San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-18
LAMPASAS LETTER.
Describing the Sulphur Springs
City of Lampasas in Briet-Dr.
Gains Anniversary
Other Informal
ton.
LAMPAsAs, August 10.

| l.
pleasure and recreation, l could not,
nevertheless, withstand the ever
present inclination of a true newspa-
per man to gain information and then
| give to others the benefit OF such
| gains. Hence this letter. Leaving
| San Antonio at 5:45 in the morning;
| the run is made to Austin in just four
hours over a very good road-bed.
From Austin to Taylor is made by
1l:3O and stop is had for dinner.
Continuing through splendid farm
| ing district, in which the heavy
southern crops of cotton and corn pre-
dominate, the traveller will reach
| Temple about o'clock. Here you will
| find a thriving little city, all Ameri-
can residents, with its cotton gins
and compress, its ice factories, and
two railroads. A stop of four hours
to make connection is made. L made
the acquaintance, through the intro
duction of DR.. J. NJ. Cain of your city,
whom Joined at New Braunfels, of
Mr.. Willis, the leading druggist of
Temple, Major Lewis, of the Herald,
the Times editorial staff, and num-
Der of others. Here Mr.. Lunsford,
formerly of the LIGHT staff, also
pressed my hand in the old familiar
grasp, and said jolly Aft. Theakston,
the rubicund Galveston coffee man.
Again taking the road we were in
Lampasas at6:30, after passing Bolton
and through the finest cattle and sheep
and farming country that exists any
where. 1t is well wooded and water
ed; its soil is of the richest, and its
fine hills. cliffs and elevations contain
the finest of building stone in endless
quantity. Lampasas is:situated in a
great valley but is itself among the
smaller foot hills of the miniature
mountain ranges that encompass 1t.
The city is chiefly noted for its
white sulphur springs, which
have made it the Saratoga OF
Texas, and its healing waters are
the Mecca for hundreds ( L am sorry
to say not thousands of visitors ev-
cry summer. There are several
springs, two of which, the Hanna and
the Hancock, being very large and of
strength which makes of them,
when prisOned in sluices and pipes,
quite extensive waterwOrks with con-
siderable power. The Hanna spring
is now covered with grand pavilion,
two and One-half stories in height,
Here YOU will find hot or
cold baths, as desired, and two
great pools, of suitable breadth and
depth to admit of swimming, are pre-
pared. one for the ladies and one for
the gentlemen, with smaller baths for
single individuals if desired. The
ANALYSIS of the waters shows strong
medicinal properties, and is equal to
any sulphur water known. In cOmpar-
isOn with the great Blue Lick, of Ken
lucky, and the famous HarrOwgate of
England, the waters are nearly alike.
The Lampasas springs excel the latter
in quantity of mineral matte and in
the quantity of sulphuretted hydrogen
gas Indeed, this gas is SO very pow
erful that unless the proper instruc-
lions printed and posted conspicuous
ly are followed great danger and even
death have been known to ensue. The
baths must not be entered until they
are filled. Then there is no danger.
Otherwise this gas is inhaled and the
bathers know no more until they
awaken in sweet elysium or some
place. The upper floor of the
pavilion is used as an immense
pleasure hall, which at present is
USED as skating rink, and is well
patrCnized. The floor is of hard pine
and wears particularly well, and hun
dreds of the youth of the town at
tend nightly except Sunday. The
Cooper spring, small one, is situated
near by, but the waters are only used
for drinking. The large pool of the
Hanna spring is situated just
outside the bath house and is
enclosed with a basin which is
! annually cleaned. In digging the
fungus fern like growth from the bot
tom, large quantities of buffalo bones
are exhumed, showing that in the
wild days of Texas these animals, in
rushing in countless thousands for
their deep draughts of water, were
helplessly mired and died in the
pool. This fern like growth is col
lected by the residents and the
visitors and used after drying
as cure for rheumatism and
it is said to be certain cure, many
testimonials to the effect being readily
obtainable. The Hancock spring is
fully up to the magnitude, strength
and importance of the Hanna. II is
situated about one mile distant in
the great Horseshoe bend in the river
and it, too, has been covered with a
fine bath house with two large
pools for swimming and with
smaller hot and cold baths. The
depth of these pools, which have 9
fine gravel bottom, varies from ) tC
6 feet, and the temperature at the frs
plunge, is thought to be something
near zero. In reality it is about IS oil
20 degrees. Soon the bather is accus
toned to it and then he realizes thai
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