Saratoga and How to See It Part 5

History.

The spring was originally owned by the Walton family. Though long known, its situation was such, being in the midst of a deep mora.s.s, that the owners took no steps towards tubing it. In 1839 it pa.s.sed into the hands of Mr. Daniel McLaren, who tubed it at a heavy expense and trouble by sinking a crib twenty-two feet square to a depth of forty feet. A tube was constructed in the form of a boot, and to render the ground dry and firm around it several tons of iron filings from Troy were packed around.

When the work was finished, the water was bottled to some extent and was a favorite drink with many of the citizens. It was then esteemed as a tonic spring. In 1868 it was retubed and the tube extended down ten feet further to the sandstone rock. Clay was used for the packing, and the water has since been of a finer flavor and of cathartic properties. At this time the spring became the property of the Pavilion and United States Spring Co., composed of enterprising business men, under whose management the grounds have been rendered quite attractive and the water is becoming celebrated as one of the leading cathartic springs of far-famed Saratoga.

Properties.

There is a liveliness and pungency to this water which makes it a pleasant beverage. An abundance of gas, so much desired in a mineral spring, is so intimately a.s.sociated with the water, and is so well "fixed" as to hold the medicinal const.i.tuents in a clear and permanent solution. The property of the water is cathartic, affecting more or less, however, all the secretions. It is of special service in dyspepsia, biliousness, rheumatism, etc. A half a gla.s.s to a gla.s.s, drank after hearty meals, will relieve at once the distress from which so many suffer. Medical men recommend the water also for kidney disease.

While stronger than the milder waters which require so large potions to be effective, it is not characterized by the harshness and irritating power of some of the more recently discovered springs. It seems to us a sort of golden mean between the two extremes.

The water bottles nicely, and is sent to every part of the Union. It is also sold on draught. Persons becoming attached to it while at Saratoga, can thus easily obtain it at any time in a manner only equaled by that dipped from the spring. The sale of this, as well as of nearly all mineral waters, is conducted almost exclusively by druggists.

The business address of the proprietors is "Pavilion & U.S. Spring Company, 113 Chambers street, N.Y.," to whom orders should be addressed.

PUTNAM SPRING,

On Phila street, near Broadway. Used chiefly for bathing purposes. It is a tonic or chalybeate, and, as this goes to press, is being retubed. The proprietor, Mr. Lewis Putnam, is the oldest native resident of Saratoga.

THE RED SPRING.

This spring is located on Spring avenue, a short distance beyond the Empire, at the junction of Geneva and Warren streets. Red Spring Co., proprietors.

[Ill.u.s.tration: RED SPRING.]

History.

It was discovered soon after the Revolutionary war, by a Mr. Norton, who had been driven from the place from fear of hostile Indians during the war, and who returned about the year 1784 to re-occupy and improve some buildings erected by him for the accommodation of a few invalids who came to visit the High Rock, Flat Rock, President and Red Springs. No other springs were known at that time, or for many years after. Nearly a hundred years ago the first bath-house ever built at Saratoga was erected at the Red Spring, and was used for the cure of all kinds of eruptive and skin diseases for many years. Through the neglect of the owners, this spring, with others near, was allowed to fall into an impure condition; the tubes rotted out, and for a number of years the water of the Red Spring was only used for washing sore eyes, bad ulcers, and the cure of salt rheum, etc. The springs of b.a.l.l.ston, and the valuable qualities of Congress water, drew public attention away from these springs, and it was only a few years since that the present owners of the spring retubed and secured this valuable water for public use. The reputation it had long sustained as a powerful alterative for the cure of blood diseases was confirmed; and for several years this water has been used with growing confidence and wonderful results.

Properties.

In a general sense its therapeutic effects are alterative, and it possesses a particular adaptation to inflamed mucous surfaces; scrofula in all its forms, dyspepsia in its worst conditions, and kidney difficulties, with every kind of skin disease, including salt rheum, which it never fails to cure, are prominent among the diseases cured by the use of this water.

Its general effect is to tone up the system, regulate the secretions and vitalize the blood, thereby creating a better appet.i.te and better a.s.similation.

The a.n.a.lysis of this water does not indicate any properties that can account for its astonishing effects on disease, but they are supposed to be owing to its _peculiar combination_. Scientific men, however, differ in regard to this point and in regard to the a.n.a.lysis.

A greater number of _invalids_ are now using this water than from all the other springs in the place. This water is not used as a beverage.

More than a hundred gallons per day are taken away by _real invalids_, besides that drank at the spring. To become acquainted with its wonderful cures one needs only to go there and spend an hour conversing with those who are using it for their various ailments. The water is used at all hours of the day and a short time is all that is needed to learn the high estimation in which it is held as a remedial agent.

SARATOGA "A" SPRING.

The "A" Spring is situated on Spring avenue, a little beyond the Empire Spring, on the eastern side of a steep bluff of calciferous sand rock, upon grounds which could be made quite attractive by a moderate outlay.

History.

The memory of that reverend being, the oldest inhabitant does not recall the time when the existence of mineral water in this immediate locality was not known. As the merits of spring waters were so little known and understood in the earlier days of their discovery, the demand was far below the supply, and no attempt was made to introduce this spring to public attention, nor any provision for the use of its waters. In 1865, Messrs. Western & Co. purchased the property, and at once inst.i.tuted plans for securing the fountain; and a shaft twelve feet square was sunk to the depth of sixteen feet. The surface above the rock consists of bluish marl, similar to that found all along this mineral valley. A tube, in the usual form, was placed over the spring, and clay was used as packing around it. In the spring of the next year the fountain was more perfectly secured by a new tubing, and the water was bottled and shipped all over the country.

An ill wind seemed to be blowing, and in 1867 the bottling-house was nearly destroyed by fire; and the spring was again retubed to the depth of _thirty-two_ feet, going down to the solid rock, where one of the most perfect veins of water was found flowing in all its original purity, which was secured with the greatest care, in order to prevent the mixture of sulphurous or other waters, and carried to the surface through a tube made of maple.

At present the spring itself is protected by a temporary structure, while the water is bottled in a portion of the original building which was not destroyed by fire. The spring is at some little distance from the business part of Saratoga, and, since the bottling-house was destroyed no special efforts have been made to attract a crowd of visitors, though many who know the virtues of the water take the pains and trouble to go out of their way to obtain it, fresh from the spring in all its purity, as it is held in the highest estimation by all who have used it. We believe it is the intention of the present management to rebuild the houses and ornament the surroundings either this summer or next.

Of the original company, Jay Gould was President, and John F. Henry, Secretary. The officers of the present company are, John F. Henry, President; B.S. Barrett, Secretary, and Edwin F. Stevens, Treasurer.

Mr. Henry is well known as the leading druggist in America and the largest dealer in proprietary medicines in the world.

Properties.

The water possesses a very agreeable taste and flavor, resembling in many respects the favorite Congress. Its princ.i.p.al action is alterative and cathartic.

SELTZER SPRING.

"Saratoga Seltzer Spring Co.," proprietors. Perhaps no one of the springs gratifies the curious more than the Seltzer.

It is situated about 150 feet from the High Rock Spring, but, although in such close proximity thereto, its water is entirely different, thus ill.u.s.trating the wonderful extent and capacity of nature's subterranean laboratory.

Peculiarities.

The owners of the Seltzer Spring have an ingenious contrivance for exhibiting the flow of the water and its gas. It consists of a gla.s.s tube, three feet in height and fifteen inches in diameter, nicely adjusted to the mouth of the spring, through which the sweet, clear, sparkling water gushes in a steady volume, while, faster than the water, bubble up the glittering globules of pure carbonic acid gas.

History.

The spring was discovered several years ago, but only recently was it tubed so as to be available. The tube extends down thirty-four feet to the surface of the foundation rock. The crevice in the rock through which the water issues is about twelve inches by five. The column of water above the rock is thirty-seven feet high. The flow of gas is abundant and constant, but every few minutes, as the watchful visitor will observe, there is a momentary ebullition of an extraordinary quant.i.ty which causes the water in the tube to boil over the rim. When the sunshine falls upon the fountain it presents a beautiful appearance.

This is a genuine Seltzer spring. The character of the water is almost identical with that of the celebrated Na.s.sau Spring of Germany, which is justly esteemed so delicious by the natives of the "Fatherland."