The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-27
Discoveries That We're
Made by Accident.
Interesting Statement by Gen.
eral Dudley Avery.
Indians Story About the White Man
and Crow Indian Logic.

Gen. Dudley avery In tne couisc vi
recent interview said that he believed
many of the greatest discoveries are the
result Of pure accident, and that the idea
holds good both as TO scientific facts as
well as to more material matters lie
then went on TO explain that accident
brought the salt deposit on Avery's island
10 light after its groupings had been
worked for nearly half "a century.
my grandfather, said Gen. Avery,
",old salt years before the war. and my
father in his youth followed the same
methods of production, even after his
fathers time, but it remained for my
brother John. then boy of 10, to really
make manifest the remarkable advantages
which the island possessed In the matter
OF rock salt mining 1t was during the
war. Salt was selling In New Orleans
for $l1 a sack. This was at period when
the salt works of the island were not be-
ing made use of. You see. my grand
father manufactured salt by digging
wells into which the salt water flowed
in great quantities, and this water he
merely boiled, evaporating the moisture
and causing a residue OF fine salt. When
my brother learned Of the nigh price OF
salt in New Orleans he went TO my
father, then practicinz law in Baton
Rouge, and suggested that h" be given
permission to work the then abandoned
wells and make pin money for himself.
There was no objection, and with the
assistance of several slaves John pro-
ceeded to open the old wells by clearing
out the accumulation of debris and boil
ing the brine, as his grandfather did years
before him.
"He opened a number OF wells and was
soon selling salt at great rate. but the
demand increased, and he decided 10 open
a big well some 10 feet square. The work
proceeded. but the usual depth was reached
with no result. The water did not flow.
He concluded to dig deeper. and at IL feet
came upon what the negro diggers said
was an old stump. Failing to chop the
stump" with an AK, the negro concluded
he had struck Ded Of rock, and when my
brother descended into the excavation no
managed, with cold chlsel. to cut out
piece of what he thought was transparent
rock. My father. however, who happened
TO be on the island mt the time. knew
what had been discovered, and In the
course of n little while the wonder Cf the
discovery had been noised all over the
country. Thus was discovered the first
rock salt deposit In the south, and n few
months after that time dozen shafts
We're being worked in n crude way, and
we were shipping salt to Richmond in
great quantities, at least great for that
period In the worlds history. Work has
progressed almost steadily since that time.
and we are shortly to begin new shaft
which will go deeper than ever I'm fact,
drop beneath the old workings, although
this is not necessary, because we can tap
the deposit In any locality we choose. :"
BY an Indian legend the GROW was
selected by the Great Spirit as n messenger
TO the red men. He placed kernel of
corn in its right ear and bean In its left
and sent IL forth with the gift Of life 10
his people, wisely mufiling the ears of tho
crow so that it might neither hear nor
heed anything that might interrupt it's
flight Because of that mission the crow
right to share OF the Indians corn
wherever planted is never denied and the
life bearing bird" has been revorenced
by the Indians forever. Like the Indian,
the crow has been tracked prosecuted
and hunted by the pale face wherever
he has loitered for shelter. He is ac-
cused asa theft that is best when he Is
dead. His usefulness in picking the grubs
out Of the growing corn is not considered.
IL he snatcbes one grain OF corn with
four or five grubs that arc comparatively
more destructive than h3, he Is con-
demned and shot as a plunderer. BY the
Indian logic all the corn belonged to
the Indians as original proprietors but
the crow is an Indian, and, therefore, the
corn belongs TO the crow. " The primi.
tive Indian takes good care Of the crow
and divides the corn with him at the
planting season. The farmer who shoots
the crow off his premises for the sin OF
stealing few grains of corn forRets TO
thank him for the killing Of the willy
hcuhawk, the sneakthief which frequents
the barnyard intent on meal of young
chickens.
The crow carries off an egg now and
then, but his small game Is confined TO
field mice insects, grubs, srrTuft snutes,
worms. lizards ana frogs, and In his win
ter hunger he descends 10 carrion. While
he occasionally worries small birds. his
delight is the OWL oppossum and raccoon.
An Indian tells this story OF white man
and crow: The white man whu had
killed deer tor its skin, left its body in
an open place in the forest A crow flying
over the woods swooped down To tho deer,
walked around It, "talkeG TO himself
about IL. " and then flew rapidly away.
An Indian took the deer TO his cabin ncar
10y, ana while he was dressing AZ he heard
"A cUmmotion in the air. a crow which
seemed 10 be leading a numerous flock,
was screaming with terror The utroar
continued for some time, ana ended by
the entire flock surrounding tae unfortu-
nate and pecking him to dcath, his body
falling TO the ground In fragments. The
lndinn argues that tho first crow found
the carcass and generously flew 10 tell tho
flock, and as tho Indian rad in tho mean
time removed tho deer the disappointed
flock, falling TO find 10. hal JUST killed
tho .cader crow tor telling lie