The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-06-16
THE HOT SPRINGS OF ARKANSAS
An Interesting Letter from /" wheel.
Ing Gentleman.
Hot SPRISGs, ARKANSAS.

valley running north and south about
fifty 10 one hundred yards wide, bound
ed on the east and west by two noun
taius covered by a growth of stunteo
oaks and pines. From the eastern
mou ntaIn, all along its side from the
level of the valley to an elevation OF
ninety to hundred feet, extending
along the side of the mountain Tor the
space of about three hundred yaros,
issues the famous Hot Springs, ABOUT
| fiftY or fiftY.five in number, ranging
in Temperature from 1909 to 15O' +.
The water which is as clear as crystal
and as pure as the dew drop, is convey
ed in wooden troughs from the springs
to the bath house at the base OF the
mountain, where the halt, the manned,
and the blind may be seen at almost
any hour of the day, performing their
draughts of water hot enough to cook
an egg. There is sort OF hall or pas
sage way running all along the baths,
then three small rooms, the first for
robing and disrobing in. The second
in the rear OF the first, Is the bath room
fitted up with bath tub, with the nee
essary appliances for letting both cold
and hot water into the tub from reser-
voirs on top of the bath house. The
third room, in the rear of the second,
and called The vapOr bath, is construct
Ell as near as may be air tight, with
close fitting door, and a window OF one
pane OF glass; the floor is made OF Stats
placed one or two inches apart. Under
this room there is also q reservoir OF
hot water, the steam and VapOr from
which arise into, and fill the room,
making a sOjOurn OF five or twenty
minutes more a bearable than an en-
joyable affair. Each invalid provides
him or herself, as the case may be,
with a covered tin bucket holding about
two quarts, which Is filled with hot wa
ter aud set in the vapOr room to keep
it hot, whilst undressing and prepar-
Ing Iii" water bath. OF this water they
drink us freely as their several cApac
tiles for holding hot water will allow
ranging from a pint to two quarts, dur
ing ib| time they are In the water and
vap0. baths, varying from Il We to TWEEN
ty minutes in each bath, according to
the temperament and physical endur-
ance of the bAther. After undressing,
tie Invalid goes into the warm bath
first, tempered to tho bearable degree
where he remains from five to twenty
minutes, as suggested above, the sweat
dripping from his forehead. Then he
enters the vapOr room where Ee re-
mains drinking hot water, the sweat
and condensed vApOr pouring like
rain from every part OF his body
AS long as IL can be borne
Then he returns TO the dressing apart
ment, ruOs himself with a Turkish or
other rough towel, dresses himself
warmly, covers himself head and ears
with blanket, and returns as soon as
possible 10 his room, taking with him Il
bucket OF hot water, OF which he drinks
as freely as he can whilst undressing.
Then he gets into bed between the
blankets, covers up head and ears and
sWeAtS at Il fearful rate for fifteen or
twenty minutes, saturating everything
about him with water; then rises, rubs
himself dry and dresses again, which
completes the process for that day.
1t IS found by experience that one
such ordeal every twenty-GOur hours ls
quite sufficient for most constitutions,
however robust. much less those wasted
and worn down by any facilitating dis
ease.
l am satisfied from observation and
Information derived from medical men
here, that it IS absolutely necessary to
take appropriate remedies i'll COnnec-
ton with the baths and waters.
n few words OF counsel to invalids
who contemplate visit here and am
done. Provide yourself with II flannel
shirt aud drawers, large and roomy,
for wearing after coming out of the
bath, until the sweating is over, 10 be
replaced by dry warm nannels after
rising from your bed. Red is the favOrite
color here. a cap is preferred to hat
that will protect the lead and neck
to your room;, a large good colored
blanket. with which you can cover
yourself up after coming out OF the
bath and dressing, to prevent you from
taking cold by suddenly checking per-
SEPARATIONS; thick solid pair of slippers
or shoes easily put on ana OH; two
Turkish towels. When you start from
home if you have any bad habits leave
them behind, for assure you any sort
of dissipation Will be fatal to your pros
poets of cure. If you cannot refrain
from these things, better stay at home.
The quantity of water discharged by
the various Hot Springs Is estimated ut
$50 gallons per minute Zone spring af-
rordlng GO gallons). or. say abOu; 500 000
gallons per diem. The analysis of the
water is rs follows (by Prof. Owen,
State GeOlogist, Arkansas):
One and u half gallons OF water con-
tain
| OF silica, with suiphate of IInle....1GI grains
Carbonate Of -
Bi-cAlDOnAte OF lIIne......................2.U "
Carbonate OF mGS 32G %
Bt-carbonato OF mFgne
Sulph of lime dissolved In Water....U31
CHLORIDE OF rot1ss.: .............. ....'''00 70
oxide OF iron with a little aluminu. O'133 "
Dry powder (tnsOD
Samuel a. Cartwright, NJ. D., says of
these springs: II attn sure the water is
charged with something which has not
been mentioned in these analyses. I
think it is electrified oxygen or ozone"
According to Nicollet, the U. S. &C.
ologist, their elevation is seven hun
dred and eighteen feet above the level
of tho Gulf of Mexico, the attitudes OF
several neiGhboring ridges being 997,
1l02, and 400.
Respectfully,
THos. SWEENEY.
THE Republican Convention of
Washington county, Pa, Monday,
nominated the following ticket: Sena-
tor, NJ. l.. A. McCracken; Assembly,
II. j. Nankirk, A. j. Buf1ngton'
Treasurer, George Ralston; Recorder,
Samuel Furgus; PrOthonotary, Jacob
Davis; Register, a. o. Day; Clerk of
Court, W. T. Lindsay; Auditor, James
WoOdburn: Surveyor, r. V. Davis;
Commissioner, Il. w. Parkinson-
Resolutions indorsing the party,
Grants and Geary's administrations
were adopted. Delegates to State Com
vention. John Hall, James Kelly, ESQ,
instructed for Geary.
THERE is movement on foot in the
Democratic ranks to put Gen. Hancock
OH the Gubernatorial track in Pennsyl-
vauia. The General himself is said to
be not entirely unwilling. but rather
the reverse, his view of the matter be-
ing that it will promote his Presiden-
tial aspirations.