The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-01-16
The Hot SPRINGS. Arkansas.

The Hot Springs, Arkansas.
At the foot of the mountain, rising
1,O6O feet below the tide-water at the
Gulf, on whose sides the springs gush
forth, lies the town of Hot Springs,
following the windings of the narrow
rocky valley of the Hot Springs creek.
It consists OF enc long, irregular street
called Valley street, which crosses and
recrosses the little stream. The valley of
the latter runs almost due north and
south, the Hot Springs mountain rising to
the east, and more thickly wooded hills
to the north and west. At one part the
picturesque little valley is so narrow
that the street takes up most OF the
level, the houses on one side being built
over the creek and almost into the
mo~untain-side, which in many places
has been cut into and blasted away to
make room for the buildings and other
improvements. The town broadens out
considerably on the more level country
at the south. towards the Ouachita river,
and at the other end the houses are
scattered for some little distance up
the valleys of the two streams, which,
joining at the nothern end of the town,
together with the waters from the
m~ountain-side, form the Hot Springs
creek. This stream, after passing over
it's rocky bed in the valley, flows due
south for some six miles to where it
joins the historic Ouachita.
There are some ffty-six springs in all,
said by some. to be one spring with
this number of outlets, ranging in TEN.
perature from 63 degrees to as high as
148 degrees, and situated at different
elevations on the Hot Springs noun
tain, and in the valley of the creek be-
low, the highest issuing 1870 feet above
the Hot Springs creek, and rising within
a space of 1900 feet long by 200 wide.
The majority of the springs are stu
ated well up the mountain.side, a few
are distributed along the base, while
others rise on the banks Of the creek,
and one springs from the bottom. The
hot waters rise to the surface through a
formation of milk-white %novaculite rock,
on top of which they have deposited q
layer of calcareous tufa, in some places
of very considerable thickness. They
are supposed to derive their high tenn
perature directly from the interior
heat of the earth, either by passing
over and through heated rock forma-
lions, or by thorough %permeation with
heated gas and vapors, rising far below
from the molten subterrene.
The springs rising on the mountain
are those used for bathing purposes,
and are mostly covered over to prevent
any pollution at the fountain-head, as
we'll as to preserve as much as possible
all the properties of the water until it is
brought into use. The waters are car
ried by asystem of wooden pipes to the
tanks above the different lighthouses.
They are still so hot or reaching the
bathing-tubs that cold water has to be
added. Together these springs dis
charge some 344 gallons per minute, or
nearly 500, 900 gallons Of hot water
daily, having an average temperature of
1876 degrees Fahrenheit-certainly plen-
tiful and hot enough for any number Of
invalids.
Hot vapor rises continually from the
limpid waters, while carbonic acid gas
bubbles to the surface. In the colder
ont hs the vapor, becoming visible,
mses in such clouds that it looks like q
riog hanging over the mountain-side'
Day by day the springs are depositing
the tufa, which forms incrusted basins
for the clear sparkling waters. This is
falso found as a coating on the pipes and
troughs, in the receiving tanks, and, in
fact, wherever the waters pass. At the
base of the mountain the ridge formed
by the tufa hangs over the hot waters
of the creek.
The diseases notably benefited, and in
many cases cured, by the use of the
waters of the Arkansas Bethesda are
those of the skin and blood, nervous
affections, rheumatism and kindred
diseases, and the various diseases OF
women. In TIE case of acute and in
Aammatory diseases, especially those of
the heart, lungs, and brain, the use Of
the waters is injurious, and in many cases
very dangerous. .
The treatment is by drinking and
bathing in the waters and in their steam,
producing in each case a profuse
perspiration, which is an active agent in
the elimination of the disease by
natural channels. The advice of q
physician who has well studied the
effect of the waters on the system is
necessary, during their use, as they, if
rashly used, are as powerful in breaking
down the constitution as they are in
building up. In many cases the system
has to be prepared for the treatment by
q course of medicine.
The hot baths are usually taken once
q day for three weeks, when a rest is
necessary, the patient probably spend
ing a week at the neighboring sulphur
springs, near the Ouachita river. A
second three weeks course is then taken,
followed again by an abstinence Of some
days from bathing. The duration of
the treatment depends, Of course, upon
the nature of the complaint and it's de-
gree of severity. The usual stay at the
springs is from one to three months,
but many invalids stay a year and
longer, and, in fact, some settle there
4. Van Ueefin Harper's Magazine.