Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-09-24

0eSNSSA0 eral hundred feet deep
Scalding baths in natural
water almost on the edge of the north pole
These are some of the wonders of our great
territory whose shores are washed by the
Arctic ocean and Bering sea-
| have heard of hot springs ever since
came to Alaska. They are to be found from
the islands at the southeastern part of the
territory to the very shores of the Arctic.
Fifty miles north of Ketchkan, the first port
at which the steamers stop, are the Belle
Island hot springs, where the water is l64
degrees Fahrenheit, or hot enough to cook
eggs A little farther north are the Sitka
hot springs, which are l5o degrees above
zero, and, on Chichagof island, between
Sitka and Juneau, are the Tenakee hot
springs, where the postmaster is building
cottages and trying to make the place SUM
mer and winter resort The Tenakee springs
are in natural forest, and the forestry SER
vice is putting in boardwalks and other i'm
provements.
The Sitka hot springs are 10 miles south
Of Sitka. They are now building a hotel
there and a score or so of cottages have been
already erected. The water contains sui
phur and is good for drinking and bathing
1t is especially fitted to cure rheumatism and
will, 1t is said drive alcohol out of the sys-
tenn and give one a distaste for drink The
Belle Island hot springs also are winter
resort.
AS travelled north through the islands OF
southeastern Alaska met J. +. Warning one
of the geological survey experts who has
come north this summer to investigate some
OF the hot springs of the territory He has
already visited many and is now testing
these here on the Tanana river We have
together explored the Baker hot springs, of
which | write at length further on.
Mr.. Warning tells me that the geological
survey has discovered many hot springs in
different parts OF Alaska. There is one
northwest of Belle island, known as the Bal
ley hot springs. The water there is close to
boiling, and one of the springs is an incipient
geyser, which spurts to height of 50 inche;
or more. Its temperature is 1911 degrees
Fahrenheit On the east side OF Baranof ISL
and is Warm Springs bay, where the govern
ment is now considering laying out town,
with the idea that it may be a resort They
have surveyed the land about the springs
and are putting in cottages and board walks
over the muskeg. The springs belong to the
forest reserve. There are nine of them flow
ing out of the side OF hill almost on the
edge Of the sea The water is now piped
into wooden lighthouses in which there are
bathtubs of wood In the same region there
are other springs not far from Fish bay
which may also be developed
A little north OF Cape Edward on the
ocean side of Chichagof are the Hoona warm
springs, which are right on the sea, only 10
or Is feet from high tide and there are other
springs OH the islands close to the ocean
do not know that you can catch fish in the
ocean and by giving twist of your line drop
them into the springs to be cooked; but the
springs are so close to the water that it
would seem to be possible. There are fish
everywhere about the warm springs of the
islands, and fine crabs and clans where the
fresh waters flow into Tenakee inlet About
all of these springs are deer and other wild
game, including bear, black and brown
which one is not prohibited from killing.
Coming north to the Yukon. there are
springs here and there scattered along it.
There is one about IS miles west Of Circle
where the prospectors and miners sometimes
go, and there are hot springs on the elena
river, 65 miles out from Fairbanks There
are hot springs on the Seward peninsula, not
g. f~o,,, No,,a ,,d tbara ore o+,ar hot