The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1873-06-27

are the largest, perhaps, in the country
The salt water is pumped up by steam en-
| gines through tubes of several inches in
diameter, from an average depth of 1000
feet below the bed of the river and is con-
veyed into watts on the Shore Where it is
evaporated by heating--the heat being sup.
piled by copper pipes filled with steam
the salt water being raised to tempera-
ture of about 225 degrees. The fine table
salt is made by heating the salt water to a
high degree of temperature, and the coarser
kinds by lower degree-the salt crystals
varying IN size, according to the degree of
heat used. The works we visited are own
ed by DR.. j. p. Hale, one of the weathiest
and most enterprising citizens of Charles
ton. The salt water from which the finest
quality ofsalt is made is obtained under the
bed ofthe river, for distance of perhaps
half mile along the river shore. About 40
wells are now in operation, each of which
raises up about 25 gallons of water per
minute, the quantity of salt obtained being
one gallon to every five gallons of water !.
The daily production is about $50 barrels
of salt per day, which sells at the works at
SLIGO per barrel. The salt is principally
shipped to Cincinnati and other points
west, where the coarser kinds are used in
pork packing, for which it is said to be
better adapted than any other salt known.
DOWN IN A COAL MINE.
After visiting the salt works, we were
taken into one of the mines of the Camp
bell Coal Company. Professor NJ. f. Maury,
Jr., son of the distinguished Lieutenant
NJ. F. Maury, deceased, accompanied tie
party. The Professor is located in Char
lesion, and is engaged in his profession as
mineralogist and mining engineer. He is
a gentleman pleasant manners, enthusi-
astically devoted to his business, and will
one day, if we mistake not, occupy as high
a place in the annals of fame as his lament
ed father The ascent to the mouth of
the shaft was made in open coal cars, the
distance from the river being about 81
miles. The road was necessarily very rough,
but not particularly dangerous, the grade
not being very steep. The mouth ofthe shaft
was sufficiently wide to admit Of double
tracks being laid into the mine. Upon en-
tering we found it to be very damp and the
air rendered somewhat unpleasant from the
smoke of the miners lamps. The roof of
the mine is layer of smooth, solid Slate,
forming the best possible ceiling The
six or seven feet. After preceding some
distance, guided by the lamps of the mi
ners, further progress was checked by water,
which had by some means gotten into the
mine. The miners were not at work, but
upon entering side shaft we saw where
they had been working. The coal is in
a seam of about six feet in thickness lay
er of slate running through the whole of
it. The upper stratum Of coal is gotten
out with the pick, after which blasting is re-
sorted to. The coal in this mine is technic-
ally known as semi-cannal, but is perhaps
the true splint. 1t burns freely, and is
said toyield a very large per centagc of
coal oil.
Our stay in Charleston was rendered ex-
ceedingly pleasant, by the kind attention
of the citizens. The Hale House at which
the party stopped is a fine large hotel, which
in order to accommodate the members of the
Legislature of the new State of West Vir-
ginia and remove one of the objections to
Charleston as the Capital, was built in 80
days. 1t is five stories in height, and sub
stantially built. The State House, also
very fine building, costing 100000, was
erected by the private enterprise of the cit
liens of Charleston. Among those deserv-
ing especial mention for their kindness
to the Association are DR.. ]. p. Hale, pro-
prietor Of the Hale House, and Dr.. e. L.
Boggs, druggist
Leaving Charleston on the morning of
the 18th, after pleasant ride of several
hours we reached Huntington, the present
terminus of the great Chesapeake and Ohio
Railroad, and the nucleus of Il large CITY,
The town is scarcely two years old, and al
ready embraces Il population of 5000 peo
pie, all of whom are energetic and full Of
business. The car shops of the railroad COM
pany are located here, and it is contempla
ted to make this point for the construc-
ton of all the machinery used on the road.
Here, as everywhere elsein old and new Vir
ginia, we were received in the most hospita-
Bile manner. At $50 p. NJ, on the 18th, we
went on board the splendid steamer Fleet
wood, of the G. 81 o. Railroad packet
line and after pleasant trip, we arrived
at Cincinnati about half past eight on the
morning of the 18th. A committee of the
Cincinnati Board Of Trade, which met the
excursion party at the White Sulphur, ac-
companied us, and upon our arrival in
tboir citv took CHARGE of thc party