The Republican journal., 1873-05-15
Through the Empire State.

attending Barnum's new show, in Brook
lyn,-forever, probably-for if it shares
the fate of his previous efforts, it will have
been "burnt up'' before we have occasion
to visit the Metropolis of the Empire State
again.
The following day we retraced our
steps to Albany, where we more than
ever appreciated the comfort and conven-
ience of a bridge across the Hudson. in
place of the old fashioned steam ferries,
that were our especial horror, dozen
years ago. With elegantly appointed
coaches and a smooth road-traveling by
railroad is truly a luxury-especially so
when travellers are too far from their
Gown native heath' to know, or even
g guess" where the dangerous places
are!
After ten hours ride from New York
we stepped off at Canastota to visit friends
of ''the olden time" Canastota is small
town on the Central Railroad, quite low
and level. with that ''old -and-new" look,
peculiar to most New York villages If
ca is noted for one thing more than
another it must be for its numerous and
abundant fires !--one of which we had
the dissatisfaction Of Witnessing. The
Erie Canal also passes thro' this town,
spanned by the pretty iron bridges, which
form a relief to the eye unaccustomed to
gaze upon the long stretches of muddy
water that form this great highway o.
trade and traffic. After brief sojourn in
Canastota, we took the express train for
this place. which is reached by going into
Buffalo on the Central, and back on the
Erie railroad.
Cowlesvlle is picturesquishy (pardon
tne'word but it Just expresses my mean
ing,) situated, between high bluffs oyer
| hanging the Cayuga Creek, and twenty
| two miles east of Buffalo.
The mineral springs of this place are
| said to contain wonderful curative proper
| ties An analysis of the waters by Prof
Hadlev, discovered the following sub
stances: Carbonate OF soda; carbonate
| of lime; carbonate of magnesia chloride
| Of sodium; chloride Of calcium :. chloride
Of magnesa; bromide of sodium bromide
| of magnesia bromide of calcium iodide
of sodium; iodide of calcium; iodide of
| su1nbotn nf coda limo an1
magnesia-a trace; free carbonic acid
carbonic acid holding lime and magnesia
in solution.
| The Prof. also adds: sOut of quite a
number of mineral waters whose analyses
are before me, | find none which this
resembles so nearly as the Congress Spring
of Saratoga" This spring was discovered
| in 1865, while a company We're sinking a
well for oil. AT a depth of 323 feet a
vein Of mineral water was struck, which
rose with violent rushing sound, throw
ing off large quantities of burning gas,
which Immediately took fire, presenting q
weird and lurd appearance. The flames
rose to a great height, Illuminating the
| hills and valley to a great distance. fhe
villagers looked with CONSERVATION upon
the strange phenomenon, which continued
for i few hours, when the floods anG
| flames subsided, and the workmen pro-
ceeded with their labors, until they
reached the depth of $50 feet The indi
cations for oil heing unfavorable the work
was abandoned and the mineral water
flowed regularly from the orfice OF the
well After the first flooding. in 1865, il
was not expected that any more floods
would occur but to the surprise of all, a
the end of three months after the first
overflow, and quarter yearly ever since
the water Of this spring, which flows quite
uniformly at all other times, with it
gases bubblng constantly on its surface
suddenly rise with the sound of many
waters and boil out with great rapidity
discharging great quantities OF gas anC
exhibiting the same phenomena as at first
and establishing its character as an inter
mittent pool, like the ancient one 0
Bethesda by the sheep market Of Jerusa
lem, referred 70 in the 5th chapter of tht
gospel Of St John. The ancient pool i
now extinct, and this new one is the onl,
known periodical intermitting medicina
spring in the world. This spring is en-
tirely new in the catalogue of healing
waters, and its properties are beneficial il
a great number OF diseases.
The time for the next ''hoodn will b'
in June so we probably shall not have
the satisfaction of Witnessing this strange
natural phenomenon E.A.D.