National Republican., 1875-07-17
THE NEW SPA.
chalyseate Waters Of Washington, and What
Uirht hA noua with fhem.


In years gone BY an old wooden pump stood In
the centre Of Louisiana svenue, midway between
Ninth and Tenth streets, sending forth an almost
constant stream Of pure cold water, impregnated
with salt of iron, giving II an inky taste and
soapy appearance, and believed to possess great
curative powers. It afforded all the advantages
of the proverbtsl old town pump, and the squeaky,
worn cid handle could be heard from early morn
till long after the midnight hours, when the
whole town ought to have been asleep. To It
gathered men, women and children from all parts
of the city; from Capitol Hill, the Navy Yard
Georgetown, and even from Alexandria, to slack
their thirst, and carry home pitchers and bucksts
full 10 the brtm for future reference. Besides
being most refreshing summer drink the me-
dicinal powers Of the water exerted 0 bene hcfal
npSS sce Iea a @ ra
critics Of the water. The new convert would gen.
orally psrtake sparingly until he had made q
relative powers Of stomach and water, 50 that
there would be no uncertainty as to which would
be the victim and which the victimiIer. Some,
stances would come out with their hands olasped
in 'front.' and looking as though they had been
consulting q jug Of croton. But horses and cattle
upon the pump from this source were enormous,
and their heavy draughts would frequently re-
duce the volume Of water 70 such poverty that
the fountain Of health would run dry. II was
usually on market days that this great drain
would take place, when the large number Of
street But there would always be Q full recoy:
cry during the night, and an increase in the yield
OF water finally grew out Of the vigorous exercise.
As the Wholesale trade increased on Il o Avenue
the pump became an obstruction and an eyesore.
ltyas filed up q few years since BY the Board Of
It, with numerous other pumps, was greatly
missed BY the common people, especially when
the bydrant water recently tasted Of hsh. One
lady was heard to say she could pull Bon, shep-
The old pump In question has practically de-
monstrated the existence in. Washington OF o
mineral water similar and equal to that Of Spa,
watering-plaoe OF Belgium. Il Is annually re-
sorted 70 BY people from all parts Of the world In
pursuit Of health or pleasure, and some 16o, 900
Gould not Washington, by the improvement OF
the facilities for getting this water, be made a.
attractive as this little spot IN the be-
witching valleys Of the Ardennesf There are
stroller, but the improvement OF spring equal to
the Pouhon would court countless yslitudinarians,
who would spend long visits with Us.
A new driven well was sunk thtrty-hve feet q
few days since, by ID. J. Mofatt, at point some
seventy-hve or one hundred feet from the old
pump, Just as q test of the patent. 1t worked
like Q charm, and yields fifteen gallons q minute.
The taste Of the water disclosed the fact that the
same vein had been struck, and the old inhabi-
tants, who were regular visitors to the town
two Is that the water from the present fountain Is
not SO cold as that from the old one.
The market company are considering the mat
ter of having we'll driven near the hay and
cattle markets, for the watering Of horses and
live stock. Before winter we may see wells In
abundance, and as they are more frequently used
the waters will improve and become o universal,
cool and invigorating drink.