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SARATOGA COUNTY.
and Saratoga Lake, forming the s. boundary, are skirted by a line of low bluffs. The streams are
Ellis and Owl Pond Creeks. An extensive tract lying n. of Saratoga Lake and along the course
of Owl Pond Creek is low and swampy. The soil is an inferior quality of yellowish, sandy loam.
The far famed mineral springs, which give to the town its name, are situated about 3 mi. n.w. of
Saratoga Lake. They are near the center of the mineral spring region, which has a radius of
nearly 10 mi.1 Saratoga, Springs (p. v.) was incorp. April 17, 1826. It contains 2 female
seminaries,2 7 churches, 2 banks, 5 printing offices, 2 public halls, 22 hotels,3 and several sanitary
institutions.1 Pop. 5,129. The business of the village is principally connected with the enter
tainment of strangers during the fashionable watering season. The springs are on that part of the
Kayaderosseras Patent that fell to the share of Rip Yan Dam. Sir Wm. Johnson is said to have
been the first white person who ever used the Saratoga waters for medicinal purposes. In 1767
he was brought to the place on a litter, and, after remaining several, days, he was able to return
on foot. His example was followed, and the visits of invalids soon became of frequent occurrence.
In 1773, Derick Scowton made the first clearing and erected a hut. He was followed soon after
by George Arnold and Sami. Norton.5 In 1783, Gen. Schuyler cut a road through from Fish Creek,
and spent several weeks here, living in a tent. The next year he erected a framed house, (the first in
town,) and annually afterward until his death he spent a part of the summer here with his family.6
Several prominent men have resided in the village.7 The census reports 7 churches in town.8
$T1X<!(WATER9—was formed March 7, 1788. A part of Easton (Washington co.) was
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1 High Rock Spring, the first discovered of these, was so named
from a pyramidal mound of calcareous tufa 3J feet high and 24J
feet in diameter at the base which has been formed -around it.
An aperture 1 foot in diameter opens from the top of the rock
downward, in which the water generally rises If feet above the
surface of the ground. It is said that the water once overflowed
the top; hut at an eaVly day the rock was cracked by the fall
of a tree, and the water sunk to its present level. Congress
Spring was discovered in 1792, by a hunting party, and named
in compliment to John Taylor, one of the number, who had
been a member of the Continental Congress. The present spring
was obtained hy sinking a well in the bed of the stream near
the original fountain. The Columbia Spring, a few rods s. w. of
the latter, is chalybeate, and constantly boiling from the escape
of gas. It was opened in 1806, hy G. Putnam. The Hamilton
Spring, 50 rods n. e. of Congress, was discovered by G. Putnam,
and brought into use by Dr. Clarke. The Pavilion Fountain,
opened in 1839, has a smart, pungent taste. The Iodine Spring,
situated a few rods N. of High Rock, was opened in 1839. The
water contains a large proportion of iodine and very little iron.
This spring has sometimes been called the Walton Spring, from
Henry Walton, a large proprietor of lands in the vicinity. The
Empire Spring, the most northerly in the village, was opened
in 1846. It discharges 75 gallons per hour. The Washington
Spring, 50 rods s. w. of Congress Spring, was opened in 1806.
Putnam Spring is in the immediate vicinity. Flat Rock Spring,
100 rods N. e. from Hamilton, is chalybeate. Red Spring is 90
rods n. e. of High Rock; and Monroe Spring, 15 rods N. of plat
Rock. Ten Springs were-discovered in 1814,1 mi. n. e. of the
village. Ellis Spring is situated in a ravine 2 mi. s. w. of Con¬
gress. There are several other springs in the immediate vicinity.
Baths are connected with most of these springs, and an immense
trade has sprung up in the bottling and sale of the water. The
temperature of the fountains ranges from 48° to 51°, and it is
not sensibly affected by the seasons. The following table gives
an analysis of several of these springs. The figures show the
number of grains in a gallon of water. |
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INGREDIENTS. |
Columbian.
{Dr. J.H. Steele.) |
1
to
la |
s
1
CdS- |
1
Si
la |
.53
1^
M |
.sY
tea |
s
0
1
la |
. e
e i
■§ °
|g
la |
■ ?
. £
|g
R, a |
si
g
s!
e&S
s >§
a, a |
0*2
la |
|
Chloride of sodium............................. |
267.00 |
385.00 |
269.696 |
148.87 |
279.30 |
189..10 |
137.00 |
160.20 |
226.58 |
214.00 |
281.50 |
|
Hydriodate of soda...........’................. |
2.56 |
3.50 |
12.000 |
. 1.33 |
3.00 |
2.50 |
|
1.70 |
2.75 |
2.00 |
2.75 |
|
Bicarbonate of soda........................... |
15.40 |
8.98 |
30.848 |
20.79 |
27.04 |
17.54 |
|
|
|
|
16.50 |
|
Carbonate of soda.............................. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.00 |
10.40 |
4.70 |
14.32 |
|
|
Sulphate of soda................................ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.68 |
|
|
Carbonate of magnesia....................... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
75.00 |
44.26 |
62.50 |
51.60 |
|
|
Bicarbonate of magnesia.................... |
46.71 |
95.79 |
41.984 |
42.70 |
35.20 |
61.59 |
|
|
|
|
40.92 |
|
Carbonate of lime.............................. |
68.00 |
98.10 |
|
60.57 |
92.40 |
69.29 |
26.00 |
48.00 |
60.24 |
68.80 |
92.60 |
|
Phosphate of lime.............................. |
|
|
141.824 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
.21 |
|
|
Bicarbonate of lime.................;......... |
|
|
000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carbonate of iron.............................. |
5.58 |
5.07 |
|
5.39 |
5.39 |
5.58 |
1.00 |
|
|
7.00 |
3.25 |
|
Bicarbonate of iron........................... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.10 |
|
|
|
Silica............................................... |
2.05 |
1.50 |
|
|
|
|
|
1.10 |
.62 |
.84 |
1.50 |
|
Alumina.......................................... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.50 |
80 |
.25 |
.56 |
|
|
Hydrobromate of potassa............'....... |
trace. |
trace. |
trace. |
trace. |
trace. |
trace. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total solid contents....................... |
407.30 |
597.943 |
496.352 |
279.65 |
460.33 |
345.68 |
244.50 |
269.10 |
361.74 |
361.01 |
439.12 |
|
Carbonic acid gas (inches)....,............. |
272.06 |
311.00 |
|
287.50 |
316.00 |
304.00 |
360.00 |
371.00 |
480.01 |
348.88 |
262.50 |
|
Atfnospheric air................................ |
4.50 |
7.00 |
|
6.50 |
4.00 |
5.00 |
4.00 |
3.25 |
8.09 |
6.41 |
6.80 |
|
Total gaseous contents.................. |
276.56 |
318.00 |
700.00 |
294.00 |
320.00 |
309.00 |
364.00 |
374.25 |
488.10 |
355.29 |
269.30( |
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Steele’s Analysis, 1838; Allen’s Analysis, 1858.—Beck’s Mine¬
ralogy. Slightly different results have been obtained from differ¬
ent analyses.
2 Temple Grove Female Seminary, a hoarding school, estab¬
lished in 1853, (see p. 751,) and The Saratoga Female Seminary. .
8 Several of these hotels are among the most extensive in the
country. Union Hall was built in 1802, by G. Putnam; The
Columbian, in 1808, hy Jotham Holmes; Congress Hall, in
1812, by G. Putnam; The Pavilion, in 1819, by Nathan Lewis;
and The United States, in 1824, by Elias Benedict. All of these
have been enlarged since their erection.
4 Among these are the Saratoga Water Cure,- and the Medical
and Surgical Institute, both established in 1832.
8 Norton joined the British, and his property was confiscated. |
8 Alexander Bryan and Henry Livingston were the first set¬
tlers after the war. Gideon Putnam came in 1789. Mr. P. built
the first sawmill, the first large hotels, and opened several of
the springs. Dr. Clement Blakely, the first physician, came
with Putnam, and remained 3 years. John and Ziba Taylor
opened the first store, in 1794; Robt. Ellis and Geo. Peck built
the first gristmill, in 1814; and Ward & Rogers, the first clothing
works, in 1815. Henry Walton resided here for several years.
He was proprietor of the whole village n. of Congress St. Seve¬
ral of the noted springs were on his estate.
7 Esek Cowen, Justice of the Supreme Court, and compiler
of “ Cowen’s Reports,” resided here until his death, in 1844.
Chancellor Reuben H. Walworth resides in town.
8 Bap., M. E., Prot. Meth., Presb., Prot. E., R. C., and Univ.
9 Named from the “ still water” in the Hudson, on the borders
of the town. |
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