Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1902-04-10

ihCo large reservoirs and allowed to
COOL before passing into the bath
houses. The springs all come from a
small space included within about 10
acres and naturally flow into creek
winch has been covered with masonry
The entire length of the main street
OF the town and forms the main
street. The bath houses are built on
one side of the street and business
houses occupy the other. Paved walks.
nils, fountains, big hotels and bath
houses, street cars and brilliant illum-
lnatlon at night make this street
one very attractive and of never fail
ing interest to all visitors.
The history Of these springs runs
back into tradition. Their healing
properties were long known to the
Indians who it is said. made this
spot neutral ground while other ira
dltlons relate that fierce battles have
occurred among the tribes for the
possession OF the springs. However
this may be, there fare even at this
Gay many flint arrow points and spear
heads picked up in the vicinity by
euro gatherers who display trays of
crystals, ''Hot Springs diamonds" and
other native specimens for sale to
visitors. DeSoto and some of his men
are said to have visited the valley in
The winter OF 1541-2 and to have been
The first white men who ever saw the
place. DeSoto was buried in the wa
terS OF the Mississippi river in 1912.
IN 1900 some French trappers visited
The springs and built few shanties
and soon after President Jefferson had
made the Louisiana Purchase'' he
sent party Of explorers to the place
10 learn II there was any evidence of
improvements or anyone in possession
OF the springs with rightfully estab-
llshed claim. This party made re-
port to the government which men
toned the oil stones, the crystals, the
trees and plants, and other facts re-
garding the valley and took the TEN,
perature of the waters. From that
time until 1882 various hunters and
adventures visited the place and
claimed possession ny squatters, rights
and many fight is recorded to es-
tabllsh claims on which subsequent
litigation was founded. Some of the
names OF these early squatters are
preserved in the names of the bath
houses, buildings, streets etc. of the
town. In 1882 the government took
four sections in the center of which
were the springs, and Incorporated
them in a reservation and the legal
titleo the building sites and prop
erty was finally settled by the court
OF claims appointed by President
Hayes. Some Of the struggles to
gain title to the springs and to the
valuable sites for building are part Of
the history Of the springs Old man
Hale. a cripple who could not move
from a chair came here in 1885 and
defended his squatter sovereignty,
against ali attacks, by his shot gun.
A good many men have been killed
in the contests over the property but
the Old Hale Bath House stands on
the spot a monument to the pluck
OF the man whose name it bears.
The population Of the Springs in
1878 was /, l,26}-one- third culored. The
population is now nearly Is, 600, and in
the month Of March the number Of
visitors will run as high as 22,Ooo
more. There are about 5000 negroes
among the resident population and as
they earn good wages, and they spend
it all they are an important factor
in the towns prosperity. The town
has grown wonderfully in the last five
years and while it is scattered there
are many fine homes as well as thou
sands of cottages owned by both white
and colored people. The whole growth
of the town is dependent on the repu-
tation of the baths and many wonder
full cures attest it's increasing popula-
tion. Nearly everything in the wayof
provisions, milk butter, meat, ETC., is
shipped in. Since the Missouri Paci-
bic has secured an entrance from Ben
ton most of the passenger and freight
traffic from the north comes over that
line, by the way of St. Louis and Kan
sas City. The little road built by
Diamond 10 years ago from Malvern
is about to be absorbed by the "Choc-
taw Route" another line from the
west that will help the growth of the
Springs.
While many come here sick and
past all cure, many miraculous cures
for various troubles are annually made,
and SO eXtravagant reports as to the
efficacy OF the waters have gone forth.
yet the results are such that few per-
sons with any ordinary ailment can
not be benefited and many are cured
when all hope has been abandoned.
Rheumatism, Scrofula, asthma, gout,
eczema, kidney diseases, gravel are
among the many ailments successfully