The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1899-06-01
BY Theodore Perrin, on the ORR
gin and Usefulness
of Salt.
ThejFifth:Of a Series OF OratiOns that
are Being Published and.One
of the Best.

from this is the origin ola large .propor-
ton of the rock now composing it's crust.
Forming large per cent. OF this resi-
due is salt, which may be classified un-
der two heads, sea salt and rock salt.
As actually found, however, the one is
probably derived from the other, most
rock salt bearing evidence of having
been formed by the evaporation OF salt
lakes and seas. This is seen from its
stratified nature with deposits OF clay
between the strata, which could have
been deposited only from solution.
At one time almost all of the salt OF
commerce was produced by the evapor-
alton of sea water and salt so produced
is still an article of commerce in many
countries possessing sea board, espec.
tally those which have dry climate and
long summers. However, rock salt is
probably the origin OF more than half
the salt manufactured in the world. 1t
occurs in all degrees of purity from mere
clay salt to that of the most transparent
crystals
In many salt works of Germany cham
bers and galleries are excavated to pre-
sent greater surface for dissolving salt.
Fresh water let down into the mine is
allowed to stand for time and then
pumped up as brine. Many brine
springs also occur in which large per
cent. Of pure salt is found. In such
cases the water is caused to trickle over
faggots arranged under large open sheds,
called graduation houses, in which a
greater surface for evaporation is pre-.
sented.
The principal source of the Chesire
salt is the rock salt which is found in
bed about eighty feet thick, but only
the bottom part, fifteen to eighteen feet
thick, is mined. AS the miners advance
into the mine pillars of salt ares left about
twenty five feet apart to prevent the
mine from collapsing. Many mines
have collapsed from the weakness of the
roof or the insufficiency Of the pillars
is then pumped from the mine and evap.
Grated, which results in very good
quality of salt.
The Transylvanisn and Walachisn
mines of the Carpathian district are
numerous and rich. Thousands of tons
of salt in the form of brine, from the
brine springs, which are common
throughout the country, are allowed to
run to waste. The rock is so pure that,
simply ground, it is pure enoughlfor use
without further processes.
In Gallicia the principal mines and
those of the most HISTORICAL Importance
are at Wieliczka and Bochnis. The
former, which is the most celebrated in
the world, is situated nine miles from
Cracow and has been worked constantly
for six hundred years. The entire mass
of salt is estimated to be five hundred
miles long, twenty miles broad and
twelve hundred feet thick. 1t is on the
west side of ridge OF hills, an Offset oi
the Carpathians. The salt isistoped out
in longitudinal and transverse galleries
which form large rooms with high roof
supported by large pillars of salt. Ex.
plosives are not used in this or any other
mine in the district. The salt is sold
just as it comes from the mine or is finely
ground and packedEin sacks and casks
for shipment. On account of the stop.
ing, the mine is divided into four levels.
All the packing and grinding is done
within the mine. The collective length
of the galleries and chambers is about
thirty English miles and the yield fifty.
five thousand and sevenltons per annum
The mine employs from eight hundred
to one thousand men, most of whom
live under the ground. The lower levels
of the mine contain streets .and houses
which compose very neat village. The
mine contains many grote que and beau
tiful figures which have been cut out O
rock salt.
Salt making is very healthful occu
patton, a slight soreness of'the eye.beipi
the only affection with which the.minerl
are troubled. The atmosphere OF steam
saturated with salt in which the work
men live seems preservative: agains
colds and rheumatism.
The most important salt..works of tn,
United States are in Michigan. Th'
salt producing rock covers, about eigh
thousand square miles and the supply
almost inexhaustible.
We at this day and age consider sal
as indispensable but it must have beel
almost unattainable to primitive man
The Odyssey speakslof inlsnders who d
not know the sea and use no salt in thei
food. Ia some parts OF America an
even of India salt was introduced b.
Europeans and there are still parts {
Central Africa where the use Of salt 10
luxury unsttainable by the poore
classes.