The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1884-02-20


the world. Java followed her example,
and immense crops of coffee were the
result In Siberia and Tartary the
plains are covered with saline incrus-
tations There are some 80 salt lakes
in Persia, which contain brine Of ex-
traordinary 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 a large
producer, and ships the article in great
quantities to San Francisco
At Cracow, in Poland, there are salt
mines go miles in extent, in whose
dark interior thousands of people pass
their lives. Within their precincts is
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 illuminated, and festi-
walls held within their limits The
kings of Poland derived their chief
revenue from these mines, and de-
pended upon them for the doweries of
their queens and the endowment of
their converts and other religious
institutions.
Soon after the landing of the Pilgrim
Fathers the eastern portion of tho
Atlantic coast became dotted with
factories 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
develop those of South Carolina,
which later on assumed such import
ance that the colonial authorities
enacted special laws for the encourage
ment of the industry.
In the Northern States the Jesuit,
Lemoyne, discovered the 0nondaga salt
mines as far back as the year 100,
and Immediately thereafter the Indians
opened up 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 17S9-less than
a century ago-was only 100 barrels,
it has now attained the enormous
figure of nearly 100000 barrels annu-
ally.
From 1880 to 1859 Michigan struggled
in her efforts to utilize her salt wells,
without avail. In the latter year the
Legislature of that State decreed a
bounty of ten cents per bushel. Since
then its product in quantity and quail
ity has excelled that of every other
State in the Union. The annual prod
uet of the first date above was 400 bar
rels; now it exceeds 100000 bushels
During the Civil War the South had
to rely upon the springs at Saltville
Washington county, Va, and few
other places within its borders for its
supplies of salt; and a cargo of salt
was regarded as one of the most valu
able that blockade-runner could bring
in. In 1864, after General Stonemar
made his raid upon the saltworks il
Washington county, the inhabitants
were compelled to dig up the earth o.
their old smoke-houses and wash out th'
residuum of salt therein. and the Con
federate army found it necessary t.
send relays of men to the Florida coas
to furnish them with regular supply
Some idea of the vast amount of sal
used annually can be formed when w
bear in mind the fact that the con
sumption per capita in the Unitet
States is estimated at 60 pounds; il
Great Britain 25, and in France 2
pounds. The famous wool-growin
merino sheep of Spain are estimated a
} consuming 25 pounds each year-a
, much as is consumed by the averag
Briton.-Nea0 York Truth.