The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-09-09
Mineral Water

About the time OF World War
one. Tracy TowneT. Bert Moorman
and others again opened the well
and the baths with Or. q. +. Clarke.
Bay City. in charge There were
patients but not enough for proht
and new trouble appeared when the
we'll casing started 20 collapse. The
cost OF 920c feet OF casing was con-
sidered prohibit1ve, and again Up.
silantis chance OF increased income
and mineral water fame went glim.
mering.
Between the Yemans days and
the revival, the building was oper-
ated for a time as the Occidental
Hotel by George Norman sons
in.law, Fletcher Jewell and II. r.
SHUTS (uncle OF Or. +. S. GEORGE
and " was as clerk in the hotel that
the late Hugh r. Van de- Walker
came from Kalamazoo TO Ypsilantt
which led TO another chapter In
Ypsilanti history.
5romine Rejected
To 10 back In 1854 Tubal Cain
owen decided 10 show that mineral
waters were not confined 10 the Hu'
ron River region and sank a rival
we'll just east Of his house on For
est Ave, opposite the original Nor
NAL School buildings He first
struck water rich in bromine, a
drug rare and expensive. Physi'
clans and commercial drug firms
urged Mr. owen not 10 so deeper.
However he was determined TO
prove that he had everything the
other wells had and then some. and
went on down until he reached sui
phur water-not 80 strong. anc
much easier to take and slic ally
salty.
James II. shepherd OF the Ypsi-
lanti High School Oater for years
professor OF chemistry in the South
Dakota Agricultural College nj
BrookingsI analysed the water and
showed many valuable ingredients
in the owen water that were not
found in the other wells, but the
bromine content was much diluted
T, c. owen never did things by
halves. He erected a huge tai
building over the derrick and In T.
established a factory for making
soap. salts. ointments and other
products OF the we'll besides bottl-
ing hundreds OF barrels OF the wat
er itself. which he named Atlantis,
the name being inscribed In black
lettering that reached from ground
TO ridgepole on the side OF the ele'
vatorlikc building, back OF when
was a huge boilerhouse that proHid-
ed steam and heat for evaporating
the salts from the water.
Or. Hall Successful
To utilize the water for baths,
Or. NJ. :. Hall put up bath house,
next east OF SIS w. Forest ave-
about two blocks from the well ana
fitted up the adjoining residence
(the Redner Place. for a hotel. He
had a large patronage for several
years and amazing cures for many
diseases were reported. About
1890 he sold the buildings TO Or.
O. r. Pratt. who operated the place
with success for several years, but
because OF advanced age, finally
closed II and sold the buildings for
residences.
After Mr.. owens death his son
Eber continued for many years 10
ship quantities OF the Owen water
in hulk 10 Chicago and Boston IN
response TO a steady demand.
Decline Unexplained
Just why Ypsilantis mineral wat
er. equal IN medicinal properties TO
other popular resorts, failed 10 be
come a permanent municipal asset
seems unexplainable. Opinions OF
older residents bring out two pos.
sible factors;
!. Indifferent management In
Guiding too frequently insufficient
regard for comfort and entertain
ment OF patients, together with ad'
mission OF too many undesirable
patients
2. Determination on the part OF
several OF the more wealthy and
conservative residents that Ipsi-
lantl should remain r quiet resi-
dental community and that indus
try OF every kind should be dis
couraged.
Incidentally II might be mention
ed that the prohibition era brought
a decline in alcoholic cases.
Regarding influence OF conserva-
tive opinion, the comment Is Of
fered that leaders OF this group
expressed the fear that the bath
industry would bring crooks. gamb,.
ers and others clsssed as undeslr-
ables And when factory sites were
considered, It Ia said the same con.
servstiye group bowed out prospec.
tive industrislists, who thought NJ
moving here, showing them wha'