St. Landry democrat., 1888-09-08
PETITE ANSE ISLE,
a queer Island in Southern Louisiana and
Its Marvellous Salt Mine,

a Queer Island in Southern Louisiana an
Its Marvellous Salt Mine.
Apparently without cause there rise
out OF the marsh lands bordering the
Gulf of Mexico, west of the Mississipp
river, cluster of hills, forming what
IS known as Petite Anse Isle. 1t is thu
only high land to be found in the
southern part of Louisiana, and it will
ALWAYS remain wonder that such ar
elevation should appear In so unex
peoted place To realize that 1t is
an island is hard until one tries to ap-
proach it, and then, especially il the
wind is in the right direction, to food
the marshes with gulf water, you will
think 1t the islandest island YOU ever
saw. There is but one way of reach
ing 1t, and that Is by a dislocated
plank road, some parts of which
are buried In mud while in
places plnnks linger patiently about
huctuating with the tide. 1t is an ex-
ceedlngly pleasant sensation which one
experiences when the nigh" horse all
out disappears in some unforeseen alli-
gator ''wallow," especially as the road
- narrow and deep canal thanking
either side waits to receive those I'M
able to keep the straight and narrow
way.
NOT content with the absurdity of its
location, Petite Anse Is wonderful in
Its composition. Dig down anywhere
tWenty-seven or thirty feet and YOU
will strike white salt ninety-nine and
halt per Gent. pure, the purest
1opnd on the face of the globe.
Dig down two hundred feet and YOU
VIII Still find salt, and when you have
avg thus far you will know as much
about the extent of this big salt rock
as any one. Possibly it extends two
hundred feet deeper, but no one knows.
twenty-five years ago Deacon Keller,
as honest an old darby as ever
served master faithfully, was sent
down into an old well to clean it
out and In SO doing struck his spade
against a rock. which proved to be
salt To-day the Avery brothers.
owners Of the Petite Anse Island. re-
oeive royalty of from 500 to 800 |
DAY from the New Iberia Salt Mine
COMPANY, and Deacon Keller Is eat
yo services, sab. Use q po' ole man,
but I'm trabbling de road ter Zion
mighty libely."
ihe main shaft to the mine is 100
feet deep, radiating from which are
several immense caVerns VARYING in
height from ten to sixty feet, grottoes
with solid salt roof and walls. Do not
expect the walls to sparkle. The
miners lamps have smoked until a
scurf has formed Which shuts in the
glittering salt Only where blast has
oecn made recently does it look pure.
IL Is mine that can be visited In a
very short time satisfactorily, there
being little variety to the salt, and
nothing to watch but the min
ors working with drill and pick
by the light of the little lamps they
wear In their caps, or the lights
which twinkle In the Distance. or On
hitting by in spectral manner. Al
'hough the guido assures you that the
'oof Is sufficiently thick to prevent its
'avlng, and that, even should it fail.
'ou would be well preserved, it seems :
rood TO be shot up the shaft In the t
Elevator to the pure cir. A conglom- {
ration of buildings of well-assorted
ICES and shapes. most OF them filled !,
With an endless variety of wheels and :
mains and belts and pulleys, consti- +
ute the mills. The salt is first hoisted
the top OF high tower from whence y
goes down through a series OF '
rushen and sifters, finally to be 9
aged up on the main floor and /,
oaded into the cars Buildings and h
are well seasoned, clouds of g
ne salt filling the air and giving e
very thing hoary appearance; and q
ven outside the mill clouds of salt fiji G.
10 air, killing or Stunning vegetation p
the immediate neighborhood Cor. n
E'rsmghetd Mass. } Republican. o.