Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1899-08-04

Swimming in Soda Water.
j. Adam-Bede.

j. Adam-Bede.
In a beautiful 16O-acre park of
lofty oak, elm and other hardwood
trees on the bank of Devils Lake,
North Dakota, at a point six miles
from the town of Devils Lake and
on grounds which time and nature
have gently terraced fifty to sew
enty-fve feet higher than the
water level, a thousand people
pitch their tents each year from
the first to the middle of July to
tattend the Chautauqua assembly of
the Jack Rabbit state and battle in
the mineral waters of that inland
ocean.
The usual conveniences of such
places are there provided, includ-
ing an auditorium, summer hotel,
refreshment parlors, steamboats,,
rowboats, ball grounds, and num-
erous cottages. But interesting as
all these things are, and entertain
ing and instructive as the daily
program this season was, we wish
at this time merely to impress
upon the public the fact that the
Northwest has a bathing resort I'M
surpassed by any Oh the Atlantic
coast. Though the water is not so
salt as that of the ocean it holds
other minerals in solution that it's
weight is about the same. It is in
fact a natural soda water, and
Devils Lake is our great national
soda fountain.
The specific gravity Of the water
does not, however, make the
bather serious, but tends to awaken
within him a new and undreamed-
of delight. After taking half a
dozen baths he begins to effervesce,
and if at any time his spirits get a
wee bit low a single bath will
make him bubble over. Politi-
clans who use these waters often
feel at first a gurgling sensation,
but finally they cough up any i'm
pediment of speech they may
possess and hold an overflow meet
ing to hear themselves talk. The
bust measure can be Increased six
inches in a singlesseason by regular
daily exercise in these waters,
while their mineral properties af-
ford a permanent cure for back
biting, religious controversies,
neighborhood scandals, co-opera-
tive creamery disputes or anything
that needs an alkali to knock the
grease spots out Of it.
When the water is too cold the
Chautauqua management have a
few hot tamales like Major Ed
wards of Fargo, Senator McCanna
of Cando, and other incorporated
personages whom they drop in
before breakfast to warm it up.
By tipping them about in the lake
for a few minutes so they can sizzle
a bit fore and aft, the water can be
raised to any desired temperature.
The northern latitude, therefore, is
no detriment to the resort, and
thousands Of people from outside
the state ought to make annual
pilgrimages there to bask in it's
health-giving waters. Besides, in
that country the sun hardly sets
till you e it's rays again, and
night is but the King Of Day pass
ing beneath the canopy Of his
throne.
So we say hail to North Dakota,
to it's folks and fields, it's high-born
hopes, it's fickertail fancies, it's
golden dreams, and hail again to
it's Chautauqua park, it's heap big
meet, its tact and talent, its spirit
lakes and its ripping streams, and
once more hail to it's life-giving
waters that flow free to all for the
healing Of the nations, though
owing to their stimulating proper
ties-having been distilled by
nature-a druggists license is re-
quired to take a swim! However,
hail!