Middletown transcript., 1884-02-15

natural salt reservoirs by man are du'
to this cause.
Salt is produced, first, from sea water
by solar evaporation second, from
lagoons, part solar and part steam
evaporation third, from solidified rock
fourth, from springs and wells, varying
in depth from 200 to 1900 feet whence
it is pumped into large vats and kilr
dried.
Asia is a large producer of salt. In
China there is continuous chain OF
salt wells all through the country, at a
distance of so miles from one another.
The lands are irrigated by these wells,
and are so fertile that they produce
crops that are the wonder Of the world.
Java followed her example, and i'm
mense crops of coffee were the result.
In Siberia and Tartary the plains are
covered with saline incrustations.
There are some 80 salt lakes in Persia,
which contain brine of extraordinary
strength. In Palestine the waters of
the Dead Sea contain unusual saline
properties.
There are extensive tracts of salt
lands and beds of rock salt in Africa
also. Honolulu is likewise large pro-
ducer, and ships the article in great
Quantities to San Francisco,
At Cracow, in Poland, there are salt
mines 270 miles in extent, in whose dark
interior thousands of people pass their
lives. Within their precincts is a lofty
cathedral dedicated to st. Anthony.
The entire building, altar, statues,
columns, pulpit and all, is built of solid
rock salt. the imperial family frequently
visits these mines, which are then illu-
minated, and festivals held within
their limits. The kings of Poland
derived their chief revenue from these
mines and depended upon them for the
doweries of their queens and the en-
downment of their converts and other
religious institutions.
Soon after the landing of the Pilgrim
Fathers the eastern portion of the
Atlantic coast became dotted with fac
tories for the making of salt by solar
evaporation, and some vestiges of this
industry are still to be found upon the
Massachusetts, coast.
Virginia had salt works at Cape
Charles as early as 1880, and in 1859
some enterprising colonists began to de-
velop those of South Carolina, which
later on assumed such Importance that
the colonial authorities enacted special
laws for the encouragement of the in
dustry.
In the Northern States the Jesuit,
Lemoyne, discovered the Onondaga
salt mines as far back as the year 100,
and Immediately thereafter the Indians
opened up a profitable traffic in this
article with Quebec and Montreal.
Some conception of the extent to
which these mines have been developed
may be gained from the statement that
while their product in 1799-less than
a century ago-was only 100 barrels,
it has now attained the enormous
figure of nearly 100000 barrels an
nually.
From 1830to 1859 Michigan struggled
in her efforts to utilize her salt
wells, without avail. In the latter
year the Legislature of that State de-
creed bounty of ten cents per bushel.
Since then its product in quantity and
quality has excelled that of every other
state in the Union. The annual pro-
duct Of the first date above was 400
bushels; now it exceeds 100000
bushels.
During the Civil War the South had to
relAupon the springs at Saltyille, Wash
ington county, Va, and few other
places within its borders sor supplies of
salt; and cargo of salt was regarded as
one of the most valuable that blockade
runner could bring in. In 1864, after
General Stoneman made his raid upon
the saltworks in Washington county,
the inhabitants were compelled to dig
up the earth of their old smoke-houses,
and wash out the residum of salt
there in, and the Confederate army
found it necessary to send relays of
men to the Florida coast to furnish them
with a regular supply.
Some idea of the vast amount of ralt
used annually can be formed when we
bear in mind the fact that the consump-
tion per capita in the United States is
estimated at go pounds; in Great
Britain 25, and in France 20 pounds.
The famous wool-growing merino
sheep of Spain are estimated as con-
suming 25 pounds each year-as much
as is consumed by the average Briton.-
N. Y. Truth.
How TO AVOID SMALL-POX.-Ac cor