge of private speculation in
salt, as ifve the Messrs.s Broadwell & Payne,
Government agents, who purchase sugar and
beef for the army. am happy in being able
to say ia advance, that Col. Robinson is
possessed of the most ample fortune, and
not ouls makes q gFatnity Of his services to
the Government, but defrays his own ex-
penses. He is the right man in the right
/ place. He now designs at early day, to
construct horse railroad to the Petit Ansis,
so that salt can be delivered at all points be-
/ j. Z. GRAVES.
/ P. S.-Those wishing a supply of salt
| from Iberia, and to secure themselves against
delay will do well to write to Judge Avery
Newtown, La, and state the amount they
want, and learn from him when their wagons
can be loaded. | would advise all to senG
j before the rain sets in. Distance from Sum-
nit to Red River Landing 80 miles from
r. r. Landing to Iberia, l60, and fine road.
The salt Il send you a specimen has been.
analysed, and found TO be the purest article.
/ known. containing 99-ss pure salt, and IL
/ gypsum. Parties going for salt and carry
i ing powder, will be first served and obtain
good price for it,
/ We take the following from the Gin
! cinnati Times Valandigham. though
his district in the new apportionment was
arranged especially TO defeat him. is
harolu. A. faaf.d and Ii at L. all In his