98 MINERAL WATERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



DISCUSSION OF ANALYSES. 



Only a few general comments are necessary in regard to this group 

 of waters. First, it will be noted that an examination was made of 

 samples of Vichy and Hathorn obtained both at the spring and on the 

 open market. In all likelihood these samples were taken from the 

 spring within the same year, and yet the analyses differ considerably, 

 showing that the composition of the various waters varies materially 

 from time to time. Some of the probable reasons for such variation 

 are pointed out by the following letter from the owner of the Aron- 

 dack spring: 



We have here wells varying in depth from 150 feet to 600 feet, In drilling the 

 well the veins of water are liable to be struck at many intervals from 40 feet down 

 to the bottom. The well is tubed, generally with a small iron pipe, down to a point 

 that may be decided on as securing the best water. At the bottom of the pipe a seed 

 bag is attached, which very quickly swells up and for a time, if properly adjusted, 

 will shut out all the water above it, so that the yield is only of the water entering 

 below the seed bag. Now in the course of time, which may be a few months and 

 may be two years, the seed bag frequently shrinks or is eaten away a little, and this 

 would allow a certain amount of the upper water to enter. It is also my experience 

 that w r ithin about two years there will be at some point of the pipe perforations 

 which again would allow water to enter. 



Another point which we have noted is that many of the Saratoga springs are con- 

 nected with each other. I do not know whether pumping is carried on at all by the 

 mineral-water companies, but it is by all the gas companies here, involving a matter 

 of about 50 wells. We have at our gas works two w r ells which are connected with a 

 well of a competitor. When he pumps very hard or at all our water levels are more 

 or less affected, as is also our yield of gas. He can pull our level down more than 20 

 feet. It seems to me that such a condition would, through hydrostatic pressure, 

 affect the amount of water running into the well from the various veins. 



Another point well worthy of note is the fact that practically all of 

 these springs have a much smaller mineral content than thej 7 had 

 about thirty-five years ago, when Prof. C. F. Chandler made an 

 examination of most of the springs then in existence. By comparing 

 the results here reported with those obtained by Professor Chandler a 

 it will be noted that nearty all of the springs now contain only from 

 one-half to one-fifth as much mineral matter as they did in about 1871. 

 The natural inference would be that the springs were gradually dying 

 out were it not for the fact that many new wells have been driven 

 since the analyses were made in 1871, so that a much larger volume of 

 water is now taken from the strata feeding the Saratoga springs than 

 was formerly taken. It is therefore impossible to say whether the 

 springs are gradually dying out or whether they are weaker in mineral 

 content because of the greatly increased amount of water that is with- 



Cairns, Quantitative Analysis, p. 194, or American Chemist, December, 1871. 



