The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-11-27
A Sea Of Salt.

We are continually hearing of
strange places and strange occupa-
tions in various paris Of our country,
but one Of the strangest sights must
be that afforded by the great sea of
salt described recently in The Pitts
burg Dispatch, by Jose de Olivares.
Perhaps it would more properly be
called o field OF salt, but as il extends
over thousand sores, and presents
one smooth white surface, it looks
like frozen sea or lake.
The salt is formed from springs Of
salt water which are continually rising
to the surface Of the ground aud over
flowing. As the water on the top evap.
crates, it leaves crust Of salt which
sometimes forms 70 depth of eight
inches. The salt fields are just north
Of the Mexican boundary, in the midst
Of the Colorado desert. where the sun
beats down fercely and causes the
water to evaporate rapidly. The region
is two hundred and sixty-four feet be-
low sea level.
The method Of obtaining the salt
seems a. strange one, and differs es-
sentially from that employed where
the salt is mined after the usual man
ner. A plow is first used. This con-
sists Of steel blade or breaker which
is drawn by a steam dummy or
engine. managed by two Indian labor
crs. The plow breaks up broad,
shallow furrow. Other Indian work
ers follow with, hoes and stir these
broken pieces Of salt about in the
shallow water which is just beneath,
until they are comparatively clean.
They then pile them up into stacks Of
pyramid shape, where they are left to
drain.
The idea of washing the salt in
water to rid it of impurities, soems
incredible, as one would, of course,
expect tho salt to melt; but it does
not for the reason that the water be-
meath is already saturated with all the
salt it can hold.
After these salt pyramids have
drained sufficiently they are loaded
on fat cars and taken to the mills
where they are dried and crushed.
After drying thoroughly, the salt is
ground fine, then sifted, and finally
placed in an ''aspirator' which is a
machine for drawing OFF all impure
substances that remain.
This process makes the salt fit for
table use. Coarser grades also are
made in the same mill, and from these
the foreign substances are not so care
fully separated, since this salt is used
for mechanical purposes, and is not
intended to be eaten.
In the mill are Japanese workers
who sew the sacks in which the salt
is to be placed. All the workers in
the fields are Indians. The work is
very trying, and it is doubtful if any
but an Indian could be induced to
carry it ION. The sun is intensely hot,
and the reflection from the dazzling
white surface is almost unbearable.
Even the Indians have to wear color.
ed glasaes to protect their eyes. Then
the air is SO charged with salt that it
produces constant thirst, which is
hard to quench, for there is no clear
sparkling water to be obtained in the
region. What is. not actually salt is
warm and disagreeable to the taste.
During the summer months the ther-
mometer registers one hundred and
forty degrees for weeks at a time, and
this intense heat causes the water to
exaporate SO quickly that the same
field is worked over and over, its crop
of salt never being exhausted. For
aCard.