The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-05-07
EDITORIAL coannsPoHDnHos.
visit - the net sprinss ~ ArkaHsss

=
fons. In their really wonderful curative sad
medicinal qualities, the waters Of the Springs I
ere unrsvailed ID either hemisphess. h wW4
In advance Of the usual annual hesira there
Of the fashionable world Of the Southwest, |
bat the weather xss delishsfais md why
shouldn't We make m excursion 70 thems
Each of party Of six Yankees astrayi 10 that
province jointly and ssvesslly asked that
question. There vss no satisfactory reason
why we should not go; many favoring ii. We
went.
The Springs are about sixty miles south
west of Little Rock. A coach runs regular
ly. Our party had no fancy for undergoing
the tortures of that stage ride over the native.
roads. A private conveyance was chosen. I
The morning of our starting was delightful
The successive swells of undulaions rather
than hills about Little Rock were passed.
The little capital city, with its white cottages
and evergreens; the far-reachins timbered
lowlands, here aud there dotted with planta-
tons, beyond the city and the river TO the
nOftnNhTut Tue EUQu1Cu bntumttb va thS tAbS-
grown bluffs westward; these went out Of
view; we were in the woods, and fairly on
the road to the SPRING. We kept in the
woods throughout the trip. II Ia extremely
difficult. to keep out Of them in travelling in
Arkansas. There is some prairie country be.
tween the Arkansas and White rivers, north
of Little Rock, but south Of the Arkansas is
IN unbroken forest everywhere. Pines for
the most part in the uplands; oaks and elms
on the bottom lands. Occasionally you mo-
tice the holly and magnolia, and the wealth
Of Roral beauty, the variety and richness Of
| the wild flowers is constant delight. So
we went on. Nothing Of landscape; no view
Of the country bat the woods everywhere
closing us in. There are many creeks,
springs innumerable; and in each the water -
marvel Of crystal purity and elesrness.
| The beds OF streams, with water four and five
| feet deep, seemed to exhibit every pebbls
only the more clearly aud sparklingiy from
their depth. This wonderful clesrness
played tricks with the eyes, at one place the
surface of the water would be q peculiarly
rich, dark hue, and just beyond it would
CLEAN and sparkle, bright golden color.
In locating the road it has been kept rs far
as practicable upon the upIands. mar
vellous exhibition Of Arkansas sagscity, and
q gracious mercy to travellers. For there ID
every indication Of its being q local law 10
1 that sovereignty TO let the roads remain IN .
stats OF nature. That was the real home Of
the genius that put no roof upon his cabin,
because when it stormed he couldn't, and
when j, didn't storm he didn't need any. He
carries his logic into the highways. Success
size overhows have made the bottom lands
alluvial in any kind Of at all bad weather
they would be impossible. On the higher
grounds the surface is concrete clay, largely
silaceous, however, and covered with frsg>
mentary quartz. This is 3 natural macadsm.
izing that offsets the want Of manual improve
ment AID makes the road the best feature oil
travel there.
There are but ten or twelve houses in the
entire distance. A few miles from hi,te
Rock WAS the site of several houses that had
been. There was debris OF decay moulder-
ing foundations; unfencsd farm lands grow
ing aga q into wilderness unkempt apple and
peach trees, gnarled and ragged, and uncared
for, adding their harvest TO the forest Wild
fruits. II all told sad story of the e Lost
Cause and the grieveus cost it was TO the
people
I A rv,ila in AT - Lsrhiv fap Cffn1 de
lance; 1t is "goak on measurstion thai
even poetic license cannot justify. 1t mean
any distance, from two ordinarily miles &c
FIVE. The tables have all been treated tC
linear announcements and no account taker
/ of the hills AS these form the principal
feature of travel, the unfortunate wayfarel
finds that the guide boards take no account o
the larger part Of bis travel 1t was but six
ty miles. yet il was far into the evening of tbs
second day of steady travel ere we reached
the village Of Hot Springs. But that even
ing ride was a glorious one. There was q
brilliant moonlight, throwing radiance and
softness into the valley, and showing us ths
misty outlines Of the mountains 70 the south,
ward. Then from some emigrsuts' log heap
} FIRE hal spread into the woods, and for miles
along the hillsides north of us slowly sd.
vanced an unbroken line of flames, resem,
bling the camp fires of great army.
There is but small village in q marrow
valley. East and west of 1t abruptly rise
mountains, leaving space but for q single
street, and the creek, into which the spring,
pour their waters, claims part of this. The
Hot Sprogs Mountain rises east of the vii.
lage. On the side OF this are forty>two hot
springs within a narrow compass. Several
of these have q temperature Of l4so Faren.
heit. Eggs are boiled ready to serve upon
the table if placed about eight minutes in the
spring. The water is pure, and without any
mineral taste whatever. 1t capu be drank
without producing nausea, and quenches
thirst. The mountain itself il deposit Of
the springs. BY action through the centurie,
they have fashioned huge masses of tufs
forming now the whole mountain side.
There are several very well arranged bath
houses Twelve or fifteen hotels and board
ing houses, with accommodations for severa
hundred guests. These were beginning tc
fill from all portions of the Ex-Coniederacy
at the time of our visit. For rheumatism
and chronic and cutaneous diseases, the use
of the waters is highly beneficial. On tbs
other hand diseases Of the lungs and hear
are aggravated by them.
All the best buildings at the springs were
} destroyed during the war their places have
, been supplied by structures that must be-
|, temporary. If, as it promises, it is to be-
come the iavorite watering place in Dixie
Mrs. Grlndy vail demand that the rudeness
and PR influences that reign there now mus
be supplauted by metropolitan appliance,
| and eleganeies. When this il done, thu
thoroughly curative and heallhful waters, ant
the varied aud beautiful scenery, will make il
|, |, resor. Tor hundreds where scores 90 now
Z and its nov local iaue will grow into CONT
. mental celebrity. S.M.C.
Nj A $ Q N I Q. *
Eaga~ Lodge No. i2-scld.s rs regular msstin
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