One of the institutions of Benton township, and we might say of the county, are the famous Crystal Springs. They are situated on the farm of John Gagan, about five miles northwest of Pattonsburg, on Crystal Springs Branch, a small creek which empties into Sampson Creek, not far distant. There is a beautiful grove of forest trees near the springs, which are three in number, and chemical analysis has shown them to possess wonderful curative properties. The last few years they have become famous, and camping parties, numbering thousands, during the summer months, drink of their healing waters. There is yet but one hotel at the springs, but if another large one was built it would probably be filled for three months.
The bed of the creek is mostly dry during the summer months. It has. a rocky bottom of limestone formation of a blue cast and very hard. Blue soap stone and soft slate, scaly and easily crumbled, is found near the surface from one to two feet, while at the depth of about three feet a rich clay loam is found. Below this a soft, dark slate stone, very free, and, still further down, slate-stone, hard, and then succeeded by a species of lime-stone, hard and brittle. The bath house is a small building near one of the main springs. The citizens around these springs have known of their great medicinal qualities for years, but they have only been known to the general public for a few years past. In that time, however, they have become famous. Messrs. Wright & Merrill, chemists, of St. Louis, give the following analysis of the waters of these celebrated springs.
Reaction alkaline, specific gravity 10,021, carbonic acid abundant, carbonate of lime, carbonate of magnesia, carbonate of oxide of iron, sulphate of lime, chloride of sodium, chloride of potassium, silica, organic matters.
These are the ingredients of the best mineral healing waters to be found, and these springs in their great medical properties, have few equals, if any,. in the country. They will yet become a great summer resort.
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