The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1899-08-19
UNCLE sAM's HOT WATER.
Revenue from the Arkansas Reservn.
tion BathhOuses and
Rentals.

by an act OF congress passed IN April,
1892, when Arkansas was still terri
tory, the hot springs, with four sections
of land, were set aside for the future
disposal of the United States. BY the
act of March, 1877, the appointment 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 special tax on water taken from the
hot springs was authorized, the money
arising from water rents to be used in
improvement of the reservation. BY the
act of June, 1850, those divisions of the
Hot Springs reservation known as
North Mountain, West Mountain and
Sugar Loaf Mountain were dedicated to
public use as parks on permanent res
ervation, aggregating 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 to supply the lighthouses amounts
to about 100000 gallons daily, and the
amount collected and passed through
the impounding reservoir about $780, 900,
making total quantity of hot water
under control about $4,000 gallons
daily. The hot springs are not only I'M
der government control, but are direct.
ly managed by the United States gov
eminent, which has an investment in
them in excess of 100000. 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 /, 1898, was $1S,.
III. The disbursements by the superin.
tendent for salaries, superintendent
repairs, fuel, lights, and water (cold)
were $12.3ss. This represented 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 the ordinary hotel
charges or to avail themselves of the
paid bathing opportunities, are sup
piled free. There is, moreover, a free
under direction of a United
States army surgeon. The total num-
Der of patrons is about 5000 a day,
though the facilities of the hot springs
allow, as at present arranged, for 5000.
The resident population of Hot Springs
is about 5000 and the average number
OF persons in town patronizing the 20
hot water springs is about 1000 addi-
tional.
The hotel bathhouse in Hot Springs
are not run by the government directly.
but are subject to individual proprie-
Tors, and the same course is adopted
with the baths not connected with |
hotels, the policy of the government be-
ng to operate so far as practicable the
hot springs without loss and without |
my large profit. BY act Of congress
passed in October, 1858, $31 900 was APP
propriated for providing a system of |
piping and pumps necessary
% the collection and economical dis
ributing of hot water from the hot |
springs. Pursuant to this authority |
contracts for the work were let. All
on the reservation are sup
'lied by gravity, and those off the reser-
alton, where not supplied by gravity,
re required to pump the hot water
rom the impounding reservoir at their
'wn expense.
1T is supposed popularity that many of
he outside ventures" of Uncle Sam are
but the fact is that he
makes considerable profit on some of
hem, $4,000 a year on the patent Of
ice, $3,500,00O from the operations of
he mint, and a considerable sum from
he sale and leases of public lands.-N.
:. Sun.