The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-27

FORT CAS- WE'LL, e rs
Second story concrete swimming
pools of salty mineral water heated
by the furnaces of Mother Nature,
with modern bath houses and dress.
ing rooms directly underneath the
pools, are still a novelty to visitors
at Fort Caswell.
Many si%ghtseers who come to
this abandoned army citadel to in
specl the intricacies of t h e eight
massive forts, once an impregnable
link in the nations chain of de-
tense, first discover the pools Will
rowing at random over the camou-
flaged batteries. At this time of
year the sight of bsthers, nlungin ,
about gayly while the chill vino
bowls above the open pools, amazes
them. They stop to marvel. Ginger
ly the newcomer thrusts a hand in
to the water to feel its warmth.
Usually he accepts the invitation to
Come on in"
Caswell neophytes pour forth a
torrent of questions. What heats
the water? Where does it come
from? What minerals are in it?
How long has it been here?
They learn that the water for the
three expansive pools is piped from
a 16-inch artesian we'll 1852 feet
deep. 1t contains a combination of
minerals said by eminent medical
authorities to have great curative
powers in the treatment of "heuma-
tism, neuritis, arthritis and other
bone and muscular complaints. to-
gether with ali skin diseases known
to medical science. The water is
salty. 1t is much saltier than that
of the Atlantic ocean, just 60 feet
away; or of the Cape Fear rive,
several hundred yards away; or of
the Gulf Stream, about 80 miles dis
tant. Its abundant brackishness
gives a buoyancy to the water that
makes swimming and floating a
joy for the most timid bathers.
The discovery of the we'll is a
story in itself. Fort Caswell's ORR
ginal water system consisted of els.
terms at every house, the drinking
water being forced into the resi-
dences by hand-pumps located in
the kitchens. Increased personnel
of the army post necessitated tie
drilling of six wells with a pumpirg
station and water system. When
this method proved inadequate, an
eight-inch main was laid across the
harbor from Southport, a distance
of n mile. This was also un-
satisfactory.
In the year 1905 army officials
let a contract for the drilling OF a
16-inch artesian well. At a depth of
1,542 fe.s a gusher was found, but
-phew-w-the water W a S salty.
Even army physicians didn't ..e-
commend it for drinking purposes.
The we'll was capped.
For 80 years the gusher Of warm
mineral water remained sealed. In
the interim Fort Caswell, with its
substantial buildings, semi-tropical
climate, stately trees and tuffed
lawns which extend even to t h e
waters edge, was sold by the gov
eminent to the Caswell Carolina
corporation. Then, in 1887, while
plans were being formulated to con.
vert the fortress into an ~all-seascn
resort, H. M. Thomas, the manager,
discovered that the casing on the
arteslan well was unusually warm,
From a few leaks in the COVERING
there were crystals, eight to 10
inches long, which tasted strongly
OF salt, sulphur and other minerals
The well was tapped, and a five.
gallon demijohn of water was for
warded to the state laboratory for
analysis.
The water was found to contain
the following ratio Of minerals. cal
culated on parts per million: Silicon
dloxlde, SIS; iron, 81: calcium, 598
magnesium, 40; sodium and potas-
SUM, 6,343; b~icarbonate, 1,037;
sulphate radical, 27; chlorine, 10,
4oo. The water contains is per cent
salt, or So per cent more than sea,
water.
When the mineral content was
established, an enclosed pool W a S
built. People heard of the warm
mineral water and swarmed to Cas-
well. Two large open pools were
then ingenuously constructed or
the top of Battery Caswell in CUR
pits which once held the larges1
guns OF the nations coastal de-
tense. The water passes through
n pools in a continuous flow, anc
the dressing rooms and shower
paths underneath are kept pleasant
~ warm during winter from the
neat of the water above.
The reader is probably wonde
ing if the government ever succeed
ed in obtaining an adequate suppl,
Oh drinking water for the soldiers
stationed here. 1t was more thar