THE MINERAL SPRINGS OF SARATOGA 59 



million for the Franklin well, and 16,283 for the Hathorn No. 2, 

 to 4062 for the Seltzer. 



Now when we critically compare these analyses we see that no 

 mineral spring quite reaches the values in chlorin possessed by the 

 sea water, but in four cases the approximation is very close. If we 

 take away a little magnesium on the assumption that it was furnished 

 by the limestones, the chlorin percentages for these four would be 

 substantially like those of the sea water. So far as chlorin is con- 

 cerned the parallel is close. On the other hand, the mineral waters 

 are from 5 to 10 actual per cents richer in sodium and for this 

 element no close parallel can be drawn. If we remove some mag- 

 nesium for the reason just stated, the contrasts will be still further 

 accentuated. In SO4 the sea water is vastly richer, actually from 

 2^"] to hundreds of times as rich as the mineral waters. There is a 

 fundamental difference here which can not be easily explained. The 

 mineral waters are richer in bromine. They are uniformly richer in 

 magnesium. They are both richer and poorer in potassium. On the 

 whole, the lack of SO4 in the mineral waters and its presence in the 

 sea water as calcium and magnesium sulphate argues strongly 

 against a marine source for the mineral waters. We can not imagine 

 calcium and magnesium removed from connate sea water in any 

 probable reaction in the earth, which would not yield other salts that 

 also fail in the mineral waters. The notable excess of sodium can 

 not easily be explained by a marine source, while the great richness 

 in carbonic acid gas can only be referred to a source in the depths 

 of the earth, probably from some expiring center of igneous activity. 

 The writer is therefore led to the conclusion that both gas and 

 dissolved mineral matter are derived from deep-seated sources. 



There is an additional and apparently irrefutable argument. We 

 have in a great many places in the Champlain and Hudson valleys 

 practically the same geological section with the exception that it 

 changes on the north because of the addition of the Chazy limestone. 

 The section is frequently broken across by faults of vastly greater 

 displacement than the one at Saratoga Springs; yet even uncar- 

 bonated brine springs are lacking. 



If the Saratoga and Ballston springs derive their mineral matter 

 from ancient sea water contained in the local strata, it is extra- 

 ordinary that we have not abundant brine springs, even if not car- 

 bonated, in many localities to the north and south. So extraordinary 

 is it that we are logically forced to abandon the explanation. 



