Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-05-28

ga curious spring has been discovered
in Ashe county, North Carolina. In
July, 1885, woodcutter working some
distance from his home told the lad who
accompanied him to search the neigh
borhood for spring, as the water car
ried from their homes was too warm to
be refreshing. Following the stream
by the roadside, the boy reached a point
where the stream made sort of horse
shoe curve as il again came out by the
roadside. This spot was tangled mass
of Jbriers and overhanging shrubs, but
the boy penetrated the thicket and. fol-
lowing the curve, found near the edge
of the stream, but literally i'm its bed.
spring. He cleaned out the Gead leaves,
twigs and other rubbish, and put the
spring in running ORDER In so doing
he had to thrust his arm almost to the
elbow into the water. This arm was in
a swollen and infiamed condition from
poison oak. and had been so for some
time. The next morning it was noticed
tina. as much of the arm rs had been in
the water was improved TO a very
great extent. The change had been
so sudden that its relief was attributed
to its having been so long in the water
OH the preceding day. The boy deter
mined to try a second application of his
new remedy, and OH the next morning
his arm was we'll. The boys father
then tried the efficacy of the water upon
sores which had annoyed him for many
weeks, and in marvelously short time
was entirely relieved He then COLI
Guided to keep secret the locality OF the
spring, allowing no one to go to it but
himself, but always keeping supply OF
water at his house. The neighbOrs
swarmed to his house to try the magic
water. Many were healed of various
msladies, and all were eager to know
where the spring was situated. The old
man kept his secret, however, going
under cover of night to fetch the water.
Finally he WAS followed to his life-giv-
ing fountain. In less than twenty-four
hours every brier and bramble for many
yard around haG been beaten down by
the feet of men and hoofs of horses, so
great was the throng coming and going.
A basket meeting was appointed by
the Methodist circuit rider, to he held
at the spring on certain Sunday. 1t
is estimated that 700 persons were pres
ent. The preacher told of his wife's
wonderful cure. In consequence Of
kick from COW one of her legs had
been in painful condition for four
weeks. Within 10 minutes after the
first application of this water she began
10 experience relief from pain, and
after II or 10 hours treatment the pain
was entirely gone. This was one OF
many instances related by the preacher
to his eager listeners. From that day
people came from far and near, driving
sometimes 30 or 40 miles in wagon
and waiting several days for chance
to fill their barrels. On Sunday from
300 to 400 persons were to be seen on
spot. There is no house within half
mile of the spring and no hotel for
several miles, so the neighbors, much
to their annoyance and Inconvenience,
are frequently obliged to take in the
weary sufferers seeking these healing
waters.
"The average number of persons Wis
ting the springs daily until the bad
weather of winter began is estimated
at 200. During the winter the water
has been hauled at considerable expense
to various places where ready sale is
found for it at S. case. In fact, the
demand has been greater than the sup
ply, the distance from a railroad making
a trip considerable of an undertaking.
Only partial analysis of the water
has as yet been made. A New Orleans
chemist says its specific gravity is
1,0Ol, and it is largely charged with
carbonic acid. 1t contains iron, the
sulphates, chlorides and carbonates of
CALCIUM ard magnesia.
"The country surrounding the spring
is extremely rough, but not without the
picturesque element which has made all
Western North Carolina famous. New
river runs within few hundred yards
of the place, and the roar of its water
fall adds to the weirdness of the scene"