Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-07-28
Spiritual Spring.

Spiritual Spring.
Ballston, Saratoga Co., n. Y,
eight miles from Saratoga Springs,
is now fairly contesting with its
fashionable rival the honor of pos
sessing the finest mineral springs
in the country. In the last genera
tion Ballston Spa was the tavorite
summer resort for denizens of
the city, Southerners, over worked
Statesmen, literatcurs, etc, enjoying
celebrity equal to that of Sarato-
ga at the present day, but owing to
the partial failure of the springs this
prestige was afterward transferred
to Saratoga. The discovery of new
springs is again bringing it into
prominence as a watering place, and
it now bids fair to rival Saratoga,
especially in the regard Of those
who with the healthful influence of
the waters seek quiet, rational en-
joyment and the absensc of ultra
fashionable folly and display. From
the Ballston Democrat, of the goth,
we clip the following account of the
incidents attending the discovery
and development Of a new spring
in the village:
The origin of the famous boiling spring
which bears the name of Benjamin Frank
lin is ell known to our readers Fifteen
years ago the spirit of the departed
Franklin announced through a spiritual
medium that vein of mineral water
could be found by boring on the spot
where the spring is now located. Since
that time. the spirit of the bencfactor of
mankind; has turned his attention from
heavenly pursuits and occupied itself by
locating sites for mineral fountains. Soon
after the Franklin was finished, Benjamin
announced that by boring to the depth Of
65G feet on IL spot II little to the North
east Of the first we'll another vein of
water might be developed. This fact
was stated to citizen of this village,
who is not believer in spiritualism, and
he marked the figures "65G" on the wall
of the spring house, where they still re
main. Soon after this tine the work of
boring commenced and proceeded steat,
| ly and quietly with no remarkable Incl
dents until one evening when the rcquir-
ed depth was nearly reached, the proprie-
tor went into the derrick and found the
man who was boring, sitting directly
over the well, drilling away as though
the spirits had no COZ troll of the internal
fountain, which was so soon to develOpe
itself according to announcement He
advised the man to be cautious and get
away in time, but the unbeliever scofi'cd,
and the regular thud of the drill still kept
time to the careless whstling of the faith
less bortr just as the last fraction of
the six hundred and fifty -sixth foot was
drilled away, there came roar and rush
of m ghty waters, carrying everything
before it; stool, man, whistle and all went
up and cme down with torrent of
water and gas The burly, bearded man
of the drill looked like the mythical Santa
Claus as he came down through the der
IL
| lever in spiritual manifestations
| The well was tuhed and ever since it
has spouted daily On last Thursday af
tcrnoon it was announced that the build
ing would be open to the public and hun
| dreds of people gathered to witness the
strange phenomenon.
At three O'Clock the cap was removed
from the tube and the water commenced
! flowing into the tank, this continued but
! a moment, when the water began to re-
cede, and its decent could be heard until
it was about one hundred feet from the
surface, where it rested, as if concentra-
ting its powers for the mighty effort
which was soon to astonish the waiting
| spectators. Soon the bubbling and rush
| ing Of the ascending waters was heard,
and at five minutes past three the water
again flowed over the top Of the tube.
gradually ascending and receding alter
nately for about five minutes. When the
! liquid column had reached height of
thirty feet, then the spectacle became
beautiful. The rushing stream Of gas and
water spouted upward in a solid column
in the centre of the building, and upon
reaching its greatest heighth gracefully
turned. and falling, formed circle sheet
of snow white spray, which, wherever it
was touched by the sunlight, displayed
all the colors of the rainbow At quar-
ter past three the column shot up to the
roof of the derrick, as if propelled by
force which it would be impossible to at
tain by artificial means. 1t seemed as if
the mighty mystery must have exhausted
itself, and that this must be the final
throe Of the great veins which were being
drained Of their precious mineral fluid
But the beautiful column now nearly six
| ty feet in height continued spouting as if
the great heart of the earth itself were
throbbing out its life blood The grand
display continued until half past three
when Mr.. Mitchell, with much difficulty,
and after several Intellectual attempts,
succeeded in re-capping the tube.
Since the discovery of this last spring,
the name of which has not yet been re-
vcalcd, Franklin's spirit has announced
the location of two more springs, the
| first of which, white sulphar spring,
will be developed before another season.