St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-05-17
SULPHUR AND IRON
Are Ingredients of Capt. Hoyey's Min
eraI Spring in DeveI-
opiue Summer Resort.

Don't care if do"
Well, take the new road turning to
the left, just after you cross the
bridge near the saw mill in Summer
vile. and then you will shortly find
something else to take. 1t is miner
al water. You will find Asisqwa
Spring at the termination of the
short road, where Capt. E. L.
Hovey is rapidly developing a sum-
mer resort that promises we'll for
him and the community in general.
Didn't know it was there? Prob
ably not. A good many people have
but lately found it out. No mistak
ing it now, for the Captain has built
a house over it that shows for itself,
and is making preparations for big
thing in spring water.
The spring has been there for some
time. In fact, it is an ''old resident"
1t was discovered by c. F. Dean in
1860. DR.. Selim Newell became in
terested in it, had jug Of the water
sent away for analysis. was pleased
with the results, said many good
things about the healthful proper
ties of the water, and predicted a
successful future for the spring.
That prediction is now fairly in line
of fulfllment. The property where
-,
owned by o. G. Hale; it was subse-
quently sold to Jason Barrett, who
about three years ago sold it to
Capt Hovey. The latter, realizing
that the spring, about whose waters
physicians, invalids and others had
said so many complimentary things,
was worth taking care of, has erect
ed cosy establishment there and
equipped the premises for hot and
cold sulphur baths, and proposes to
make the spring a pleasant and
healthful resort. A sidewalk has
been constructed leading from the
main road. and the location will be
improved and beautifed in many
| WAYS.
The water bubbles out from a ledge
| on the river bank, and is pumped up
| thirty-five feet to the rooms above,
being distributed as needed-to
faucet connected with penny-in-the-
| slot machine, to a second faucet
where jugs can be filled, and to the
bath rooms. The pump and the slot
machine were made by Thomas
Bro wn, and, simple in arrangement,
do their work reliably. The system
is coucisely planned.
1t looks as though Capt. Hovey
had made no mistake in starting
out with the development of this fine
spring. With proper management,
the mineral properties of the water
and the natural beauty of the loca-
ton should be made not only profit
able to the owner, but an attractive
feature of St. JOhnsburv as a sum
ner resort. "Asisqwa Spring" is
now ready Tor business, and "Asisqwa
avenue" is the new thoroughfare
leading to it. Hundreds Of people
have already visited the spring and
partaken ofits waters; and now that
the sulphur baths are ready to con-
fer their unquestioned benefits on
all whose physical condition demands
that sort OF trea atment, the travel
thither will increase.
LEGEND.
The following communication will
be interesting as indicating how the
spring came to bear the peculiar
name given it
Ny Dear Captain HoVey:-
AS nearly I can make If ont fhe
tradition is this:
A moose came down the east side to
drink at the mineral spring. Wawhsuk
saw his rival Imquk aiming at the moose.
Crouching behind boulder he let fly an
arrow that split Imqua's bow string.
Having no other weapon, Imquk ran.
Wawhsuk overlook him on the high
bluff west of Posoompsuk river and
buried a stone hatchet in his skull.
Two hundred years after, the hatchet
was found on the slope south of my
garden. At the centennial of our town l
presented it as the only aboriginal hatch
ct found in St. Tohnsbury. 1t is now in
the Athen9um.
Next day Wawhsuk waited near the
spring till sunset, when the moose came
down to drink. That evening as the
moon rose he took the antlers of the
moose decorated with Imquk's scalp
and gourd full of the medicine water,
over to the wigwam of Poosuk. This
was for Poosuk's daughter Asisqwa,
who was sick, and who had no liking
for Imquk.
Very soon she got we'll and three
moous after was living in Wawhsuk's
wigwam close by the medicine spring;
and they always called the river
Monsaluk, Moose river, and the spring
was named Asisqwa water.
EDWARD T. FAIRBANKS.
St. Johnsbury, May II, 1894.