Evening star., 1898-12-31
Some of the Wonders of the Famous
Wieliozka Mines.
NILES OF STREETS AND CAVERES
There is Even an Underground Rail-
way and Restaurant
NJ GNIFICENT CARVINGS

II would take at least three weeks in
visit every portion OF the marvellous salt
city Of Wieiiczka, the center of the salt
| INDUSTRY OF Polish Austria. Men have work.
ed IN us hoIlows for centuries. leaving il "a
! legacy to posterity. Horses have been
| brought to life and have died there u.itbort
| seeing the light of day. II is silent and dark
| except when the voices OF people echo
| through Its countless tortuous halls and the
candle OF the guide or flash of the Roman
ilsht discovers its massive and gli,tering
wonders. II is city hewu in salt
The mines are under the direct control of
the Austro-Hungari5n minister OF finance
| Here the wonders spoken of may be seen
! as they have been seen by people for near
| ~ thousand years. During that time the
| skilled hand Of the laborer in the Wielczka
salt mines has been at work turning the
| depths OF darkness into realm Of healIt,
| 1T has created ball rooms ChaDclS aIfars
statues, restaurants. railways chandpIiers
sialrcases, pillars and thrones in The bow
els OF The earth, and the grandeur of these
mas excited the admiration of the world
The mines date back to l0l4, and now
nave a length of over two and three-quar-
ters miles. Above stands a large gray
building containing the offices Of fbose ~,
charge of the mining operations This build
ing is interesting principally because IL con-
lains large number of caps and uniforms
worn by various royal persons Austrian
ana otherwise, who have descended into
TINS subterranean city. They are each la
peIed with The name OF the visitor and the
DAY OF descent In early times this descent
was made in a shaft worked by horse now
er. but a hydraulic lift is now in use Some
visitors prefer. however. to descend on long,
siahuhs stairways cut in the solid salt.
Colossal Chambers.
Almost blinded by the darkness. and
frightened by the earle echo Of his own
| footsteps, the visitor first enters some
Sal pbo
laborer in the ordinary course of mining
| after a plan laid down by some master
mind. He almost loses himself in the eX-
pans9 of the Letow ball room. which with
It's solid mural decoration, illumlnqIeI gal
lerles, staiwart pillars and shining chan
deliers, is indeed a fit and welcome cham
beF for lovers of the dance In ITS history
| which dates back TO lI5e, whrn it was
dedicated to Letowski. the chief of the
m nes a that time, il has witnessed many
remarkable gatherings. These have taken
place on royal visits, for the entertain
ment Of distinguish ed guests one end of
the room is adorned with colossal aus
trlan eagle and with trapspa rencicS paint
ed on slabs of salt. In an alcove at the
other end of the room stands a throne Of
green, the crystals Of which flash a green
and ruby-red Il is on this that the en-
peror sits when he comes to the mines. The
bail room lie: at distance of 2I6 feet bs-
low the surfa' q, being the first of seven
stories in the mine. Three of these stories
contain the marvels visitors go 10 see, and
are called Bono" Kaiser Franz and
"Erzherzog Albrecht" respectively, the last
two being named in honor Of celebrated
AUStrians.
From the scene of gayety and splendor,
it is but step 10 he home of quietude and
prayer. Here off one of the main pas
sages. is the noted St. Aa-hony's Chapel
the resort of thousands Of the devout since
it was hewn in l69S. The vestibue TO this
chapel contains a symmetrical archway,
with figures at the sides The int rior is
heautifed by altar showing the cruel
fixion and on the steps Of the altar are the
forms of two kneeling monks. On the
sides of the chapel may be seen smaller
altars and statues Of saints. Many times
each year the priests Of the district per-
form their pious duties in this simple
chapel. not only in memory of St. Anthony
himself but a tribute to the miner who,
uuaided and perseVering. built the chapel
as 1t stands today The blocks of salt
which he dug out have disappeared, but the
life work of the nameless laborer may last
till the end of time.
Carved Picture Of Bethlehem.
It is not at all strange that the religious
feeling of olden times should be reflected
in the chambers and passages through
which we are now in Imagination passing.
Hard by st. Anthony's Chapel the torch
of the guide illuminates a magnificent
shrine and archway hewn in one OF the pas
figures of saints in attitude of prayer and
few minor rooms which We pass hurried
ly through bear the names of martyrs. The
Queens Chapel, with its magnificent altar,
carved with expert skill in solid salt, con-
tains on of Its sides a view of Bethle-
hem Tradition has il that one man spent
many months of silent effort in this pic
turesque sculpture, now shown TO every
visitor one of the lesser, but interesting.
euriosites of the mines. As We turn from
it the beautiful chandelier in the chapel
catches our eye, and makes US marvel that
such a delicate conception with so many
pendant chains Of white should have 50
long resisted the wear and tear of time.
When illuminated, as it often is, this cham
delier, with its myriad lights, is indeed
beautiful to see.
The descent from the first to the second
story is made on long series of steps Of
solid salt. At the foot of this remarkable
staircase the sightseer is fascinated by A
beautiful sight. The giant chamber Mi
chalowice' lies before hm-vast, fearsome
and stupendous-fnished in 176l, after for
ty years of daily labor 1t measures 80 feet
long, 81 feet broad and IFS feet high, the
roof being supported by wooden frame
work to avoid disaster In the interior A
salt chandelier of 500 lights CLEANS bril-
liantly on the rugged sides of this imposing
room. When musicians play here the vol-
ume of sound rolls and reverberates with
deafening effect against the solid confines
of the chamber, and, rushing upward,
bursts with mighty power against the far
off dome.
Railway and Restaurant.
The third flor of this marvellous mine
contains the railway station and restau-
rant. attracting the visitor by its long vista
of iatticed galleries and ponderous pillars.
and its promise of refreshment after a long
and weary tramp on unyielding floors. For
here at this railway station, where the
twenty-five miles of railways from all parts
of the mine join. tempting buffet exists
the summer through. and is well patronized
by the thousands who come from Austria.
Russia and Germany 10 view the wondrOus
works of salt.
The mine is, indeed, full of many marvels;
but the most marvellous Of all-at least, the
one which makes the most impression on
the visitor-is the subterranean lake, lying
700 feet below the surface of the earth.
The waters of the lake are dark, thick ana
heavy and as the boat glides over its face
the spreading waters ron up against the
sides of the grotto with a ghost-like swish.
ponderous solitude overweighs all. The