BAILEY. | Mineral Waters. 141 
Geuda Springs. 
In the south-central part of the state, on the line between 
Cowley and Sumner counties, is situated a remarkable group 
of springs that has been known since the earliest settlement of 
the state. These springs may be easily reached from Arkansas 
City, seven miles, by a branch of the St. Louis & San Fran- 
cisco railroad. The town is only eight miles from the undulat- 
ing plains of Indian Territory. It is about a mile from the 
Arkansas river, near its confluence with Slate creek. In the 
vicinity, especially to the north, there are numerous salt springs, 
so that many of the streams are quite saline in character. A 
small lake something more than a half-mile long and from five 
to ten rods wide, in the bed of the creek, was for some time 
used for boating and fishing. This lake was some years ago 
artificially improved and enlarged by placing a dam across the 
creek, making a body of water covering probably fifty acres, the 
largest salt lake in the state or in the vicinity. On the shores 
of the lake the salt is crystallized out, and glistens in the sun- 
light like newly fallen snow. The name ‘‘Geuda’’ is said to 
come from the Indian word ‘‘Ge-u-da,’’ meaning healing springs, 
and it is believed that this locality was a favorite camping- 
ground with the aborigines. 
IMPROVEMENTS. 
In the year 1886 and for a year or two following, many im- 
provements were made about the town and springs by the 
Geuda Springs Town and Water Company. A commodious 
bath-house and hotel combined was built, capable of accommo- 
dating forty guests. The dam for the lake was raised, ap- 
proaches to the springs were improved, drives were laid out, 
and trees planted. More recently, other improvements have 
been made, and it is proposed to connect the town with Ar- 
kansas City by an electric road. 
The owners are building an addition to the bottling works 
and are putting in a gasoline-engine for pumping, etc., so that 
now the capacity of the plant is fifty cases of fifty bottles each 
per day. They also make lemon sour, ginger ale, and other 
