The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-04
JOSEPH JEFFERSON'S SALT NINE.
A Deposit OF Unknown Thickness Under
His Estate In Louisiana.

For a long time most people have regarded
Joseph jefferson as the salt of the earth. This
theory seems to be founded on fact, for Mr..
jefferson turns out to be the owner Of one Of
the most. colossal deposits of pure salt in the
world. He did not kaow until very recently
that he was prepared to supply the world
with salt: but so 1t has turned out.
Along the lower part of Louisiana, scattered
here and there among the cypress swamps,
bayous, and marshes. are a number of So
called islands. They are hills of from 70 to
200 feet in heig 1T, and they form one of the
most interesting geological peculiarities of the
State. Some ten or fifteen years ago. Mr..
Jefferson purchased one OF these hills. with
several thousand acres OF the lowlands around
It, paying S60, 900 for 1t. The place was then
known as Orange Island, but it has long since
been rechristened Jetferson's Island by the
people Of that part of the country. 1t Is an
island simply by virtue of a small creek or
and by Il pretty little lake which curves around
the otter SIDE,
When MIR. jefferson bought the place there
we're enough orange trees on the STAND 10 make
it deserve the name IL then bore, but the perl
odical LOUISIANA trosts Killed These on long
aro and now there is no rev enue from the broad
acres except the game which MIR. Jefferson, MS
sons. and his guests bring down with their
guns. Charles Jefferson, the OLDEST son OF
the actor, m to make the $40, 900 place
yield something besides II certain degree or
pleasure to Its owner. but ne soon Iesikheu II
land 70 the swamp grass. the ,Cherokee hedges,
and the ducks. This probably, suited Mt.
Grover Cleveland quite as well when he went
down there IL couple of years ago.
The place is about 100 miles southwest or
New Orleans and is partially reached by "a
branch OF the southern Pa"iiic. winch taus the
main line at New iberia. 1t IS partially reached
in this way. Visitors at J.iiersons are set
down at a little station IN the in ~ opI nhe
ment to the owner OF the nclghDOrlng, lana, ana
il is out OF sight. That is 70 say. there isn't
80. I-,,g. . IN In aAT and In n L
of getting away IL TO have u stout team pun
y,u through the marshes and mudholes.
They have just such teams up at Jetferson's.
so that visitors are sure of reaching the beau
tiful hill, covered with mammoth i've oahs'
and crowned by a broad: rose,GarianuSu cor
Broad verandas stretch around 1t and at one
corner are the servants quarters, where Johh-
son, the cook ana general guardlhh during Mr;
Jeferson's absence, lives with his wife and
three OF the cutest of little pickaninniss.
Formerly the arriving. visitor would nave
heard no sound except that of the welcoming
voices of friends, the soft tones OF johnson, ana
the wind through the great trees. ot iate.
however, there has been n continual accom-
paniment of hammering and rafting and driv-
ing. bay and night the diamond drill Is beng
which IL already about 1000 feet deep, and
which. since a depth OF 40 feet. has sent up a
About ten miles from Jcffcrson's Island is
another and larger h'll. called ietit Anse or
Ayery's Island, During the war the soldiers
and since that time the mines have been worked
almost constantly. There IL literally a hill OF
absolutely pure rock salt, which has only to be
dug out, crushed to the requisite degree, and
sent out packed ready To be used.
The Salt Mine, rs the island is known even on
the map, is a curiosity which people, 20 miles to
see. The part of the mine which, Is being
worked at present Is about 100 feet below the
surface. When ono steps of the elevator
which has carried one down the shaft, one finds
oneself In an immense ,yaulted chamber, of
which the floor. the walls, the ceiling ure of
pure salt crystals. The air is %singularly pure
aud agreeable, The large gasoline lamps, with
half a dozen burners. light up the Naulted CELL
ing, which sparklcs a. II the lamp were Alad-
din's and had changed the salt To diamonds,
The deposit is absolutely without any other
veins or strata. The DIR Il at Jelierson's has not
found a single break in tho pure salt. Mr..
jefferson has always had an id"n that there
was some deposit OF a mineral nature under
lying his hill, and nov he is carrying his Gu
riosity further still, and IL trying 10 find out
what IL underneath tito salt.
Cant. Lucas, the superintendent OF the salt
mine and also Of the work nj JcttersOn's, hints
darkly of certain hopes he entertains of finding
something better than common salt. i he
keeps on at this rate his hopes will he realized,
for he seems in q iair way Ia bore through salt
all the way TO China.