Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-02-25
Something About Hot Springs.

afo also scattered LOT u Illle OF 50 OuI
over the rolling country between the
hills and the Ouachita River, which is
six or seven miles distant. The hills
are almost high enough to be called
and are covered with mix
ture of pine and hardwood trees. They
are composed largely of rock which
seems to be compound of lime and
is, marble and quartz
most of it white, but much of it red and
variegated black like the Tennessee
marble. There are immense deposits
of slate, but perhaps none of it is of a
valuable quality.
The several streams running down
these glens unite and are carried
the main part of the city in
large stone sewer, constructed by the
u. S. Government. The hot springs
are all situated along the base of a hill
on the east side of the city. The
springs Gas most of the city, are on
government reservation and are con-
trolled by the government, which
serves in a great measure to prevent a
monopoly of the waters. There are ten
bath houses, great pine palaces, which
pay the government an annual fee of
$15 for each tub in the establishment
Their charges are IS for p baths,
which includes the fee to the rubbers or
attendants-S3. Notwithstanding these
comparatively low prices (fixed by the
government) and the government tax,
the immense number of bathers makes
the business very profitable.
There is free bath house run by the
government, but the rubber or attend
ant charges 81 for each seven baths.
Bathers need not employ the attendant,
however. The house contains depart
ment for each sex, but each department
has single pool in which all battle
promiscously. This and the fact that
some of the bathers are of very repul-
sive appearance, is drawback on the
free bath house, but the water is said to
be the best in the place, and case of
infection has never been known here.
During the last three months 1900
baths have been taken at the free bath
house. 1t is open from 6 a. m. to z p.
m., and between those hours it is never
vacant and often crowded. Sometimes
the large pool with fifteen or twenty
heads stickig out of the water resembles
pond with flock of ducks on it. The
government is about to build for its
soldiers and ex-soldiers bath-house
here with separate tubs and accommo-
dations equal to those of the private
lighthouses. 1t has already here a
large Army and Navy Hospital.
Several of the springs are not occu.
pied by lighthouses. They gush out
of porous black tufa rock, which gives
evidence of the action of volcanic fires
and upheaval. The temperature varies
from 100 to 120 degrees. There is also
an alum spring, hot, which is said to
cure catarrh and sore eyes. There are
several springs of cold water. said to be
very efficacious in diseases of the liver
and kidneys. Like all the springs here
the water is perfectly clear and has nc
taste except sharp galvanic one, such
as may be produced by taking two
pieces of different metals, as a copper
and silver coin, or bit of copper and
one of zinc, and placing one on each
side of the tongue, and allowing the
edges to touch so as to produce a gal
vanic current. This fact is some ev
dence that the medicinal properties Of
the water here are due rather to cleo
trical or galvanic action than to the
mineral ingredients, which are almost
imperceptible in quantity. The water
from the hot springs, when it becomes
stale, will not, even when re-heated
produce the effect it will when fresh
showing that its properties are either
very volatile, or are electrical in theil
nature. Then, too, the hot springs are
sensibly and quickly affected by changes
of the weather, while ordinary spring:
are hardly affected as to temperature
by the most extreme changes of weather
or season.
The inhabitants of the city live almos
entirely from the visitors. Farming
gardening, or dairying are not carried
on in this region. except to triliing
extent. Provisions, fruit and vegetable.
are all imported. and the latter ar,
very high. The only things in the
shape of manufactures have seen in OF
near the city are two or three small
saw-mills and a factory for the manu-
facture of the celebrated Ouachita oil
stones, though this factory is now
closed The people who live back
among the hills drive small trade in
Hot Springs diamonds sor
of spar forming crystals of five
sided, pointed prisms, some of them
six inches long and an inch through
usually transparent, but sometime.
stained with sulphuret of iron.
Besides the large hotels, there are
l72 boarding houses, each OF which
pays the city license of S32, and many
OF them drummer's fee of S25 besides
Almost every kind of business must pay
a large license fee. Drumming fol
doctors is u penal offense. One man
was brought up for it, and although the
charge could not be proved, the Judge
introduced new and startling lega
principle and fined the man S25 "or
bis reputation. The fines on the
gamblers also make good income fol
the city. But for all this income the
city has little to show Except two oil
three electric lamps, and such improve
ments as the general government ha:
made, there is nothing-no bridges. nc
sidewalks worth mentioning, while the
streets and roads are just what nature
and travel have made them. Evidently
the city officials have fiat take"
Although the city imports most of its
farm and.garden produce. the surround.