The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1872-02-22
WONDERS or THE WEST.
The Hot springs Of lhe Yellow.
eOne.

steep sides Of the hin for about one
mile, when we cane suddenly and un-
cxpectedly in full view Of the springs.
This wonder alone, our whole compa-
ny agreed, surpassed all descriptions
that had been given by former trave'.
ers. Indeed, the LAngford party saw
nothing Of this. Before us arose
high white mountain, looking pre-
cisely like frozen cascade. 1t is
formed by the calarious sediment Of
the hot springs, precipitated from the
water as it flows down the mountain
side. The upper portion is about
one thousand fe, above abe waters
of GARDENERS r;,er. The surface
covered with the deposit comprises
from three to four square miles. The
spring now in active operation covers
an area of about one square mile,
while the rest OF the territory is occu-
pied by remains Of springs which
have long since ceased to flow. We
pitched our camp upon grassy ter
race at the base Of the principal group
Of active springs. Just in the rear OF
us were a series Of reservoirs, or
bathing pools, rising one above the
other, semicircular in form, with
most elegantly scalloped margins
composed Of calcarious matter, the
sediment precipitated from the water
Of the spring. The hill, which is about
two hundred feet high, presents the
appearance Of water concealed by
frost rs it quickly flowed down a
rocky dccltvity. The deposit is white
Is snow, except when tinged here and
there with iron and sulphur. Small
streams flow down the sides or ....
snowy mountain, in channels lined
with oxide of iron colored with the
most delicate tints of red. Others
present the most exquisite shades Of
yellow, from deep bright sulphur to
a dainty cream color. In the springs
and in the little channels is a material
ike the finest Cashmere wool, with
its slender fibres floating in the water
vibrating in the current, and tinged
with various shades of red and yellow
as bright as those Of aniline dyes.
These delicate, wool-like plants seem
to be abundant in all the hot springs
If the West, and are familiar to the
nicropist as "diatoms."
Upon kind Of terrace covering an
.rca Of two hundred yards in length
and fifteen feet in width, are several
large springs in constant state of
agitation, but with somewhat lower
emperaturc than the boiling point.
The hottest spring is l62 degrees;
others arc l42. l55, aud l56 degrees
respectively. Some of them give off
he odor Of sulphure.ted hydrogen
quite perceptibly. A qualitative
analysis shows the waters to contain
'ulphuretted hydrogen, lime, soda,
siumina, and small amount Of Mag
nesia. II is beautifully clear and
slightly alkaline to the taste.
The water, after rising from the
spring basins, flows down the sides Of
he declivity, step by step, from one
,asin to another, at each Of them losing
= portion of its heat, until it becomes
IS cool as spring water. Within FIVE
hundred feet of its source our large
party camped for three days by the
vide of the stream formed of the ag-
yregated waters Of these hot springs,
and we found the water most excel.
lent for drinking as we'll as cooking
purposes. 1t was perfectly clear and
tssteless, and harmless in its Effects
During our stay here, all the members
# our party, IS well IS the soldiers
composing our escort, enjoyed the
luxury Of bathing in these most ele-
yantly carved natural bathing pools.
md it was easy u select from the
hundreds Of reservoirs, water Of every
variety Of temperature. These natu
raj basins vary somewhat in size, but
many of them are about four feet by
six in diameter, snd from one to four
,eet deep.
With foresight worthy Of com.
mendation, two men have already
ore-empted 220 acres Of land covering
most Of the surface occupied by the
.ctive springs, with the expectation
hat upon the completion Of the North
,rn Pacific railroad this will become
amous place Of resort for invalids
md pleasure seekers. Indeed, no
uture tourist in travelling over the far
west, will think Of neglecting this
most wonderful Of the physical phe-
'omeua Of that most interesting re-
yion.t
The level or terrace upon which the
principal active springs are located is
,bout midway up the sides Of the
mountain covered with the sediment.
Still farther up an. the ruins of what