Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-15
SALT MINE rs INFERNO
VIEWS RIVAL DANTE's IMAGI-
NARY VISIONS OF HADEs.
Workings in Roumania That Date Back
to the Time Of the Roman
Empire.

two quite close to one another. at Slanic
and Doftana- One of the mines at Slanic
dates back to the time of the Romans,
whose methods were not so scientific as
those of their modern successors. They
made bottle-shaped excavations quite close
to one another, with the result that the
wedge of earth between bottles constantly
threatened to subside. Indeed. the other
day an enormous mass weighing. I am
afraid to say how many tons. came down
with crash. and the old mine had to be
abandoned.
Modern methods avoid any such danger.
Instead OF burrowing down again into a
new mine you cut horizontal galleries into
the rock, huge pillars of salt are left
standing to support the earth and fresh
cayerns are followed out. Thus, without
any extra amount of labor. 1t is possible
to extend the mine almost indefinitely and
the pillars serve to confirm the ecclesias-
teal effect of the great subterranean ba-
silica.
1 saw the old Roman mine from one of
the upper galleries. which was reached by
strange. almost endless. tunnels, illum-
mated with gay Chinese lanterns. little
verdure alone was needed to complete the
illusions of the gardens of Aladdin. The
impressions afforded by the view from this
gallery were so unique and marvellous
that hesitate to attempt to describe them.
Reminded Of Dcre's Pictures.
Some minutes were necessary to grow
accustomed to the twilight. A few braziers
containing shavings soaked in petroleum
were flaring up in feverish manner and
as looked over into the darkness of the
abyss l was reminded of Dores version of
Dante looking into the uttermost depths of
hades
What struck me most was the Insecurity
of my position. There was, of course, no
danger whatever and the LEDGE w
stood was fairly broad But 1t possessed
no parapet. and in order to look down it
was necessary to come very near to the
brink. What added most to the sense of
insecurity was a kind of pier or commence
ment of bridge which projected over the
abyss.
1 do not know whether 1t dated back to
the days of the Romans, but at any rate
1t was almost prehistoric In aspect. / did
not need the advice of my companions to
discourage any attempt at walking the
plank along this road to destruction. but
1 have seen few places capable of afford
ing more temptation to those with suicidal
inclina tons.
Suddenly a signal was given and enor-
nous bonfires were cast down from the
roof of the mine. Several long seconds
elapsed before they fzzled out in the pond
of salt water hundreds of feet below. The
effect was extraordinary. First the gray
walls were illuminated as the huge molten
mass blazed past them: then they were
overcast with fleeing, ghostly shadows.
and at last plunged once more into a dark
ness which was only emphasized by the
Pickering lights above.
Tub Covered With D-ippings.
Perhaps the prettiest object in this old
mine was a comon tub which had been
placed some years ago upon the ledge to
receive the drippings of salt water tasted
this water and found 1t salty that 1t
almost bit and solidified my tongue. AS
the drops fell the greater part Of them I'm
mediately crystalized with incredible ra-
pidity.
The original tub was no longer to be
seen. 1t had been covered up entirely with
glistening organisations, which gave it the
appearance of huge snow fountain
adorned with the most exquisitely artistic
designs. 1t was now about six feet high
and several feet in thickness. while piece
of string which had been suspended above
it had now become a rope of molten pearls.
Returning along the tunnel we passed
little trap door about two feet square. This
was pulled up. and l was privileged to look
down into the new mine and behold one of
the most remarkable sights to be found in
the world. Hundreds of feet below, upon a
rugged field of dazzling wilderness, suggest
i've of the tce-pack In the Arctic regions
herds of men, each apparently as large as
a cheese-mite, moved about feverishly like
the occupants of an ant heap. Here and
there points of electric light shone like
suspended stars. The general impression
was that of nest of insects viewed
through a Brobdingnagian magnifying
glass.
Fairy Music From the Depths.
A hushed tinkliRg noise came up from the
depths like fairy music. thought should
never tire of watching the graceful move
ments of these remote human insects. 1
almost began to fancy that they must be-
long to another planet. and such was the
extraordinary fascination exercised by this
all ipht hot INF, n
wrench to tear myself away. I could have
remained crouching over this peep-hoe for
hours, and felt quite annoyed with the
director of the mine when he patiently re-
minded me that / still had much to see be-
fore the departure of my train.
So We returned along the gallery and
entered one of the powerful lifts which
are employed to bring up trucks of salt
from the bottom of the mine. The director
assured me with a smile that I need not
have any alarm about the capacity of the
lift as it was constructed to carry over
twenty-five hundredweignt.
Indeed, crawied down at a snails
pace, and had an opportunity of studying
the strange natural frescoes on the walls.
They were merely geological formation of
course. but they assumed the shapes here
of wild sea serpents. there of beautiful dec
oratiye patterns, and every now and then
of impossible heraldic animals. Dados on
dados, / mentally summed them up.
We stepped out on to the floor of a Ii
tanic cathedral. a vast basilica. where
armies might have knelt In prayer, and
where people who knew no other world
might easily imagine that this was the
universe. Even the great, strong electric
globes could only create dim re-
ligious light in this huge edifice. The lofty
walls were marked with curly stripes of
sparkling gray and white. running up and
down like the waves of tempestuous sea.
Along the various naives and aisles rude
tramways were laid out upon kind of
embankment of salt. Here trucks were
waiting to be fed by the miners. who came
UP ladders and elementary gangways bear
ing loads from the salt trenches below.
The atmosphere was utterly unlike any
had ever breathed elsewhere. 1t was very
dry, very pungent, highly exhilarating, like
some mineral water turned into gas.
There was pleasure in quafing it with
deep breaths. but presently you licked
your lips you tasted salt. you smelt salt.
you felt yourself impregnated with salt.
1t was almost possible to understand the
sensatio OF Lots wife. = The prevailing
desire was an inordinate craving for the
immediate consumption Of beverages by
the bucketful.
Indiana's Anti Cigarette Law.
From the Terre Hauie Tribune G azette.
GO $ar for air DIV In.