PLACER COUNTY MINERAL SPRINGS 



J. H. LINDSEY 

 Secretary Auburn Chamber of Commerce 



PLACER COUNTY has never exploited her mineral springs to the 

 prominence they deserve, as its mineral regions are honeycombed 

 with hundreds of these springs, which contain the prominent sub- 

 stances which are sought for medicinal purposes. A few geologists 

 have investigated these and they show a high percentage of the 

 mineral they contain. Most of the springs abound on the summit regions 

 of the mountains, but many are also found in the lower hills. 



The cold mineral springs may be divided into two groups, — first, those 

 characterized by alkaline carbonates, along with a considerable amount of 

 free carbonic acid; the second are cold sulphur springs, which show the sul- 

 phureted hydrogen. A number of the first-named are found at the head- 

 waters of the North Fork of the American River. 



Soda Springs Is a well-known resort five miles south of Summit Sta- 

 tion on the Southern Pacific Railroad. These springs show an abundance 

 of carbonate of soda and chloride of sodium, with smaller proportions of 

 carbonate of lime and magnesium. Below these springs a few miles are 

 extensive calcareous spring deposits. Some of these are still flowing from 

 little mounds built up by the sediments, while others are entirely extinct. 



Still further down on the same stream is what is known as Heath 

 Soda Springs. The flow from these is very abundant, and they are some- 

 what similar to the soda springs just mentioned, but contain less carbonic 

 acid. The temperature of these springs is 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit. 



There are also many small springs scattered throughout the hills and 

 mountains, whose properties have not been analyzed, and these are being 

 investigated. 



Mineralized waters which have recently been discovered near Auburn, 

 on what was formerly known as the Bloomer Ranch, are now under inves- 

 tigation, and will go high in the minerals which characterize them. 



There is also another spring southeast of Ophir. This spring is known 

 as the Fremont Spring. It takes its name and prominence from the fact 

 that General Fremont and his followers camped over night by this spring 

 on their pilgrimage to California. 



A rich sulphur spring has been discovered in the gorge of Bear River, 

 a mile or so below Colfax, near what is known as the Grass Valley bridge. 

 This, like many other of the springs, has not been developed nor Investi- 

 gated to give it much prominence as yet. 



There is also a variety of mineral springs existing between Clipper Gap 

 and Applegate, some of which show very pronounced traces of alum. 



Alkaline and carbonated springs are found near the shores of Lake 

 Tahoe. The Rubicon Valley is characterized by a number of these, the 

 principal ones being extensively used for medicinal purposes. 



The cold sulphur springs are fewer in number. At the base of the 

 morainal bluff, on the south side of the Middle Fork of the American River, 

 is a cold spring flowing moderately and containing much sulphureted 

 hydrogen. 



At Cisco and its vicinity, which is a popular camping and tourist resort, 

 there are many small sulphur and iron springs. There is also a constant 

 flowing mineral spring near Rockiin, which has been pronounced of 

 great medicinal value*. 



Placer County has hundreds of springs of which but little is known, 

 and the local geologists are turning their attention to many of these, 

 which they confidently assert will be great features to the county's re- 

 sources when they are fully analyzed and their value made known. The 

 largest springs are situated at the base of the andesitic and rhyolitic hills. 



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