Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-23
PETITE ANSE ISLE.
And Its Famous Salt Mime.

PETITE ANSE ISLE.
And Its Famous Salt Mine.
Apparently without cause there rises
out of the marsh-lands bordering the gulf
of Mexico west of the Mississippi river, q
cluster of hills, forming what is known as
Petite Anse isle. 1t is the ONLY high land
TO be found in the southern part of
Louisiana, and it will always remain
wonder that such an elevation should ap
pear in so unexpected place. To realize
that 1t is an island is hard until one tries
to approach it, and then, especially if the
wind is in the right direction to food the
marshes with gulf water, you will think it
the islandeet island you ever saw. There
is but OBJ way Of reaching it, and that is
by dislocated plank road, some parts of
which are buried in mud, while in places
rlanks finger patiently about huctuating
with the tide. It is an exceedingly
pleasant sensation which one experiences
when the ''Digh" horse all bat disappears
in some unforeseen alligator "wallow,"
especially as the road is narrow and a
deep canal fianking either side waits to
receive those unable to keep the straight
and narrow way.
Not content with the absurdity Of its
location, Petite Anse is wonderful in its
com position. Dig down anywhere 81 or
80 feet and you will strike white salt,
99I per cent. pure, the purest found on
the face Of the globe. Dig down 200
feet and you will find salt, and when you
have dug thus far you will know as much
about the extent of this big salt rock as
any one. Possibly it extends 200 feet
deeper, but no one knows. Twenty five
years ago Dea Keller, SIS honest an old
darky as ever served master faithfully,
was sent down into an OLD we'll 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
Petite Anse island, receive royalty OF
from $50 to 500 G. day from the New
Iberia salt mine company, and Dea Kel
Ter is CAT yo' services, sab, rs POI ole
man, but I'm trabbling de road ter Zion
mighty libely."
The main shaft OF the mine is 100 feet
deep, radiating from which are several
immense caverns varying in height from
10 to 60 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. OILY where blast
has been made recently does it look pure.
1t is mine that can be visited in very
short ii ne Satisfactorily, there being
little variety to the salt and nothing TO
watcn but the miners working with drill,
pick by the light of the little lamps they
wear in their caps, or the lights which
twinkle in the distance or go fitting by
in a spectral manner. Although the
guide assures you that the roof is suffici-
emily thick to prevent its caving, and that
even should it fall, you would be well
preserved, it seems good TO be shot up
the shaft in the elevator TO the pure, dry
air. A conglomeration of buildings of
well-assorted sizes and shapes, most OF
them filed with an endless variety Of
wheel and chains and belts and pUllers,
constitutes the mills. The salt is first
hoisted to the top Of high tower, from
whence it goes down tn cough series of
crushers and sifters, finally 20 be begged
up on the main floor and loaded into the
cars. Buildings aud Workmen are we'll
seasoned, clouds of fine salt filling the
air and giving everything hoary ap-
pearance: and even outside the mill
clouds of salt fill the air, killing or stunt
ing vegetation in the Immediate neigh
borhOod.
From one Of the hill-tops -ou can look
down over thousands OF acres OF brown
marsh, dotted here and there by a lake, or
cut by bayou winding its way to the
gnlf like huge serpent, or relieved by
an island of green trees. Beyond the
marsh is the gulf, barely discerDible, SO
evenly is it matched with the light blue
sky. The guide will point out spot on
the horizon where there used to be island
which disappeared ore day during a /
storm. Another hilltop prevents him
from pointing out Last island, which the
gulf once swept over during heavy
storm and robbed of 100 panic stricken
pleasure seekers. 1t is upon this we'll
shaded hilltop that the Avery mansion
stands in all its glory. Ten miles away,
in New Iberia, lives, in hum BILE cottage,
honest Dea Keller, and God only, who
makes the islands appear and disappear,
knows which dwelling shelters the hap
pier family. Am