On the Composition of the Louisville 
Mineral Water 
BY: Be Hy BS) BALERY, 
In Pottawatomie county, three miles north of Wamego, near 
Louisville, the former county seat, is a mineral spring that has 
attracted considerable attention locally, but a complete analysis of 
its water has never been published. The spring is situated beside 
asmall stream that flows into Rock creek at this point. The 
surroundings, a natural park of oak and walnut, ash and elm, add 
much to the attractiveness of the place. The park is connected 
with the village by a suspension foot bridge over Rock creek. 
Just below this bridge a dam has been thrown across the stream, 
to supply the mill near by with water power; and the swift stream 
below the dam, at the “ford” on the old Pike’s Peak trail has 
washed bare the level limestone rock over a large area. This same 
Stratum of rock that is here exposed, extends north and west under 
the park and the spring. 
The s Spring has rece ntly been made more accessible by sinking 
Over it a tile twenty-four inches in diameter, down to the bed-rock, 
through a cleft in which the spring water rises, and the water can 
be raised to the platform above by means of a pump. 
The Sadia of the spring, in May was 56° F. On July 7 
it was the same. 1 the winter the temperature changes very little. 
The amount of water that flows is generally sufficient to fill an inch 
Pipe. Although the water when first drawn is perfectly clear and 
transparent, in a very short time it becomes yellow and _ turbid. 
Boiling the water also causes a heavy precipitate to deposit. 
The taste of the water is somewhat astringent, and there is some- 
times a slight: odor of hydrogen sulfide from.the spring. The 
The water when e vaporated has a slight alkaline reaction. 
The analysis of a sample of the water taken from the spting 
May 17 shows that 100.000 parts of the water contain the following 
constituents: 
(117) KAN. UNIV. QUAR,, VOL. VI, NO. 3, JULY, 1897, SERIES A 
