The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-08-30
UNDER FEDERAL CONTROL
Uncle Sam Makes Profit From
"Hot Water In Arkansas.

IOt NdltE III AEhdnSdSs
BY an act of Congress passed in
April, 1882, when Arkansas was still
territory, the Hot Springs, with four
sections of land, we're set aside for the
future disposal of the United States.
BY the act of March, 1877 the appoint
ment of commissioners was authorized
to lay out into lots and streets certain
tracts of land in Garland county,
part of the Hot Springs Reservation.
The levying of a special tax on water
taken from the hot springs was author
ized, the money arising from water
rents to be used in Improvement OF the
reservation. BY the act of June, 1880,
those divisions of the Hot Springs Res
ervation known as North Mountain,
West Mountain and Sugar Loaf Noun
tain were dedicated to public use as
parks on a permanent reservation, ag-
gTegating 900 acres
The hot water issues from the base
and side of the Hot Springs Mountain,
and the actual quantity is not known;
that which Is under control and being
used tosupply the bath amounts
to about 100000 gallons daily, and the
amount collected and passed through
the impounding reservoir about 350,OOO
making total quantity of hot water
under control of about 100000 gallons
daily. The hot springs are not only
under Government control, but are di-
rectly managed by the United States
Government, which has an investment
in them in excess of $500, 900. AS shown
by the last published Treasury report,
the total receipts from lighthouses
and hot water rent at the hot springs
for the fiscal year ended July l, was
$1S,17l. The disbursements by SUI
perintendent for salaries, superintend-
ence, repairs, fuel lights and water
(cold) were $12,3SS This represented
a profit to the United States Of $4,000.
A large number of the patrons of the
hot springs are INDECENT persons who,
unable to pay ordinary hotel charges or
to avail themselves of the paid bathing
opportunities are supplied free. There
is. moreover, free dispensary under
the direction of a United States Army
surgeon. The total number of patrons
is about 5000 day, though the facili-
ties of the hot springs allow as at
present arranged for 5000.
The hotel lighthouses in Hot Springs
are not run by the Government direct
ly, but are sublet to individual pro-
prietors, and the same course is adopt
ed with the baths not connected with
hotels, the policy of the Government
being to operate so far as practicable
the hot springs without loss and with
out any large profit BY act of Con-
gress passed in October, 1885, $31 900
was appropriated for providing system
o. reservoirs, piping and pumps nee
essary to the collection and economical
distribution of hot water from the hot
springs Pursuant to this authority
contracts for the work were let. All
lighthouses on the reservation are sup
piled by gravity, and those off the res
ervation where not supplied by gravity,
are required to pump the hot water
from the impounding reservoir at their
own expense.
1t is supposed popularity that many
of the outside ventures" of Uncle Sam
are Improbable, but the fact is that
he makes considerable profit on some
of them, $4,000 a year on the Patent
Office, $3,500,000 from the operations
OF the Mint, and a considerable sum
from the sale and leases of public lands.