The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-09-23


above ground and in the mill.
AUnder the direction of Mr.. Smythe,
an experienced miner from Wilkes
barre, Pa, who has the contract with
the American Salt Company, the pro-
duct of the mine is taken out, and
every day there is an increase i'll the
yield. TO haul the ears on the tram
way down in the mine, two mules are
used, and they remain down there
during the entire week, being brought
to the surface for Il Sunday ro,np. De
mure, dOcile below, these animals once
above ground develop the most inn
placable kickers, striking out in every
direction at whatever they see.
THE PRODUCT or THE MINE.
The company sell but little. if any,
of the crude rock salt. After it is mined
it is pressed through the crushers,
which reduce it to the proper size fer
the burr stone-millS, and they in turn
grind it into the various grades for
market, viz: ''table,' ''fne,' and
"coarse,' as the case may be. 1t is
then put up in 200.pound sacks, rs al
ready stated. The market for this salt
is almost entirely confined to the States
bordering on the Gulf of Mexico and at
their ports, viz: Pensacola, Mobile,
New Orleans, Galveston, etc, where it
is soldin competition with the English
salt. That a strong effort has been
made by those interested in the impor-
tation of English salt to decry this
American salt is very evident; but thus
far it has proved futile. The fact is,
the Louisiana salt is working itself in
to popular favor, and it deserves to do
SO, because it is inferior to nOne-come
from from where it may. Formerly
this Louisiana salt was somewhat dis
colored by the process of mining and
blasting then in vogue; bat this objec-
tion is now entirely removed, as the
salt, when in sacks, is as purely white
as snow itself.
From the moment the crude mate
rial is shovc!ed into Il car at the bottom
of the minc until it lis put aboard Of a
vessel for transportation at the wharf,
does not occupy more than 80 to 40
minutes time.
THICK NESS or TIE DEPOSIT.
No effect has as yet been made to
discover the thickness of the deposit,
for the present known area Of no acres
and known depth of 10 feet is sufficient
to supply this country for years to
come and boring to learn of its greater
depth would be simply an expensive
qualification Of curiosity.
Forycars it was supposed that the
deposit was one conglomeration of cry.
stalls throughout the entire mass. last
year, however, it was noticed that in
blasting the cleavage Of the salt appear
ed to be in vertical lines, rather than
horizontal, for when a perpendicular
drill was fired the rock split better than
when the charge was placed in a hori-
zontal one. Afterward it was discov-
cred that distinct lines, not unlike the
rings marking the yearly growth of Il
tree, only on larger scale could be
seen.
From this it was inferred that the
deposit was annual or perhaps semi an
nual into the basin. These lines vary
in color, Il light one invariably adjoin-
a darker one; all of them running east
and west. When an, upheaval took
place, this immense mass was turned
over on its edge, so that the layers for
merly lying horizontally, like any de.
posit in a basin, is now turned up and
its lines run vertically.