GEOLOGY OF SARATOGA SPRINGS AND VICINITY 1 53 



the pyrite of these shales. Such waters are of frequent occur- 

 rence the world over; nevertheless such a large spring as the 

 " White Sulphur " spring, near the south end of Saratoga lake, 

 would have great notoriety in most districts. 



f About Saratoga these sulphur waters are plainly not deep-seated 

 wafers of any type; they come from no great distance below the 

 surface, and have not reached a depth so great as the base of the 

 shales. So soon as the drill passes through the shales into the 

 dolomite beneath, the carbonated waters are met with, and would 

 surely be mixed with the sulphur waters, had these reached to like 

 depth. 



f The carbonated waters. There are few problems in geology 

 more difficult than those concerned with the origin of the mineral 

 waters of a specific region. The precise data which can be ob- 

 tained are always comparatively few, and the problem must be dealt 

 with by indirect methods. In discussing such questions much that 

 is hypothetical creeps into the discussion unawares ; and even in 

 regard to certain fundamental matters our information is so far 

 from being precise, that geologists are far from being in agreement 

 concerning them. Certain things in regard to the occurrence and 

 character of the Saratoga carbonated waters have been definitely 

 ascertained and can be definitely set forth ; beyond those we enter 

 the realm of uncertainty and can only discuss probabilities or 

 possibilities. 



Control of the waters of the Saratoga region has recently passed 

 into the hands of the State of New York, giving an opportunity 

 for definite experimentation on a considerable water supply of 

 unusual character, which has perhaps never before been equalled, 

 and from which definite and certain information of much general 

 interest is sure to come. Prior to this passing of control there 

 had been a period of some 15 years duration of active drilling 

 for mineral water for the purpose of extracting and vending the 

 contained carbonic acid gas. This development took place in the 

 ■district south and southwest of the village, mostly within a dis- 

 tance of 2 miles from it. A considerable number of wells were 

 drilled, from nearly all of them the waters had to be pumped, 

 and the amount of water so withdrawn annually was very large. 

 Controversial questions arose which resulted in long and com- 

 plicated litigation, questions such as the source of the waters, 

 quantity of the supply, and underground arrangement of the 

 waters. As an incidfDtal result much detailed information was 

 made public. 



