The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-05-21

Eondon May ls.@The salt mines at
Norwich contain some wonderful nov
elites in the way of unique apartments
cut in pure salt, but the most inter
esting salt mines in the world are at
Wieliczka, in Galicia. Here is to be
seen the most extraordinary collection
of streets, houses, churches and monu-
ments, some of which are 900 years
old.
st. Anthony's chapel, one of the fin
est pieces of work in the mine. was
hewn by a miner some 200 years ago
out of a massive block of rock salt
The altar has twisted columns, and
carved praying monks kneel on the
steps, over the altar being a huge
crucifiX and statue of the Virgin
while in the various chapels are to be
found smaller affairs
Besides the one mentioned there is
another smaller chapel in the mines
named st. Cmegund, which was only
opened in 1896 and is now used regu-
larly for public worship. The chapel
Is reached by descent of fOrty-siX
steps cut in solid salt. 1t is $50 feet
long. forty feet wide and thirty feet
high. The altar. statues, pulpit and
chandeliers are all of salt
The next important apartment is
the great dancing hall, which is hung
with chandeliers carved from crystal
salt i'm 1914 in honor of the visit of
the Gar of Russia to the mines. The
Ii H.
brilliant crystals resembles more a
gorgeous court scene than the interior
of Il mine. Another famous hall is the
Michalowice. which is eighty four feet
long. fifty feet wide and l0S feet
high. with colossal chandelier seven
feet in diameter. containing 200 candles.
Passing through other beautiful halls
one reaches the Crown Prince Rudolph
Grotto, where the lights and white
carvings are reflected in the water of
an underground lake. From the cen
ter Of the water rises a statue of rock
salt, surrounded by fir trees and stall
actites.
The mines form an oval twenty-five
feet in length and half a mile in cen
tral width The aggregate length of
the galleries at present accessible is
upward of siXtyfive miles, and that of
mining railways twenty-five miles. The
mines are still being worked and en-
plov 1000 workmen.
Enormous cavities, amounting to
l06000000 cubic feet have been pro-
duced during the last century below
the town of Wieliczka. and to prevent
the town falling in whole streets of
houses have been built in these cavi
ties for the housing of workmen. who
are allowed a certain period each day
fer recreation above ground.
| noticed the article in last nights
Free Press, where the ministers agree
there should be no admission charged
on Sunday for the Chautauqua.
am informed by my attorney and at
torney general, that the ministers, or
no one else, not even the mayor, can
pick out what they like or what they
think reasonable, as any amusement
free or otherwise is against the law
unless strictly religious, which the
Chautauqua is not, even though opened
by PRAYER If opening of a prayer by
minister is all that is needed. the
same can be done at our show. and
since the ministers do not like the
charge idea on Sunday. l have decided
to give free show Sunday night at
eight o'clock, and every Sunday here
after, as ! claim | have an entertain
ment that is educational as well as en-
tertaining.
For instance, one picture we have
on this week, not one person in thou
sand would get a chance to see. It's
the catching of a 72.S00 pound whale in
the Atlantic ocean, and taking $4,000
pounds of lard and $4,000 gallons of oil
therefrom; and the other pictures are
equally as interesting
Now as regards the law, the mayor
can do here the same as i'm other cities |
Close his eyes to what he likes un-
less complaint is made. then he must |
enforce the law. If he allows some
places to do business and refuses an
other. that person can make a COM
plalnt ana the attorney general VIII |
Go the rest and close everything tight,
as his answer to my letter says: "All |
should be treated alike before the law" |
The ministers say. that some do bust |
ness for greed. Will they please tell |
me if the men behind the Chautauqua |
give their entertainment for love, or
because they want to educate the peo-
pie of MankatO?
If 10, did they leave any of that
money, which amounted between five
and six thousand dollars? No, every
cent went out of town. whereas the
money we take in, is left here.
] would suggest that the business
men would take as strong hold IN /
49,
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