The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-04-27
AMERICAN MINERAL WATERS.

Investigations of the natural mineral
| waters of the United States and drink
ing waters of eastern United States
| have for several years been carried on
| by the United States geological survey,
| and the results are embodied in two
! special reports by DIR. A. C. Peale and
Prof W. j. McGee, who conducted the
| inquiries These were made public the
other day.
The mineral spring resorts of the
country, it is stated, have never been
very thoroughly studied from Stats
teal point of view, although there is
scarcely a state in the Union that has
not at least one of them, even if only
locally important Many are used both
rs resorts and as sources of water for
commercial purposes. A full list Of
these resorts in this country is given in
the publication.
There are between 5000 and 5000
mineral springs in this country, it is
cited, and the waters from almost 300
are annually placed on the market ag-
gregating 100000 gallons at valu-
alton of S.. 600, 900. A comparison with
the statistics of 1883 shows the in
ereasing Importance of the subject,
the total number of springs then known
to be used for commercial purposes
being 1se, while the production was
1893, 42S gallons, valued at 81, 119,603.
There has been a great improve
ment in sanitaria of the country in the
past ten years." states the report, and
before long it is hoped that no one will
be obliged to go abroad for treatment
at mineral spring resort. Until then
the people of this country must rely
on the comparison of our waters with
those Of the foreign countries where the
study of their effect has been carried on
for years. Most of the hot springs are in
the western states. while the majority
of those whose waters are used CONNER
cially are found in the eastern United
States and in the Mississippi valley.
West of the 101st meridian they are
largely confined to the Pacific coast.
Altogether, in Montana, Idaho, Colora-
do and New Mexico, there are barely a
dozen springs used commercially. In
New Hampshire chalybe waters are
most common; in Vermont ulphureted
springs are more common. while chaly-
beate waters are common throughout
Massachusetts. A fair proportion of
the mineral waters of New England
are used both commercially and for
places of resort, and thermal springs
are found to be more numerous in the
south Atlantic states than in the mid
die states In the southern central
states saline springs outnumber all
others, and thermal springs are few in
number. Most of the waters in the
northern central group are those
derived from artesian boriDgs- The
western states, although they include
little more than 80 per cent. OF the
total area of the country, contain more
than so per cent. of it's known thermal
springs. The springs of Alaska are
mainly saline, and most of them are
sulphureted.
The average man." cites Prof. Nc
Gee in his report on potable waters of
eastern United States, consumes
daily about four pounds six ounces of
simple liquids. together with about
two pounds six ounces of nominally
solid food actually consisting of equal
parts of water and solids.
while water may constitute but
half of the aliment. the danger of
rm-poisoning from this substance is,
other things equal, much greater than
the dagger from all others com bined.
A large part of the population of the
country obtain drinking water from
supplied from the storm water from
roofs Both are safer than ordinary
wells, but danger exists il both. In
the northern and middle zones of
eastern United States underground
cisterns prevail. The principal source
of danger in cisterns is cracking of
bottom walls or roofs and consequently
leakage or admission of contaminated
water.
foreground wooden cisterns prevail
on the gulf slope. and TO some extent
On tina southern Atlantic slope and in
the Mississippi valley. At best, the
wooden cistern is primitive az
fair, bound to be supplanted By more
trustworthy and wholesome device.
In view of the wayA in which the rela-
lively pure rain water is contaminated
on the roofs and in water pipes. no
sistern should be used as q potable
water supply vithou, the protection
Of a filter. Practically, there ia proba-
big 10 city, town OF populous village
in the eastern United States that can
not secure . Trustworthy supply OF DO
IA bic water By collecting the rainfall F.
on artificial roofs or in artifciAliy pro-
tected drainage basins. provided ma
tural streams are not obtzinable. In |
this way the maximum limit Of cost |
for strezn-fed water works mzy be |
fixed a. The minimum costs or rain-fed /;
African waters Ezy be /
obtained either generally or under ]
favorable local conditions in several |
large areas These inelade districts in /
New England, New York. northern /
New Jersey. Pennsylvania western
Mary Land, eastern Tennessee. Ken /
lucky. northwestern Georgia. north