1853.] Report on the Geological Structure of the Salt Bang e. 245 



25° to 40° ; as might be expected, much trouble is occasioued by the 

 filling of the mines with water when they reach to any great depth. 

 During the rains too, in July, August and September, the water 

 rushes through passages in the marl into the mines, and by detach- 

 ing large portions of rock render them quite unsafe. In these 

 months, the miners desert the mines ; partly on account of their dan- 

 ger, and partly on account of the intense heat and numerous fleas 

 and musquitoes which infest them and their neighbourhood. 



In consequence of the irregular way of carrying on the workings, 

 the passages into the various mines exhibit at present a succession 

 of ascents and descents over a series of rude steps, which sometimes 

 become so polished and slippery as to render walking over them a 

 matter of some difficulty. 



In extracting the salt, the chief instrument used is a hammer, 

 pick-shaped and hard-tempered at one end, and with a round head 

 at the other, A mass of salt being fixed upon as the scene of 

 operation, a portion is lined off, about two feet thick, and along this a 

 groove is cut with the sharp pointed hammer to the depth of some 

 eight or ten inches. Larger sharp pointed hammers as wedges are 

 then introduced at intervals along this line and on their broad heads 

 a series of sharp blows are inflicted. This generally detaches a 

 block of salt, which is then broken up into lumps of a size convenient 

 for being carried out of the mines. The amount of waste resulting 

 from the above method of working is something immense, and as 

 powdered salt is not saleable as long as lumps can be had, it is gene- 

 rally shovelled into the bottom of the workings where frequently 

 there is a deep brine pool ready to receive it. 



Instead of making a deep groove along the limits of the mass, it is 

 desired to detach, (we believe the object could be equally well attain- 

 ed by adopting the plan used in the granite quarries of Scotland, 

 and which is as simple as it is effective.) Small holes three or four 

 inches long, two inches broad and four inches deep are picked out 

 at intervals of eight or ten inches in the mass which it is desired to 

 split. Into these holes truncated iron wedges are introduced. Each 

 of these are in succession driven into the holes and continue to 

 receive sharp blows till the mass splits, which is at once known by 

 the elasticity of the stone causing the wedges to jump out of their 



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