The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-03-17
= CITY IiEWN II SALT.
WONDRCUS SIGHTS IN THE FAMOUS
WIELICZkA MINES.

Magnificent Ballroom. Chapels and
Shrine and Il Giant Chamber with
Natural Chandelier Lakes of
Dcnthiil.c Silence.
1t would take at least three weeks to
visit every portion of the marvellous salt
city of Wieliczka, the center of the salt in
llustry of Polish Austria. Men have
worked in its hollows for centuries, leav
| ing it as q legacy to posterity Horses
have been brought to life and died there
without seeing the light of day 1t is 81
lent and dark. except when the voices of
,euplc echo through its countless tortuous
lalls and THE candle of the guide or flash
If the roman light discovers its massive
md glittcring wonders. 1t is Il city hewn
II salt
The mines arc under the direct control
If tho Austro Hungarian minister of
nance. Here the wonders spoken about
nay be seen as they have been seen by
,cuplG for nearly 1000 years. During
chat time the skilled hand OF the labOrcr
i'll the WiclicZku salt mines has been ut
work turning the depths of darkness into
l realm of beauty. 1t has created ball
rooms, chapcls, affairs, statues, restau-
rants, railways. chandeliers. staircases,
pillars and thrones in the bowels of the
earth, and the grandeur of these has cx
,:ited the admiration of the world The
mines date back to 1914 and now have d
length of over Pa miles.
Almost blinded by darkness and fright
cncd by the ccrie echo of his own foot
steps, the visitor first enters some colossal
chamber followed out by the laborcr in
the ordinary course of mining after il plan
lud down by some master mind He al
most loses himself in the eXpanse of the
Letow ballroom, which, with its mural
decoration, Illuminated galleries, staiwart
pillars und shining chandeliers, is indeed
fit and welcome chamber for lovers of
he dance In its history, which dates
hlrk to 1850, when it was dedicated to
!.ctowski, the chief of the mines ut that
inc, it has witnessed many remarkable
gatherings These have taken place on
oval visits or for the entertainment of
distinguished guests One end of tie
"uom is adorned with n colossal Austrian
.aglc and with transparcrcics painted on
slabs of salt. In an alcorc ut the other
nd of the room stands n throne of green
the crystals of which flash IL green and
ruby red 1t is on this that the emperor
sits when he comes to the mines.
From the scene of gayety and splendor
It is but IL step to the home of quietude
md prayer. Here, off one of the main
passages. is tho noted st. Anthony's chap
Il, the resort of thousands of the dcvout
since it was hewn in 1898. The vestibule
70 this chapel contains symmetrical
lrchway, with figures mt the sides The
interior is benutillcd by an altar showing
the crucifixion, and on the steps of the
altar are the forms of two knecling 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
perform their pious duties in this simple
chapel.
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 a magnificent
shrine and archway hewn in one of the
passages. Again, as we move along, we
see figures Of saints in attitude of prayer
md IL few minor rooms which we pass
hurrictly through bear the names of mar
yrs. The quccn's chapel, With its mag
liiiccnt altar. carved with expert skill III
iii salt, contains ON one of lis sides Il
ryv of Bethlehem. As we turn from ii
he beautiful chandelier in the chapel
utghcs uu. eye and makes Us I.!urvcl that
uch IL delicate conception with so many
cndaut rh;:inS Of white shuu!a have so
ing rl',: ;ctl the wear and tear of time
ihvn i.lun:inutc>l. ;,i it often is. the chan
@lcr, with its lIyli.d lights, is indeed
,edutiiul To see.
'Ih,, Al ,t,>, FIN. first "A fhn GprpDr
tory is made On IL long series of steps of
old salt At the foot Of this remarkable
t;lircaSc the sightsGCr Is fascinated by Il
beautiful sight. The giant chamber
Mich. loricc' lies before him-vlst, fear
some and tupendous-fnishCd in 1861,
lftcr 40 years of daily labor. 1t measures
- feet long, ~ feet broad and Is feet
high, the roof being supported by II wood
III framcwori, to avoid disaster. Ii the
interior u salt chandelier of 300 lights
CLEANS brilliantly Oh the rugged sides of
this imposing room When musicians
play here, the volume of sound rolls and
Invertebrates with deafcning effect against
the solid confines of the chamber, and,
rushing upward, bursts with mighty pow
r. against the faroff dome.
The third floor of this marvellous mine
contains the railway station and restau-
rant attracting the visitor by its long vista
of latticed galleries and pondcrous pillars
and its promise of rcfrcshment after a long
and weary tramp on unyiclding floors;
for here at this railway station, where the
70 miles of railways from all parts of the
mine join, a tempting buffet exists tho
summer through, and is well patroniZcd
by the thousands who come from Austria,
Russia and Germany to view the wondrous
works of salt.
The mine is indeed full of many mar
vels but the most marvellous OF all-at
least tho one which makes the most i'm
preston on the visitor-is the subter-
rancan lake, lying 700 feet below the sur
face of tho earth. The waters on 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
ghostlike swish. A ponderous solitude
ovcrwcighs all. Tho Styx alone CT all
the deathlike streams in legend could
rival this in stiffness The boat is guided
through tho Stcphanic and Rudolf grottoes
by ropes running on pullcys along the
sides of the boat. There are III 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 and
back takes II or 90 minutes, as the boat
moves slowly through the sluggish brine.
A gun shot off in the middle of the lake
makes II long and lingering echo and the
voice of the boatman, as he calls out that
all is ready. seems like the voice of giant
from the depths of chaos
The lower stories of the mine are occu
pied by over thousand miners, Sho.
working eight hours n day each, manage
in the course of year to produce $4,000
tons of salt. They toll patiently, cutting
their way through the solid salt, leaving
beautiful passages heavily covered with n
crust sparkling white. Strand Magazine.
No Exceptions.
Hc-What IL perfect fool I've been!
Shelby dear, don't be SO conceited; no
one is perfect Boston Journal.
Lie CNDDnW nAC iMAHEMCE