Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-02-20
GREAT AMERICAN CARLSBAD
Interesting Pen Picture Of Hot Springs
Arkansas


Cosmopolitan Population Amuses It.
self According to the Suggestions oi
It's Own Tastes-Little Attention to
Legitimate Business Except In Ger.
tain Lines; But Everybody on Pleas.
ure and Excitement Bent-A Town
on Which There Is no Lid.
Correspondence OF the Yorkville ENQUIRER.
Hot SPRINGS, ARK, Feb. 8, 1906
Hot Springs people claim for the
place the distinction Of being the
American Carlsbad and Baden Baden
and they might add. think, the
American Monte Carlo, for 1t is the
only American city that I know Of
where open gambling is sanctioned
Whether 1t possesses the character
istics of these European resorts OF
course I cannot say, but 1t Is a very
interesting city In more ways than
one, and brief description Of some
of it's characteristics may be Of in
terest to the readers of THE ENoUIR-
FIR.
| Hot Springs Is in a narrow valley
between Hot Springs and West noun
| tains-spurs Of the OZarks. The
principal street, Central avenue, runs
the entire length of the valley, and
the houses are built tier above tier
up each Of the mountains. The hot
springs flow from Hot Springs noun
tain, and the government bath houses
extend for a quarter Of mile along
the foot Of the mountain, occupying
one side Of Central avenue. while on
the other side are the business houses,
doctors offices, clubs, etc.
There are twenty-three bath
houses all under the control Of the
United States government. The res
ervation superintendent, who is ap-
pointed by the secretary Of the inte-
rior. fixes the price Of baths at all
the lighthouses, regulates the water
supply, and makes the rules for the
conduct Of the managers and the
bath-house attendants. The baths
are free for those not able to pay,
and the regular rates are from three
up to ten dollars for twenty-one
baths-the regular course. The wa
ter Is pumped into the government
reservoir, and piped to the bath
houses. The temperature Of the
springs-there are forty, within an
area of ten acres-varies from 63'
to 1852. The water is highly mineral
containing iron, sodium, magnesia,
iodine. sulphur, potassium, and other
minerals. There Is one spring called
the Magnesia, another is the Arsenic
whose waters are guaranteed to beau
tify. and the Egg spring Is so hot
that an egg will hard-boil in a few
minutes The water at the Superior
bath-house contains so much mineral
that 1t will color clear glass a deeI
amber in four hours.
The water from the springs flows
into Hot Springs creek, which runs
the entire length Of the valley under
the east pavement of Central avenue
| through a culvert. Where the cul-
vert empties, near Cooper's livery
stable, there Is a pond where lame
and sick horses are driven into cages
and lowered into the water. The
pond Is called the Veterinary bath
house.
| On the tier directly above the bath
houses Is the army and navy hospital
where sick sailors and soldiers are
| treated 1t is an immense building
with enough wards, apparently, to
take care of the entire personnel Of
both army and navy. Admiral Samp'
son was sent here q short time before
his death.
| Persons taking the baths are sup
posed to be under a physicians d.
rection, but the usual directions are
six minutes in water go to 1907, two
to six minutes in the vapor bath, and
i've to twenty minutes in the blank
cts. or course the treatment differs
with the nature Of the disease and
the physical condition Of the invalid
Where there is any heart or lune
affection. the vapor Is not used al
ALL In nerve baths. a cold spir-
al shower called the needles" Is
sometimes used. Then there is the
"hot room" for the treatment OF
obesity. but you never would hear
| anyone admit taking that.
The board Of health here claims
ninety-five per cent Of cures. That
Is probably too high an estimate
but really the water seems to be very
beneficial and some of the cures do
seem marvellous. People do come
here on stretchers and leave In six
weeks or two months walking, and
In some cases cripples Of five or six
years walk after six weeks treat
ment.
The mountain side has been exca-
waited a little for the lighthouses
and some of the bath houses have
natural hot caves In the back, which
are used for the vapor rooms. All
along the street IN ITOnl Oi the DdtH-
houses are drinking fountains, where
you see people blowing the water
like you do coffee.
But. although primarily health
resort Hot Springs is also pleasure
resort, probably more of a sight-see-
ing place than any southern resort
The government expenditures aver
age s250,OO0 year. The govern
ment driveways over the two noun
tains are over fifteen miles long, and
Reservation park Is beautiful. Every
bright day, and the weather has
been very pleasant lately, the noun
tain driveways are full Of people
driving, riding, horseback or bicycle
and walking. Parties are made ur
to explore the mountain for the legend
ary Indian hot lake. and the noun
tain cave, where the Ouachita Indians
are said to have buried treasure.
De Soto. the Spanish explorer. Is
said to have discovered the hot
springs. and the fable of the "Foun-
tain of Youth" for which Ponce de
Leon was seeking in Florida, Is
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