SOAPING (1EY8ERS.* 



By Arnold Hauue, 



I'. S. CcdUxjUul Surrey. 



At the Buft'alo meet in ji, October, 1S8S, Dr. Kayinoiul jtieseiited a 

 paper entitled '* Soai)inji' (ieysers," in wliieh lie called attentioii to the 

 use of soap by tourists to cause eruptions of several of the well-known 

 geysers in the Yellowstone Park. Incorporated in this paper appears 

 a conimuuication received from me, written from camp in the park, in 

 rei)ly to some inquiries on the subject. The letter discussed somewhat 

 briefly the means employed by visitors to the park to hasten the erup- 

 tions from hot springs and reservoirs of hot water, which remain dor- 

 numt for days, or even weeks or months, at a tempera tn re near the 

 boiling-point, without any <lisi)lay of geyser-action. As the jiapcr lias 

 called forth considerable comment, L desire to elucidate one or two 

 points in relation to tlie temjieratnre of the springs, and to answer 

 some incpiiries about the composition of the thermal wateis. 



In the summer of 188r>, a Chinaman, employed as ii laiindryman for 

 the accommodation of the t(»nrists at the Upper (leyser Uasin, acci- 

 dentally discovered, much to his aniazenuMit, that soap thrown into the 

 si)ring from which he was a<'Custonu'd to draw his su])i)ly of water 

 l)roduced ail eruption in every way similar to the actual workings of 

 a geyser. Tourists, with limited time at their command, who had 

 travelled thousands of miles to look u])on the wonders of the Yellow- 

 stone, soon fell into the way of coaxing the laundrynuin's spring into 

 action, to [)artly compensate them for their sore <lisaiipointm«'nt in 

 witnessing only the periodical eruptions of Old Faithful. Successful 

 attempts upon this spring soon led to various endeavors to accelerate 

 action in the dornnmt and more famous geysers, in a short tinu^, so 

 poi)ular became the desiic to stimulate geysers in tiiis way, that the 

 park authorities were compelled to enforce rigidl\' tlie nih- against 

 throwing oitjects of any kind into the springs. 



In connection with a thorough investigation of the thermal waters 

 of the Yellowstone l*ark and tiie ])henoraena of the geyers, I under- 



* Read at New York iiiecitiuf^- of the American Institute of Miuiiii; Kn^iiicors, 

 February, 1889. (From Trann. Am. lust. Minhiy Engineers.) 



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