HOT WATER SUPPLY OF THE HOT SPRINGS 449 



private investment in bathhouses and hotels is large and the 

 government investment in the Free Bathhouse and in the Army 

 and Navy Hospital is considerable. The volume of business can 

 be measured by the number of baths given which reached a maxi- 

 mum of 1,194,872 in 1911. A careful engineering study will doubt- 

 less lead to improvements in the present system of distributing 

 the water. Even though economies may increase the capacity of the 

 resort to handle patients and visitors, large future growth of Hot 

 Springs as a health and pleasure resort depends on an increased 

 supply of hot water. The practical means by which additional 

 hot water may be obtained are not here discussed, but it is obvious 

 that development can be attempted intelligently only with accurate 

 knowledge of the origin of the water. 



The Fordyce Well, shown on Figures 3 and 4, is 6 inches in 

 diameter and 67I feet deep. It penetrates the Stanley shale and 

 extends into the Hot Springs sandstone. The well has a flow of 

 hot water amounting to 50,000 gallons daily. Since the well 

 appears not to have decreased the flow of any existing spring or 

 well, it must be supplied with water which had previously reached 

 the surface in minor seeps and concealed springs. Other wells in 

 the same geologic position near the contact between the shale and 

 sandstone will save seepage, but will probably dry up the hillside 

 springs. The resulting concentration of flow will be convenient 

 for a single unified distributing system and the substitution of 

 artificial openings for the natural openings or hot springs will be 

 an inconsiderable sentimental loss. 



Whether water not to be considered as salvage can be developed 

 by such shallow wells depends on the ultimate origin and the 

 mechanism of flow of the hot water. Each stage in attempted 

 development of new water will raise anew these fundamental 

 questions. 



