72 MINERAL RESOURCES OP ALABAMA. 



made during and before the Civil War, yielded along with the 

 brine, large quantities of this gas. In places the gas and salt 

 water rise to the surface in natural seeps. 



Perhaps the most abundant supply of natural gas along with 

 salt water comes from the wells lately sunk near the Bascomb 

 race track in Mobile. Recent measurements of the flow of gas 

 of these two wells, have shown it to be 35,000 cubic feet daily 

 for each. As the water gushes from a four inch pipe to the 

 height of six or seven feet it is such a foam of water and gas 

 that it may be ignited and will frequently bum for several min- 

 utes till splashed out by chance fall of the water. 



The salt wells of Clarke and Washington counties were of 

 great value to the state during the war as source of that indis- 

 pensable and at the time scarce substance, common salt. 



Mineral Waters. 



It would be impossible to enumerate all the mineral wells 

 and springs of the state, even those which have a more than 

 local reputation. They are to be found in all parts of the state 

 and show great variety in quality. The following springs and 

 wells either ship water to all parts of the state and outside of 

 the state, or are places of resort with accommodations for visi- 

 tors : Bailey Springs in Lauderdale County ; Chocco Springs, 

 Talladega county; Chandler's and Chambers' Springs also in 

 Talladega; Piedmont Springs in Calhoun; Mentone Springs 

 in DeKalb ; all these have waters that are chalybeate or alkaline 

 carbonate. Woolley or Millhouse Spring in Limestone ; John- 

 son well in Madison; White 1 Sulphur Springs in DeKalb; 

 Blount Springs in Blount; St. Clair Springs in St. Clair; 

 Shelby and Talladega Springs in the counties of the same names 

 are all strong sulphur waters. Cullom and Bladon Springs in 

 Choctaw county, were well known places of resort in former 

 years, still much visited on account of their fine sulphur and 

 vichy and other waters. The sulphur well at Jackson, Clarke 

 county, gives a mild saline sulphur water which is not exceeded 

 in palatability by any, unless it be that of a sulphur spring at 

 the Lower Salt works near Oven Bluff. 



Many of the artesian borings in the central and lower parts 

 of the state give waters which are much used and which are 



