Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-06-20
NATURAL SODA SPRINGS.


encampment is one Of the most remarka-
bic in the Rockey mountains. The fact
that the trail TO Oregon and California
will forever Of necessity pass within three
hundred yards Of the place where our
camp fire is burning; tllel near this spot
must be erected a resting place for the
long lines Of Caravans between the bar.
bors of the Pacific aud The waters of the
Missouri, would, Of themselves, interest
all who are witnessing the irresistible
movements OF civilization upon the Ame|
tican continent. But this spot has OBJ
jects Of interest: its geology and miner.
alOgy-Ond might well say the chemis.
tryof it for there are labaratoties and gass.
es here in the greatest profusion-will
hereafter occupy the attention Of the low
ers Of these sciences. ...
The Soda Springs, scaled by the fur
traders Beer Springs are the most remar.
ksble objects of the kind within my
knowledge. They are situated on the
northwest side Of the river, few rods
below grove Of shrOb cedars, and two
hundred yards from the shore. There
are six groups Of them; or in other words
are small hollows sunksn about two feet
below the ground around, of circular
form, seven or eight feet in diameter, in
which there are a number of fountains
sending up large quantities of gas and
water, and emitting noise resembling
the boiling Ofimmense caldrons. These
pools are usually clear with = gravelIy
bottom. In some of them, however,
grow bogs or hossacks Of coarse grass
among which are many little wells,where
the water bubbled so merrily that | was
tempted TO drink at one Of them; but as
| proceeded 10 do o,the suffocatiRg prop.
critics Of the gas instantly drove me from
my purpose.
After this rebuff, however, made an
other attempt at a more open fountain,
and drank with little difficulty. The wa
ters appeared to be more highly impreg-
mated with soda and acid than those Of
Saratoga, we're extremely pleasant TO the
taste, and fumed from the stomach like
the soda water from the shops. Some
Of them threw of at least four gallons of
gas second and, although they cast up
large masses Of water continually, for
which there appeared no outlet, yet at
difTersnt times Of observation, | could
perceive no increase or diminution Of the
quantity visible. There are five or six
other springs in the bank Of the river,
Just below, whose waters resemble those
/ have described; one ofthem dischar-
ges about forty gallons minute.
One fourth Of mile down stream
from the Soda Springs is what is
called "the Steamboat Spring" The
orifice from which il casts its water is in
the face of "a perpendicular rock, on the
bank of the stream, which seems to have
been Termed by the depositiOns Of the
fountain. 1t is eight inches in diameter.
Six feet from this, and on the horizontal
| plane of the rock, is another oriice, in
the cavern below. On approaching the
spring deep gurgling sound is heard un'
der gfound; il appears 10 be produced by
the generating Of gas in caveInops re-
ceiver. This, when the chamber is tlll.
ed bursts through another cavern filled
with wafer, which it thrusts, frothIhg and
foaming, into the stream. .....
In passing the smaller oriice, the pent
gas escapes with very much the same
sound as steam makes in the escape pipe
Of steam boat. Hence the name. The
periods Of discharge ale very irregular.-
Al times they occur once in two,at others
once in three, fourOr FIVE minutes. The
i force Of its action, also, is subject to
great variation. Those who have visii-
cd it often say that its noise has been
heard TO echo far among the hills
When | visited it., | could not hear it Al
the distance Of two Thousand Yards
There is also said to be difference at diff
ferent times in the temperature OF the
water. When examined it,was lit
lie above blOod'heat; others have seeI
il much higher.
The most remarkable phenomenon
connected with these springs remains ye
TO be noticed. The whole river, frOr
/ the Steamboat Spring tothe Soda Spring
a distance OF more than fourth Of a mil
! is a sheet Of springs, thousands in nun
ber; which, bursting through two feet q
superintendent running water, thro
their foaming jsts---sOme six inches, en-
some less-above the surface. The W
=. Ter is much the same, in its constitueI
qualities, as that Of the Soda Springs" =
FarnkGm's trGpels II Oregon.