WHAT ARE MINERAL SPRINGS—GENERAL LOCATION—GAS SPRINGS—IRON SPRINGS—SULPHUR SPRINGS—ALUM SPRINGS—EPSOM SPRINGS—SALT SPRINGS—WARM SPRINGS—ARTESIAN WELLS AND OIL WELLS, AND WHERE TO BORE FOR THEM.
ANY spring which contains a large amount of foreign matter, as gas, salts and earthy ingredients, is called mineral water. The special prominence of any ingredient gives it its particular name. Many iron springs contain salt, salt springs contain iron, and both may contain gas; the name is derived from the most prominent ingredient.
Our country is rich in mineral springs; there is not a State without one. But in general they are most numerous in hilly or mountainous regions, especially where the rocks are much deranged in position, or “faulted,” as the miners say. As for example, in Eastern New York and in the valley between the Blue Ridge and the Alleghany from Harper’s Ferry to the Natural Bridge. The Pacific States, also, are as remarkable for the number and variety of their mineral springs as for their metallic ores.
Carbonated or Gas Springs.—Springs of this class have a peculiar sparkling character and are continually sending up bubbles of gas. When the quantity of gas is small, it may be detected by adding a little lime water which will give it a milky appearance and deposit a white sediment; or, dip in a piece of blue litmus paper (which can be had of most druggists), and if there is any carbonic acid gas in the water, it will be reddened; or, pour in a little vinegar, stir well, and then add a little finely powdered sugar, when the gas, if it is there, will rise in small bubbles.
The most celebrated carbonated springs are the following: Saratoga and Ballston, N. Y.; Clarendon, Vt.; Sweet Springs in Shover’s Valley, Pa.; Bladon and Bailey Springs, Ala.; “Boiling Springs” near Pike’s Peak, Col.; Beer Springs near Bear River, Or. These springs contain salt, soda, magnesia, lime and iron, and are sometimes classed as saline, soda or chalybeate springs.
Chalybeate or Iron Springs.—The presence of iron in a spring may be ascertained by pouring into it an infusion of nut-galls, of logwood or of tan-bark, which will change it immediately to a black or dark color. If the water contains much iron, it may be recognized by its inky taste and by a yellowish powder on the border of the spring or at the bottom of a tumbler when allowed to stand awhile.
If waters have a cool but earthy taste, they contain lime; if bitter, they have magnesia. The “soda springs,” so called, are often only saline, carbonated or magnesia waters.
The most famous iron springs are at Saratoga, Sandlake and Catskill, N. Y.; West Bethel, Fryeburg, Eberne and Bethel, Me.; Schooley’s Mountain in Washington, N. J.; Bedford, Pittsburg, Frankfort and York, Pa.; Brandywine Springs, Del.; Red Sweet Springs in Monroe County, Rawley’s Spring in Rockingham County, and Huguenot Springs in Powhattan County, Va.; in Bath County, Ky.; Yellow Springs, O.; twenty miles east of Knoxville, Tenn.; Madison County, Geo.; Raymond and Lynchburg, Miss.; near Ogden City, Utah; near Mt. Shasta, Col.
Sulphur Springs.—These are easily recognized by their unpleasant odor, resembling that of rotten eggs. The water blackens silver and a solution of sugar of lead.
Sulphur springs are very numerous. The best known are at Saratoga, Sharon, Clifton, Avon, Manlius, Chittenango, Dryden and Richfield, N. Y.; Highgate and Newburg, Vt.; Togus, Bethel and West Newfield, Me.; Shover’s Valley, Carlisle and Doubling Gap, Pa.; Winchester and Warrenton, Va.; Greenbrier and Monroe Counties, W. Va.; Bath County, Ky.; White’s Creek near Nashville and in Granger County, Tenn.; Spartanburg, S. C.; Butts County, Geo.; Tallahatta, Ala.; Tampa, Fla.; near Bitter Creek and Great Salt Lake, Utah; along the Yellowstone River, Mont.; Jackson, Cal.