St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-12-19
FROM HOT SPRINGS, ARK.

the Sprin9s.-WhO Ire Helped by the
Waters.--Hof Springs as a Pleasure Re
sorf.--How to Get There.
Editor of the Caledonian:-
Perhaps a word from this famous
health resort may be of interest to
your readers, especially to any who
may happen to be victims to that
torturing disease, rheumatism. This
portion of the state being in the
Ozark mountain region is broken and
hilly The elevations are called
mountains, but they are only good
sized New England hills with mar
row ravines between them. These
hills are formed by the upheaval of
the geological strata to an angle of
about 40 degrees. The stratifcatiOn
stone and slate interspersed at GER
tain places with the kind of stone
used for homes and oil-stones. At
some points a fine clay is found be
4 tween the layers of stone, and at
other places the hills become mix
ture of broken stone and clay. The
LAYERS of flinty stone are crossed bv
seams so that it naturally separates
into blocks of an oblique rectangular
y shape, and the soil consists of this
Il rectangular gravel and clay upon
which is a vigorous growth of pine,
cedar, various oaks, sweet gum,
black gum, mulberry, holly, persim-
mon, elm, etc.
All the region abounds in springs
but the hot springs are all on one
side of one hill within an area about
one quarter of mile in length and
20 rods in width Where these wa
tiers come from is an unsolved prob
lem, but having gotten down into
i the bowels of the earth and been
heated they doubtless follow up the
Fl lines of stratifcation of the stone.
The city of Hot Springs is a queer
81 corkscrew sort of place twisted in
among these hills which are so near
together III some places that the
principal street is carried along the
course of the stream which has been
arched over for the purpose. They
are also so steep that, having been
blasted away some 80 or 40 feet for
q a building site, it becomes a very
q simple matter to provide fire escape
b from the third story by running a
E plank out the window at the rear
4 This of course applies to the narrow
est part of the valley which broadens
out in places and ramifies in various
directions into numerous deflleS
4 along which are narrow roads lined
with little houses clinging to the hill
sides
The resident population is about
Ri ten or twelve thousand and they can
provide for about the same number
81 of visitors in accommodations vary
ing from the humble cottage to the
magnificent and expensive Hotel
Eastman, built by a syndicate of
Minneapolis gentlemen and of which
a well known Baron" is to be land
lord The bath houses skirt along
the foot of Hot Spring mountain and
number a score or more of varied APP
pOintments where course" of 81
baths can be had at prices varying
81 from four to seven dollars, one to
ten dollars week additional going
doubt but that Hot Springs by its
waters offers the best promise of cure
in rheumatic and equity affections as
well as in arrangements of the liver
and kidneys, skin diseases and many
other chronic and special disorders.
And in connection with the baths,
mechanical massage as given by DR..
+ Moore will be found very useful in
q De- + h.
beneficial to those afflicted with lung
or heart diseases. Indeed, no one
should take the baths except under
\ the advice of a competent physician
experienced in the use of the waters.
And right here | may say that the
Il visitor to Hot Springs should beware
FL of hotel runners and INSCRIPTIONS
doctors who divide the spoils If the
visitors family physician knows a
competent practitioner at Hot
Springs it will be best for the patient
to bring letter of introduction, and
let him be careful that the runner and
his confederate do not deceitfully con-
vince him that this particular doctor
died two week agO-a game which |
am told has been successfully played.
If he has no letter let him go slow
and make careful inquiries of respon-
sible persons before deciding upon his
medical advisor. He will certainly
fall into good hands if he decides to
apply to my personal friend, DIR. Els
Il worth, whom | have known many
years. In saving this | say nothing
III against the other reputable physi-
N clans; but | warn everyone to avoid
the doctors who ask a large fee in
advance upon a guarantee to cure.
No responsible and trustworthy ply
sician will enter into such a bargain
The Hot Springs mountain is now
under the control of the United
II States government, the springs are
M carefully protected from contamina-
ton and the waters are not allowed
II to go to waste. 1t will not be MANY
n years, from present indications before
the demand for bathing will exceed
i the supply of water. Whether addi-
tional sources can be found or not
n cannot probably be determined with
III out experiment; but as the demand
increases the water will be more care
n fully husbanded
While the hot baths are not appli-
cable to the treatment of lung trOu-
bles, Hot Springs affords pleasant
winter residence for persons who seek
relief from the severity of northern
winters 1t is also a summer resort
for people from the more southern
states. Although the elevation of
Hot Springs above the level of the
sea Is only about 500 feet. the noun