THE lOLA [KANSAS) MINERAL WELL. 



259 



most noted of the Saratoga Springs, the " Congress " and the "United 

 States: " 



IN GBAINS TO THE IMPEEIAI; GALLON. 



Bi-carbonate of Sodium 



'' " Calcium 



" " Magnesium. 



" " Iron 



" " Litliium 



'' " Barium 



Clilcride of Sodium 



'' " Potassium , 



" '' Magnesium 



Sulphate of Potassium 



Phosphate of Sodium 



Iodide of Sodium 



Bromide of Sodium 



Alumina 



Silica 



Organic Matter 



Carbonic Acid Gas (cub. in.) 145.891 



lola. 



8.158 

 60.687 

 25.485 



3.929 



971.506 



17.909 



7.305 



Traces 

 Traces 



.602 

 2.000 



Congress 



7.472 



99.592 



72.152 



.248 



2,992 



.760 



400.440 



8.048 



.888 



.016 



.IS*) 



8.552 



Traces 



.840 



Traces 



432 



United 

 States. 



3.240 



64.672 



43.192 



.520 



3.040 



.752 



141.872 



8.e04 



.016 

 .048 

 .848 

 .096 

 3.184 

 Traces 



240 



The Iodide and Bromide of Sodium, though in minute amount, are pres- 

 ent in very appreciable quantities in the water of the lola well, and to their 

 influence is undoubtedly due much of the asserted beneficial effects of this 

 water upon scrofulous and other allied difficulties. The Carbonic Acid pres- 

 ent in the lola water is considerably less than that afforded_^in the waters 

 of the Saratoga springs, though an abundance is present to remove, by its 

 sparkling influence, much of the disagreeable flavor of the water, which 

 otherwise, from the large amount of mineral matter present, might prove 

 somewhat unpleasant. 



The gas, which is thrown from the well with such force and in such 

 quantity, is almost wholly made up of Light Carburetted Hydrogen, com- 

 monly known as "Marsh Gas." From its very slight solubility (1 part in 

 27 by volume, Storer), it of course exists in very small quantities 

 only in the water itself, though it is constantly bubbling up 

 through it. Notwithstanding the views of many observers and 

 writers, the escape of this gas in such abundance from this well 

 is neither anomalous or startlingly unusual. It is no uncommon oc- 

 currence in many portions of the country in sinking similar borings for 

 coal, salt or oil, to find this gas suddenly escaping with force sufficient to 

 stop or reverse the engine. This Light Carburetted Hydrogen is pro- 

 duced in immeuse quantities in nature from the slow decomposition of all 

 deposits of vegetable matter, and frequently escapes naturally in great 

 abundance. The large supply of this gas near Fredonia, JST. Y., by which 

 the entire village is lighted, is too well known to need comment here. 

 Near Oberlin, Ohio, is a spring from which I have frequently discovered 

 the gas escaping in great quantity, forming, when lighted, a flame of large 



