ALLUVIAL DIVISION. 
101 
“ Park spring, situated in rear of the village hotel, has also the same constituents, but 
the iron is in much larger proportion than in any of the waters in this vicinity.”* 
Albany Mineral Springs. 
The Albany mineral springs issue from the slate rocks of the Hudson slate group. These 
waters were examined by Dr. Meade,t and by Prof. L. C. Beck.J Carbonic acid gas, but 
rather less in quantity than in the Saratoga and Ballston springs, is contained in this water.^ 
It is represented as affording perhaps a sufficient supply for four hundred to five hundred visi¬ 
tors daily. The well of this spring was bored for McCulloch’s brewery in Albany, in 1826, 
by Mr. Disbrow. Carburetted hydrogen issued from the well when bored to the depth of 
two hundred and fifty feet, but the acidulous and saline carbonated water arose from the depth 
of four hundred and eighty feet in the slate rocks of the Hudson river group. “ The boring 
was continued about six hundred feet through the slate rock, and the flow of carbonated water 
and inflammable gas continued. The obtaining of fresh water being therefore considered 
hopeless, a tube was sunk to prevent the admixture of the carburetted hydrogen with the 
mineral water, and an apparatus constructed for raising a supply of the latter. 
“ Subsequently, Mr. McCulloch commenced boring a few rods from this place, when, at 
about the same depth, the vein of mineral water was again struck. It was also accompanied 
by the inflammable gas, as in the former case. And to add to the interest of the locality, it 
was, moreover, found, that at the depth of about thirty feet from the surface, a vein of water 
was crossed which was highly charged with sulphuretted hydrogen gas. We have then 
in the same slate formation, though at different depths, sulphuretted hydrogen, carburetted 
hydrogen and carbonic acid gases, abundantly evolved. 
“ Another curious fact noticed at the locality now under consideration was, that when the 
pump in the present mineral garden was put in operation, the level of the water in the other 
well was soon reduced, and it was at length rendered entirely valueless. It may hence be 
inferred, that there is here a subterranean vein of mineral water ; and from the general simi¬ 
larity in its composition to that of the springs of Saratoga and Ballston, it is not improbable 
that this vein is of considerable extent. Nor would it be at all surprising if carbonated water 
should be found by boring to a sufficient depth at any place in the range from Albany to Sara¬ 
toga, where its discovery should be thought of sufficient importance to warrant the necessary 
expenditure. 
“ The occurrence of carbonic acid in all these waters, has been ascribed with some plausi¬ 
bility to the reciprocal action and decomposition of the sulphuret of iron and carbonate of lime, 
contained in the strata of argillite, in which they exist. But if this view is correct, it is not 
♦ Prof. L. C. Beck’s Report on the Geological Survey of N. Y. for 1838, pp. 50, 52. 
+ Silliman’s Journal, XIII. pp. 145, 146. (Dr. W. Meade.) 
t New-York Medical and Physical Journal, VI. p. 92. 
^ Eaton. Silliman’s Journal, XV. p. 23. 
