White Sulphur Springs

“ The road follows the valley of Green-Brier River twenty miles further, to Caldwell, then passes through White Sulphur Springs, and a few minutes later crosses the James River at Clifton Forge, where that romantic stream, drawing its inspiration from the Alleghenies, cuts its way through the Blue Ridge Mountains. ”

“ The Red Sulphur Springs are situated in the County of Monroe, 43 miles southwest of the White Sulphur, and 17 miles west of the Salt Sulphur.
The improvements at this place are very handsome, and afford accommodation for three hundred and fifty persons. ”

“ Further on down the valley, and at a great distance, was the top of a large mountain, which was thought to be the Great North Mountain, away down in Shenandoah County—I am afraid to say how far off. Intermediate between these mountains, and extending opposite and far above us, was the Valley of Virginia, with its numerous and highly cultivated farms. Across this valley, and in the distance, lay the remote ranges of the Alleghany and mountains about, and, I suppose, beyond the White Sulphur Springs. ”

“ In the region of country just described and in the counties beyond abound the finest mineral springs, one or more being found on every plantation. At one place were seven different springs, and the servants had a habit of asking the guests and family whether they would have—before breakfast—a glass of White Sulphur, Yellow Sulphur, Black Sulphur, Alleghany, Alum, or Limestone water! ”

“ The Red Sulphur Spring is situated in latitude 37° 37', about 20 miles southwest of Union, which is the seat of justice for the county. The approach to the village is beautifully romantic and picturesque. Wending his way around a high mountain, the weary traveller is for a moment charmed out of his fatigue by the sudden view of his resting-place, some hundreds of feet immediately beneath him. ”

“ The Red Sulphur is completely enclosed by mountains, except a narrow space by which you enter the circumscribed valley. On each side they rise almost perpendicularly to a considerable height. One of these, we understand, the proprietor intends laying out with terraced walks, so that you can with ease ascend to the summit, and enjoy the extensive prospect. The buildings are erected close under the base of the mountains. The intermediate area will be set in green sward, with gravelled walks and shrubbery. The temple at the spring is very similar to those at the White and Salt Sulphur. ”

“ But our present destination is the Blue Sulphur. The distance thither from our house is rather more than a mile. The intermediate region is level low ground, bounded on each side, at some distance, by a ridge of mountain. These two ridges gradually converge, until they pass the Spring about one hundred yards, where a third ridge brings a sweep immediately across the line of their direction, and closes that end of the valley. The space about the Spring is a perfect level, amply extensive, and admirably adapted for improvements on a large and handsome scale. ”

“ The Salt Sulphur is hemmed in on every side by mountains. To the south and east, in full view, and about 10 miles distant, is Peters Mountain; due north, and about 14 miles distant, is a low spur of the Alleghany; and west, it is bounded by Swope's Mountain, at or near the base of which, are the two principal springs. ”

“ During the spring floods of the Washita, a steam-boat can approach within thirty miles of them. At no great distance from them is a strong sulphur spring, remarkable for its coldness. In the wild and mountain scenery of this lonely region, there is much of grandeur and novelty, to fix the curiosity of the lover of nature.
The Warm Springs near Green Valley, in Virginia, are used for bathing, and are esteemed valuable in rheumatic complaints. The temperature of these springs is about ninety-six degrees, and sufficient water issues from them to turn a mill. ”

“ Many of the surrounding springs remain full to the rim, and are in constant ebullition, yet no water flows from them. Others discharge great quantities of water. In this group are three sulphur springs, the only ones in the region: the sulphur present however is not very abundant. Silica and iron seem to be the dominant constituents of nearly all the deposits. Some of the springs send forth a disagreeable odor, and deposit a curious black sediment like fine gunpowder. Near the centre of the group is a small lake 600 feet long and 150 wide. ”

“ We ventured near enough to this spring to dip the end of a pine pole into it, which, upon removal, was covered an eighth of an inch thick with lead-colored sulphury slime.
There are five large springs and half a dozen smaller ones in this basin, all of them strongly impregnated with sulphur, alum and arsenic. The water from all the larger springs is dark brown or nearly black. The largest spring is fifteen to eighteen feet in diameter, and the water boils up like a cauldron from 18 to 30 inches, and one instinctively draws back from the edge as the hot sulphur steam rises around him. ”

“ We finally visited the sulphur springs, which lie close to the walls of Mósul. They are not warm, but appear to contain a large quantity of sulphur, as the smell is apparent at a considerable distance. These springs rise in natural basins, which are surrounded by walls eight feet in height. Every one is allowed to bathe there without any charge, for people are not so niggardly and sparing of nature’s gifts as in Europe. ”

“ We have had a very wet autumn and winter, so as to raise the springs to a pitch beyond anything since 1764, which was a remarkable year for floods and high waters. The land-springs which we call lavants, break out much on the downs of Sussex, Hampshire and Wiltshire. The country people say when the p. 36lavants rise corn will always be dear; meaning that when the earth is so glutted with water as to send forth springs on the downs and uplands, that the corn-vales must be drowned ”

“ Sulphur Springs Valley was over a hundred miles long. It spread twenty miles across from the Grahams to the Galiuros, and was broken by groups of cottonwood trees clustering about small ponds of water supplied by windmills. Ordinarily these ponds were open to all stock, but now the gates were closed. Unless the water were used economically there would soon be none in reserve, as a few days without wind would cut off the daily supply from the windmills, and dry up the ponds. ”

“ Indeed these “old folks” talked so much about what “used to be in their day” at the old White Sulphur, I found it hard to convince myself I had not been bodily present, seeing with my own eyes certain knee-buckled old gentlemen, with long queues, and certain Virginia and South Carolina belles attired in short-waisted, simple white cambrics, who passed the summers there. ”

“ On the road I stept down to feel the Hot Spring which was hot indeed, I did not learn the degrees. Breakfasted at Maurice Hill. Drove over mountains chiefly covered with oaks and pines; the chief danger in crossing these mountains is the snapping of the drag chain. Dined nearly one mile from Sulphur Springs; a good deal of company; ran down to the spring, the water a sulphur taste. Took leave of fellow passengers consisting of an elderly lady and her daughter of the name of Parker of Philadelphia, a family from Baltimore ”

“ On the south side of these hills, close to the foot, is a magnificent sulphur-spring. The deposits around it are silica; but some places are white, and enamelled like the finest porcelain. The thin edges of the nearly circular rim extend over the waters of the basin several feet, yet the open portion is fifteen feet in diameter. The water is in a constant state of agitation. The steam that issues from this spring is so strong and hot that it was only on the windward side that I could approach it and ascertain its temperature, 197°. ”

“ To a thinking mind few phenomena are more strange than the state of little ponds on the summits of chalk-hills, many of which are never dry in the most trying droughts of summer. On chalk-hills I say, because in many rocky and gravelly soils springs usually break out pretty high on the sides of elevated grounds and mountains; but no person acquainted with chalky districts will allow that they ever saw springs in such a soil but in valleys and bottoms, since the waters of so pervious a stratum as chalk all lie on one dead level, as well-diggers have assured me again and again. ”

“ One basic legend that appears to be a part of most of the traditional accounts is that of the carving of the basin at the Indian Healing Spring, now called Basin Spring. J. M. Richardson in a letter to Powell Clayton of Eureka Springs, dated May 18, 1884 at Carthage, Missouri, says:
“It was in the summer of 1847 when a conversation took place between White Hair, principal chief of the Great and Little Osage Indians, and myself at the office of the agency on Rock Creek (now Kansas) relative to lead in Missouri and a celebrated spring in the mountains. ”

“ It is from its ruggedness eminently suited for the purpose, and in this respect differs from the Sulphur Springs valley which has been occupied by cattlemen to the exclusion of the farmer, despite the fact that all along its length 146one can find water by digging a few feet beneath the surface. ”

“ The Springs are formed by water percolating through a high slate bank or bluff, and which thus becoming impregnated with its mineral properties, is collected into basins or springs at the base of the rock. These are six in number: three Alum Springs of different degrees of strength, one Magnesia Spring, one Chalybeate, and one Sulphur; sulphate of iron and alum, suiting themselves to most of the chronic diseases to which the human system is subject. ”

“ Six miles above the upper fall we entered upon a region remarkable for the number and variety of its hot springs and craters. The principal spring, and the one that first meets the eye as you approach from the north, is a hot sulphur spring, of oval shape, the water of which is constantly boiling and is thrown up to the height of from three to seven feet. ”

“ August 13.—This day we traveled twenty miles, ten miles up a valley brought us to Sulphur Springs. But here was a lack of both water and grass. This afternoon, three miles over a very rocky ridge, then down a ravine six miles, then over a ridge one mile brought us to a small creek, called Birch creek; here we found good water and poor grass. The hills around here are covered with grass, they are very rugged and some of them are very high. It is difficult to see how we are ever to get out of this country, but we have a good road, over which others have gone and we certainly ought to follow. ”

“ To the north, across the Idaho border, there was none nearer than Sulphur Falls, where the Serpentine, rushing tumultuously from the mountains, twisted in its cañon bed and squirmed away to westward and northward after making a gigantic loop that took it almost to the Line. To the south, a ranch at Willow Spring, where a stubborn cattleman hung on in spite of growing barrenness due to the hated sheep, was forty miles away. To east and west was no one within calling distance. ”

“ It flows to-day in the same low bottom, in the heart of a city man has made out of half-baked bricks and called Nashville. And it is no longer the Great Salt Lick for the hunter and the hunted have passed and both have become dust upon the surface of things. To-day men call it the Sulphur Spring, and true to the laws of the land men have walled it in and piped it up and shut out all other animals, both of his kind and the others ”

“ A half mile from its source this brook became quite broad and deep. It ran through a pasture, and cattle came and slaked their thirst.
Hot springs are numerous in all parts of the world. The water of most hot springs has decided mineral properties, for the reason that hot water passing through mineral strata will dissolve more of the mineral substance than cold water. Many hot springs are great resorts for invalids because of their curative properties. The famous Silver Spring in Florida has the dimensions of a small lake, and boats sail over it, and a small river continually flows from it. ”

“ It was in the early eighties and Eureka Springs had no water system such as we have today. Water was carried from the springs for drinking water and household use. “Aunt Min” who operated the White Elephant was worried. It was customary to send a couple of girls to Oil Spring down under the hill for water, but a bear had been seen in the vicinity of the spring and the girls were afraid to make the trip. Water was needed at the White Elephant so “Aunt Min” sent for Uncle Johnny Gaskins, a famous bear hunter, who lived on Leatherwood Creek north of town. ”

“ Many sulphur springs destroy all vegetation around them; others (calcareous) cover organic structures with incrustations. The waters of mineral springs are used both for drinking and bathing; their vapors for baths; and their spray, with the evolved gases, for inhaling. The ancients ascribed supernatural properties to mineral springs, and their priests, especially those of Æsculapius, placed their sanctuaries near them, as at the alkaline springs of Nauplia and the gas springs of Dodona. ”

“ From the road nothing is to be seen but a deep cunette full of percolated water.
Beyond the Warm Springs lay a hopeless-looking land, a vast slope, barren and desolate as Nature could well make it. The loose sands and the granite masses of the valley had disappeared; the surface was a thin coat of hard gravelly soil. Some mosses, a scanty yellow grass, and the dark gray artemisia, now stunted and shrunk, were sparsely scattered about. It had already begun to give way before an even hardier creation, the rabbit-bush and the greasewood. ”