The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-02
NEIGHBORHOOD TALK.
Mysterious Hot Springs In Houston Street
New York.

new YORK.
An underground spring OF warm water
was discovered recently by workmen dig
ging the cellar for q six-story building
that Zimmerman q Gluckenheimer are
erecting at 324 Houston street, New York.
The spring was first encountered II feet
below the surface, while the workmen were
digging pit six feet square I'm the south
east corner OF the lot, In line with inside
OF the sidewalk. One OF the workmen
noticed steam was rising from the earth.
vicinity was leaking, but by the time
that another foot OF earth was removed
water began TO ooze into the hole from
the bottom. The water was warm, aud
steam rose from IL continually. The SUI
perintendent OF the building, A nton
Miller, was consulted, and he ordered
the sides OF the pit to be shored up. This
was done and the work was continued.
As the pit grew deeper The water cone
tinued 10 flow In, until IL was neces-
sary TO rig up hand pump to keep tn,
water out so that the work could be car
ried on. The pit is now five feet deep
and steam pump throwing three-inch
stream Is necessary to keep the water
down.
The only puzzling thing about the
String is the temperature of the water.
The soil is reddish sand, and 20 feet
below the surface is rock. Whenever a
cellar has been dug in the vicinity, water
has been struck, but II has always had a
temperature of about 60 degrees or 80 de-
grees. The water of the spring in Zim-
norman a. Gluckenheimer's building
ranges between 70 degrees and S5 degrees.
Why 1t is hot no one knows. There is no
steam pipe in the street. Zimmerman a
Gluckenheimer own the building at 322.
They have a boiler In the west side OF the
cellar, but II Is so feet away from the
place where the hot spring was found,
and cannot be held responsible for the
wRrmness of the water. There is no boiler
neighborhood knows of any means by
which the water might be heated, and
the owners of the property are as much
at loss as any one TO account for the
phenomenon. The residents are con yinced
that the water derives its heat from un-
derground fire, and they think that ii
has wonderful medicinal properties.
Every morning when the engineer
starts the pump to empty the pit long
line OF men and women, each with ves-
sci OF some kind, is waiting to get some
of the water. II comes out clear as crystal
and emitting clouds OF vapors. Several
physicians have taken samples of the
water 10 analyze. One who has been ex-
amining is DIR. NJ. Landesman Of 727 Fifth
tests, but has not been able to fully ana
lyze 1t yet. He hopes to know exactly
what there is in 1t by Sunday afternoon.
The lot in which the spring is has a
frontage of 20 feet on Houston street and
extends rs feet north into the block. Ur
to few months ego afour-story brick
building stood on it. This building was
occupied as a bakery. The ovens were in
the cellar, but they were torn out when
the old building was razed.
The cellar of the new builHing will be
% feet deep in front. This Is l3 feet depeer
than the old cellar was. When the build
ing that stood on the site was erected nc
water was found, as the excavation was
not deep enough to touch the water level
MIR. Gluckenheimer said last night that
caissons would be sunk TO provide found
al lions for the new building, the rear and
side walls of which are already built tC
the second story.
The hot spring Of Houston street is the
talk of the neighborhood. Since it was
found several people have taken to drink
ing the water regularly. One young mar
visits the excavation three times each day
! and drinks quart of the water. 1t has
| flavor of dirt.