- Wednesday, January 9, 1401
THE SUMPTER MINER
A WONDERFUL GEYSER
Malheur County's Remarkable
Artesian Well.
Of nil the chain of hot springs In cast
ern Oregon, extending through Crook,
Harney, Malheur, Lake and Kl.imath
counties, Vale possesses the most remark
able one of all. It Is realy a small geyser,
and not so small at that. A stream three
Inches In diameter shoots perpendicularly
a distance of 36 feet and then sprenJs out
In a steaming spray and falls around the
main fountain head in a circular form,
making a very complete and beautiful
cone. The water has a temperature of
210 degrees, and possesses medicinal qual
ities, which form a partial analysis, shows
equal to those of the hot springs of Arkan
sas. The geyser may be said to be partly
artificial, and was discovered in a peculiar
way.
Along the east banks of Snake river, a
fourth of a mile from Vale, there Is a suc
cession of hot springs that flow from un
der the the foothills Into -the river. The
hills begin with the banks of the Snake
and rise gradually toward the east Into
mountains. An old pioneer of Malheur,
and an enterprising business man, con
cluded that if artesian water could be ob
tained from cold water sources beneath
the earth's surface,that hot artesian water
could be obtained In the same manner.
He persuaded other business men of the
plausibility of this theory. At least he
induced them to spend some money with
him in experimenting. They began bor
ing some distance from the banks of the
river, and several feet above the river
bed and highest spring. After going a few
hundred feet the drill was broken among
the rocks and it became necessary to be
gin a new hole. This was started by the
side of the old well, and at a great depth
the accident occurred again. This expe
rience was met a third time, but undaunt
ed a fourth hole was started by the side
of the group already abandoned. When
at a depth of 4$ feet the drill became fas
tened In the hole just at nightfall, and
was left until morning. The next morn
ing the drill was released with some diffi
culty, and to the surprise of the laborers,
as they drew It out It was followed by a
solid stream of scalding water that shot
forth into the air to a distance of 36 feet.
They had difficulty In getting out of the
way with the machinery. An Iron pipe,
three Inches in diameter, was forced Into
the hole and since that time the stream
has continued to flow, except when the
mineral crystalizes in the pipe and pre
vents the water from passing through.
It takes about three months for this crys
talling to become complete and the pipes
are then bored out and the flow begins
again.
Pieces of the pipe thus crystalized have
been sent to scientists in the east and the
water has been partially analyzed by pro
fessors of chemistry in colleges, showing
that It possesses the main properties of the
Arkansas Hot Spring's waters. A bath
house has been constructed near this
geyser and good results have already been
experienced from bathing here. As with
all hot springs of eastern Oregon, this one
seems to be an effective cure for rheuma
tism, and it is claimed that any disease
cured at Hot Springs, Arkansas, can be
cured here.
The springs were located on the Road
company's land here, but the same citi
zens who made the experiment secured
the land from the company and are now
planning a greater experiment. Upon
examination It has been found that the
rocks on the hillsides have the same
character of crystal formation upon them
as fills the pipe in the artesian well. A
closer examination shows an old channel
down the hillside where the hot water
from an opening on a high hill once
doubtless flowed. The theory Is now that
there is a reservoir of this boiling water
higher up In the bowels of the mountains
and that it once burst out through a crev
ice here, making a gigantic geyser. A
hole has already been started on top of
this hill, which Is nearly a hundred feet
above the level of Vale, and if an artesian
well can be obtained here, hot water will
be furnUhed the town by means of pipes
the same as any water system. In case
of tapping the fountain head at this alti
tude the only obstacle in the way will be
the crystalizing of the pipes in furnishing
the city by this means. Hut It is claimed
that this can be obviated by manufactur
ing pipes especially for the purpose. There
are several citizens of Vale Interested In
the enterprise, and when the railroad
reaches the place the hot water plant Is
expected to become an Important factor In
building up the town.
Another group of hot springs In this
county, situated 16 miles from here, at a
stage station on the road to Westfall, is
no less interesting. These springs are
along the hillsides and some of them have
a large flow of water. The water Is "hot
as blazes," and flows down the hillsides
and across the road in good sized streams,
and the clouds of smoke that rise from
them give warning to the horse to "step
over." The rocks in these streams are
all covered with a crystal formation, and
as one passes along the road the springs
on the hillsides give the country the ap
pearance of a living volcano. In fact,
there are other things here to remind one
that it Is not far from a "hot country."
The snow never lies on the ground in this
section but for a moment and the rain is
turned into steam as fast as It falls. The
earth is baked and parched, and while the
surrounding country is covered with snow
or mud and slush, a large area of this sec
tion Is always bare and warm. To the '
naked hand, or barefoot boy, it is uncom
fortably warm, and even, the experienced
stage horse walks over it with an air of
suspicion.
In the southeastern part of Crook county
these springs exist. They are at many
points in Harney. Within three miles of
Lakeview, in Lake county, there are sev
eral, and in the town of Klamath Falls, In
Klamath county, there are some of the
largest and hottest In the world. As an
evidence of the temperature of these
springs, Indians use them for boiling
their meats and potatoes, farmers scald
hogs in them, and near Lakeview last fall
two Infuriated Durham bulls engaged In
a fight and coming near one of these
spiings fell in together and were Immedi
ately scalded tu death. No one realizes
this more than their owner, who had given
1 100 fach for them.
These are but few of the hot springs of
eastern Oregon, and they are not more
interesting than hundreds of other nat
ural curiosities In that section. Vale cor
respondent in Telegram.
O. S. L Ry.
THE IlIRtCT KOUTB TO
Montana, Utah
Colorado and all
Eastern Points...
Gives choice of two favorite route, via the Union
Pacific Fast Mall Line, or the RlO CJwanue S.enic
Lines.
No Change of Cars
On the Portland-Chicago Speclal,,"Tht Finest In
the West, Equipped with
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Fine New Ordinary (Tourist) Sleeper
Superb Library-Buffet Cars
Splendid Diners (meals a la carte)
Free Recllnln Chair Cars
Comfortable Coaches and Smokers
Entire Train Completely Vestlbuled
For further information apply to
J. R. NAGEL W. E. COMAN
Trav, Pass. At. Gen'l Agent.
142 Third St., Portland, Ore.
-H0BS0N MERCANTILE COMPANY:
New Departures
In Sumpter Merchandising
REALIZING the need of a better assortment of better
stuff and up-to-the-minute styles, we are as rap
idly as possible adding lines of new things never before
show in these parts. All this new stuff and prices
away on a vacation.
DRESS GOOD:
What do you want in Dress Goods? We may have
just what you have been worrying about. The "weaves
are new and the prices are enough or we wouldn't
mention it.
Mohair Suitings
The NeW Oxford Oms. Drowns and
Castors, s Inches wide, and the regu
lar $1,50 klnj
PER YARD $1.00
Scotch Suitings
Extra Heavy (or Halny-Day Skirts, 56
Inches wlJe
PER YARD $2.76
Black Periola
rorty-four Inches wide, eslra heavy
weight, assorted designs. Introduc
tory price
PER YARD $1.60
Underskirts
Wool and Silk Morsel), assorted colors
Hilled flounce, silk sewed throughout,
01 ill one dollar more than the prlca
$4.60
Mercerized Sateen
Heal heavy, look like satin, rstra mrd
ed tlmince, assorted lengths and colors.
Sale price
$2.26
Ladies' Jaokets
An entirely new In! o( ttt les In Jackets
and llnx Coals, lll.ick, Mode, Castors
and Light lins. the nuker war will
ing to hue considerable money on a
lot ol these and you get the benefit.
''
THE LOWEST
DECREE
OF PRICE
w
HOBSON
MERCANTILE
COMPANY
THE NIOHEST S
OEOREE f
Of MERIT ' J
'
Tleat Printing.
(Df course I you can ijct any
tljtiuj iou tuaitt at
(Tle
2tltner (Dfftce
Eureka Feed & Livery Company
J. L. SULLIVAN, ManaKer.
Horses Boarded by the day or Month. First
class turn-outs and saddle horses Our spec
ialty is the quick and safe delivery of freight
and passengers to any and all points.
HAY AND GRAIN FOR SALE-ft
W. S. BOWERS
ABSTRACTS
. Real Estate, Loans and Insurance. Mining Patents Obtained
Years of experience in Raker County Records. ,
No. 2104 Court Street, Baker City; Oregon.