The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-23
DUR EUROPEAN LETTER.

the Dead-Its Temples
Catania-Mt Etna ana
It's Eruptlons- Nico-
losl--Syracuse--
Etc, Etc. Etc.
Special correspondence of the MINER.
MALTA, April, 1883.
Sicily has been appropriately
termed the pearl of the ''Isles, and
the visitor to Itsly should not fail to
spend few weeks here in the spring.
time. The months of May and April
is the best time, as previous to this it
is like the mainland of Italy-too wet
and cold for an agreeable residence.
In addition to its fine climate this
country is invested with historic
interest intensely attractive. Since
the occupation by the Siciles, whose
history fades into the unknown past,
it has been the scene of many SAN
culinary struggles, beginning with
the invasion of the Ph@nicians, one
thousand years before the Christian
era, and was successfully subjugated
and peopled by the Greeks, Cartha-
genians, Romans, Goths, Saracens
and Normans. Each of these has in
some degree, like successive inunda-
tions, left traces of its existence,
which may be best seen in architec-
tural remains, as these survive longest
the ravages of time. Greek and Ro-
man ruins are to be found in many
parts Of the island, particularly at
Selinote, Girgentum and Syracuse.
Some of the Greek temples at Cir
gentum, constructed il the fifth GEN.
tury before Christ, are in q good
state of ofpreservation, and almost rival
the Parthenon on the Acropolis at
Athens, but to these I will refer here
after. We landed at Palermo, crossed
to Girgentum, on the southern shore,
thence to Catania, near Etna, on the
northeast coast, and thence to Syra-
cuse, thus traversing great portion
of the island in both directions. 1t
is very mountainous, and except that
of Catania, there is scarcely a plain
of any importance, but many little
valleys. The mountains are more
over not wooded, which gives the
country rather desolate appearance,
which is relieved to some extent by
plantations of olives as high on the
sides of the hills and mountains as
the soil may be capable reproduction.
Above this region the pasturage is ex-
cellent for sheep and goats, which are
grown in great number, and the low
lands are planted with vines, orange,
lemon and fig trees. OF these three
last-mentioned fruits the expectation
annually amounts to twenty million
dollars.
The sulphur mines are likewise a
source of great revenue, and were
they worked advantageously the in
come therefrOm would be doubled.
These mines are found in the hills in
almost every part of the island, and
consist of veins similar to our quartz
mines, except that the dip is less
perpendicular. These were doubtless
formerly fissures, and were filled by
the condensation of sulphurated hy-
drogen, a process which may now be
seen continually in operation in the
National Park. It is mined in a
crude way, and carried up the work.
men in baskets. Not even a windlass.
still less whim, is employed. Steam
engines and pumps are unknown.
When water is reached they stop
like they did in the silver mines of
Mexico. Here is grand opportunity
for American skill and enterprise.
Beds of salt exist in several places in
Sicily. One of these on the South
coast, and not far from the port of
Empodoch, and presents face over
two thoucand feet i'll length, the
depth and extent inland are un-
known. 1t is virtually mountain
of salt. and would supply the world
with that article for years, and yet it
is worked only to supply the sur
rounding villages. I was informed
by an Italian merchant that transpor-
tation could be bad to New York at
two dollars and fifty cents per
ton, yet owing to their lick
of knowledge of mining
and clumsy methods and extreme
Incidence, the cost of placing it on
board the vessel amounts to 81 per
ton. Two-wheeled carts are en-
ployed to haul it down to the sea-.
The salt is hard and lies in strata
like limestone. Giant powder and a
street railway we'll directed, or even
Kirkendall's mules would do the
work efectually and place this salt
in New York at $3.50 pe' ton, and at
Portland, Oregon, at 81. [ have tx
amined this salt very carefully and
find it almost absolutely pure, and
am reliably informed that engage
ments can be made with vessels g0r
ing to Oregon for wheat to deliver It
there at twelve shillings per ton.
Who knows but that Butte ores may
be treated with Sicilian salt?
A few years only have passed since
it was unsaf. to travel in Sicily, but
since the construction of railways
brigandage has been entirely sup
pressed. Were the hotels good in the
country towns drive over the island
would be both safe and agreeable,
but the native hotels are excessively
unclean and the living insupporta-
BILE. In the large towns, which are
visited by foreigners, the hotels are
excellent the prices moderate, about
So day. At the Hotel des Palmes
at Palermo, we were very comforta-
BILE. Here we meet English and
Americans, and the reading rooms
are supplied with the latest Paris,
London and New York journals. A
reunion takes place in the evening
after the table d'hote dinner in the
smoking rooms and parlors. A sort
of Freemasonry exists between trav-
ellers in strange land and the great
est cordiality is manifested in the ex'
cnange of opinions and the answer
ing Of questions concerning routes
hotels and objects of interest to be
seen. Information of this kind is
mutually advantageous and often
times invaluable, and the social
amenities thus developed lend {
charm to travel that sOftens many O
it's uncomfortable perplexities. Pa
lermo is most beautifully situated o1
a little plain at the southern extrem
ity of a small bay that is almost encir
cled with an amphitheatre of moun
tains. The picture gallery is scarcel.