Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-09-14
Saratoga Springs.

Thinking that a few words about
the health fountains, may not be I'M
interesting, or without profit to your
readers. write YOU.
For about twelve miles along a "a
vine. extending in u Northeasterly
and Southw csterly direction. these
mineral springs are found. At Balls
ton thev have been used somewhat,
but the difficulty in excluding the fresh
water. has not yet been overcome, so
that the springs are not rs good as
at Saratoga. Here. scattered along
for distance of about two miles, are
some fifteen springs that are i'll use.
They are mostly toward the bottom
of the ravine, which sinks. on an ay-
crage. il MAY be, of twenty-five feet
below the land on the borders. The
springs are mostly Of a saline taste
some ofthem being much more so than
others 1t is claimed for them all
that they are tubed to the rock. at
depth of from seven to upward, of
fifty feet. The tubing is a square or
circular shaft, some sixteen inches in
diameter. 1t is made of maple or
birch plank; and is sunk by making
large excavations around the point
whore it IS to stand. There are sew
eral causes for making these wells
! large when they are dug. One is, the
mineral water, coming up through 50
much earth, Is not sure to rise perpen-
jicu!arly from the rock beneath,
through the assures Of which it comes
up. Another reason is, there must
be room for fresh air to enter these
excavations, or the gases that rise
with TIE water would be so abundant
as to destroy the life Of the w0rkmen.
This rayine must have been deeper
once than it is now; for in digging,
there are remains Of trees found, deep
buried in the soil. The old High
Rock Spring was one of the first
known in the place. Its medicinal
virtues were understood by the In
dian8; and white invalids were
brought hundreds Of miles, through
| the forests, to be cured by the waters
of this spring. The rock is no doubt
formed by the sediments which the
water deposited. 1t is much the
shape and size off large cock of hay
after it has stood some days in the
field, and settled. The opening which
reaches from the top downward
through the middle, is circular, and
large enough to admit mans head.
The water evidently ran over this
rock, coming up through this hole, at
some time; but recently it has had to
be dipped out, by reaching down the
opening, perhaps two and a half feet.
Tradition says that tree was fallen
once, so as to strike the rock, and
start it from its place; letting the wa
ter leak out instead of overflow. This
old rock has been overturned this sum.
mer, and shaft sunk thirty feet,
more or less; and it is purposed to fit
the rock to the tube, so as to cause
the water to overflow it again. In
digging beneath this rock, there was
found to be a stony deposit, reaching
entirely down to the solid rock. Also
there were found vegetable remains
among the masses of rough. spongy
stones. At the depth of seven feet
from the surface, was found a log, in
. SO good state of preservation, that
the kind of wood could be determined
: 1t was pine. At the depth of four.
teen feet an ash log was found; and
} portions of it, such as the heart and
| knots, were quite solid. The water
OF this spring, was, of course, much in.
, jured by being filtered through SC
, much decaying and filthy matter; be
, sides the large accessions it received
OF fresh water. The new spring is
, said to be very much improved il
taste and quality, by tubing, but il
was not opened for use, when you,
correspondent left. The enterprisine
, company who have purchased the
spring have built over it the most cost