The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-11
THE WONDERS OF THE WIELCZKA
MINES IN POLISH AUSTRIA.
Miles of Streets and Caverns, Huge
Chambers, and an Underground
Railway and Restaurant.
Strand Magazine.


covers it's massive and glittering wonders.
1t is q city hewn in salt.
The mines are under the direct control of
the Austro-Hungarian minister of finance
Here the wonders spoken Of may he seen,
as they have been seen by people for near
ly a thousand years. During that time the
skilled hand of the laborer in the Weiczka
salt mines has been at work turning the
depths of darkness into a realm of beauty
1t has created bathrooms, chapels, affairs
statues, restaurants railways chandeliers
staircases. pillars and thrones in the bowels
of the earth, and the grandeur of these has
excited the admiration of the world.
The mines date back to 104 and now
have a length of over two and three-quar-
tiers miles Above stands a large gray build
ing containing the offices of those in charge
of the mining operations. This building is
interesting principally because it contains
a large number of caps and uniforms worn
by various royal personages, Austrian and
otherwise, who have descended into this
subterranean city. They are each labeled
with the name of the visitor and the Gay
of descent. In early times this descent was
made in a shaft worked by horse power
but a hydraulic lift is now in use Some
visitors prefer, however, to descend on long,
slanting stairways cut in the solid salt.
COLOSSAL CHAMBERS.
Almost blinded by the darkness and fright
ened by the cerie echo of his own foot
steps, the visitor first enters some colos-
sal chambers, followed out by the laborer
in the ordinary course of mining after
plan laid down by some master mind He
almost loses himself in the expanse of the
Letow ballroom which, with its solid mural
decoration, Illuminated galleries, stalwart
pillars and shining chandeliers, is indeed a
fit and welcome chamber for lovers of the
dance. In its history, which dates back to
the chief of the mines at that time, it has
witnessed many remarka BILE gatherings.
These have taken place on royal visits or
for the entertainment of distinguished
guests. One end of the room is adorned
with a colossal Austrian eagle and with
traESparencieS painted on slabs of salt. In
an alcove at the other end of the room
stands throne of green, the crystals of
which flash a green and ruby red 1t is
comes to the mines. The ballroom lies at
a distance of ZIG feet below the surface,
being the first of seven stories in the mine.
Three Of these stories only are open to Wis
itors, as they alone contain the marVels
visitors go to see, and are called Bono,
Kaiser Franz" and 'Erzherzog Albrecht.
honor of celebrated Austrians.
From the scene OF gayety and spiendor
a QulGJuU5
and prayer Here off one of the main
passages. is the noted st. Anthony's chapel,
the resort of thousands of the devout since
it was known in 1888 The Vetibule to this
chapel contains q symmetrical archway,
with figures at the sides. The interior is
beautihed by an altar showing the cruel
f1xion, and on the steps of the altar are
the forms of two knelling monks On the
sides of the chapel may be seen smaller
affairs 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 him
self. but a tribute to the miner who,
unaided and perservering built the chapel
as it stands to-day. The blocks of salt
which he dug out have disappeared, but
the lifewOrk of the nameless laborer may
last till the end OF time.
CARVED PICTURE OF BETHLEHEM.
1t 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 Eliminates the magnificent shrine and
archway hewn in one of the passages.
Again, as we move along we see figures Of
saints in attitude of prayer, and a few
minor rooms which we pass hurriedly
through bear the names of martyrs. The
queens chapel, with its magnificent altar
carved with expert skill in solid salt, con-
tains on one of its sides a view of Bethle-
hem. Tradition has it that one man spent
turesque sculpture, now shown to every Wis
itor as one of the lesser but interesting
curiositeS of the mines. AS we turn from
it the beautiful chandelier IN the cndpeI
catches our eye and makes us marvel that
such a delicate conception with so many
pendant chains of white should nave SO long
resisted the wear and tear of time. When
illuminated, as it often is, this chandelier,
with it's myriad lights, is indeed beautiful
The descent from the first to the second
story is made on a long series of steps OF
solid salt. At the foot of this remarkable
staircase the sightseer is fascinated by
beautiful sight. The giant chamber Mi
chaloWice lies before h11C-vaSt, fearsome
and stupendous-finished in 1861 after forty
feet long, ninety-two broad and rs feet
high, the roof being supported by wooden
frame work TO avoid disaster In the IN
terror a salt chandelier Of three hundred
lights CLEAN brilliantly on the rugged sides
of this imposing room. When musicians
play here the volume of sound rolls and
reverberates with deafening effect against
the solid confines Of the chamber, and, rush
ing upward, bursts with mighty power
against the far-off dome
RAILWAY AND RESTAURANT.
The third floor of this marvellous mine
contains the railway station and restaurant,
attracting the visitor by it's long vista of
latticed 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 twenty-five
miles of railways from all parts of the mine
join, a tempting buffet exists the summer
through, and is we'll patronized by the thou
sands who come from Austria, Russia and
Germany to view the wOndrous work of
salt.
But the most marvellous of all-at least,
the one which makes the most impression
on the VISITORS the subterranean lake, ly-
ing seven hundred feet below the surface of
the earth. The waters of the lake are dark,
thick and heavy and as the boat glides over
its face the spreading waters roll UP against
the sides of the grottO with q ghoSt-llke
swish. a ponderous solitude overweighs all.
The Styx alone. of all the deathlike streams
in legend could rival this in stiffness The
boat is guided through the Stephanie and
Rudolph grottOes by ropes running on pull
boatman with his hands resting on the
stern of the curious craft pushes it with his
feet braced against the rope. There are six
teen of these lakes in different parts of the
mine, but this Is the only one upon which
visitors are allowed to go The trip across
the boat moves slowly through the sluggish
brine. A gunshot off in the middle of the
lake makes a long and lingering echo, and
the voice of the boatman. as he calls out
that all is ready. seems like the voice of a
giant from the depths Of chaos.
The lower stories of the mine are occupied
by over a thousand miners. who. working
eight hours a day each. manage, in the
course of year, TO product 5000 tons of
salt. They toll patiently, cutting their way
through the solid salt, leaving beautiful pas
sages heavily covered with crust sparkling
white.
Social Turnverein Play.
The dramatic section of the Social Turn
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