The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1879-08-15
rAn.eosA SPRINGS. COLORADO.

1
! Beautifully located in the finest par
of the valley of the San Juan river, be
low its rugged mountain course, ant
| Just above its entering an inaccessibl,
canyon of crctaceous sandstone, is tn,
great natural curiosity known by The
Indians as Pah-Gosa or Boiling Water
The main spring is described by Lieu
tenant McCauly as the largest as wei
as the hottest boiling spring in the Uni
ted States. Indian trails from all di-
rections converge upon the banks, ali
deeply worn, the place having been
from time immemorial one of great re.
sort. Here, attracted by the healing
properties of the water, different fami.
lies, bands and tribes, have been accus-
toned TO peacefully assemble, conceiv-
ing the springs to be special creation
of the great spirit for the cure of the
sick of all tribes, however afflicted.
In the ncighborhood of the springs
the river is a beautiful trout stream,
with a fall of about fifty feet to the
mile. The main continental divide is
TO the north and east, approximating
the arc of n circle, with Pah-Gosa as its
center. a spur of the snowy range, or
Great Divide, separating the waters of
the San Juan and Piedra tributaries,
passes to the southwest, terminating in
Pah-Gosa peak, 1850 feet high "a
clearly defined pyramid from the south,
and the most prominent point in the
landscape. The springs lie on the
shortest line of communication from
the east to the lower San Juan coun-
try. The wagon road from TERRA
Amarillo, North Mexico, to the Animas
region, passes by them, and though not
the shortest route, is the one mos ttrav-
cled, since it alone abOunds in wood,
water and grass. 1t is mainly along
the route of the old Spanish trail, the
great highway in oldcn times, leading
from New Mexico to the Animas.
The principal springs lie upon the
east side Of the river in a contracted
valley or park, a short distance above
where the Animas road crosses the
river. They are nineteen in number,
and have temperature above blood
heat. They lie in an angle made by
sharp bend in the river and upon its
left bank. On the opposite side, half a
mile or more TO the south, is group of
cold springs near the river. Less than
half mile down the river a small
creek flows in from the east, the Oio
Frio, so called from the number of cold
springs along its banks. Just below
lis mouth sharp mesas and masses of
vertical cretaceous rocks with wooded
SUBMITS close in upon the river, form
ing canyon not yet explored. The
river is we'll stocked with trout and
other fish.
The geological age of the springs is
very great. DIR. Newberry is of the
opinion that the main spring lies in the
crater of an ancient volcano. Original
ly the mass of rising water had only
surface outlet, ponring forth over the
sides of the oriiicc. The mineral mat
ter which the hot water held in solution
was deposited over the surfacc in thin
sheets, forming great mound mainly
of calcium carbonate and sodium sui
phatc, of greatest thickness near the
spring. About the main spring the
mass of stalagmitic rock is honey
combcd and cavernous, especially on
the north toward the river. The entire
group of hot springs occupies an area
of about 81 acres, on the central and
higher portion of the great mound.
The opening of the main spring is an
irregular pear shaped depression about
20 feet long by 45 feet wide, the depth
being immeasurable, owing to the Sta
lagmitic Instructions beneath the sur
face. Columns of bubbles rise con-
stantly everywhere over the surface,
giving the spring the appearance of
huge glass of freshly decanted cham
pagne. The great basin is divided by
a partition capped with conc of sui
phur, from which spurts and puffs a
tiny jet of water. Near the center the
water bois furiously. The ebullition,
however, is wholly gaseous, the water
having a temperature below the boiling
point at the altitude of the spring.
The waters rise highly charged with
hydrogen monosulphide and carbon
dioKide, and contain in solution calci-
um, sodium and magnesium carbon
ates, sodium and potassium sulphates,
and sodium Chords, the largest MN
eral constituent being sodium sulphate.
Around the eastern edge of the water
are number of cavities which the In
dians use as bathing houses. At the
southern end is vapor jet in cavity,
in which the natives eXtemporize a
steam bath by means of a blanket. A
series of careful observations in DE.
cember gave temperature ranging
between 140 and l41 degrees fahrenheit
The outflow is through the honey
combed rock beneath the surface, thu
line of the flow being marked b,
opeingns, many of them emitting
vapor. The beds of all outlets of tn,
various springs and openings are coat
ed with mineral matter, largely sui
phur from decomposing hydrogen sui
phide. Fg.E
A cantonment for the protection @
Southwestern Colorado has been estal
lished at the springs, and rs an Offset I
certain claims to the land about th
springs, the President reserved, in Ma
1877, square mile, including tn
springs, as a town site. At the gran
council held by the Ute Commissio
with the Ute bands last fall, The Indar
begged that the government should r,
tain possession OF the place, so that a
persons, whether white or Indian
might come there and be healed. Lie,
tenant McCauley expresses the hell,
that at no distant day these springs al
destined to become place of great r
sort, and TO play no mean part in Il
sanitary economy of Colorado .-[Scie