The Pacific tourist:

177 shones, of all sizes and of both sexes, hover around the town and beg from the trains of cars. They still bedaub themselves with paint, and strut around with feathers in their hats in true Indian style. Elko is destined to become famous as a waterin g place. About one and a half miles north of the river, and west of the town, are a group of mineral springs that are already attracting the attention of invalids. There are six springs in this group, three hot, and three cold. The hot springs show 185~ Fahrenheit, and one of them, called the "Chicken Soup Spring," has water which, with a little salt and pepper for seasoning, tastes very much like chicken broth. We regret that no analysis of the waters of these springs has been made, which we could furnish to our readers. Tourists in search of wonderful curiosities will not fail to visit these springs and observe the craters of those which are now extinct. The sediment or incrustations formed by the water into some kind of porous rock, accumulated around the apertures until at length they were raised, in one instance, about three feet above the surface of the ground, with a hollow basin, at least one foot in diameter on the top. Other extinct springs are not as high as this one, but show the same formation and have the same peculiarities. Of the hot flowing springs-said to be white sulphur-two are quite large, and one of them is said to contain a large solution of iron. A bathing-house has been erected a short distance away, to which the water is conducted, and in which there are priyate bathing-rooms supplied with both hot and cold water from the springs. There is also a large swimming bath near by, with dressing-rooms adjoining. A large hotel is to be erected the present year for the accommodation of guests. There is a public conveyance running between the city and the springs for thee accommodation of visitors. In the absence of an analysis of the waters we will simply state that they are claimed to be a certain cure for rheumatism and all diseases of the blood; to have a remarkable effect in paralytic cases; to have a good effect on consumptives, when the disease is not too far advanced; to cure fevers of all kinds, and the leaded cases of miners who become poisoned with the lead disease, by working among antimonial ores. The uniform temperature of the hot springs has been further utilized in hatching chickens, and the experiment, if carried to perfection, will beat all the setting hens in the country. Poultry breeders will make a note of this fact. A competent physician who is a good judge of temperaments and diseases should be located at the springs, and additional facilities for the accommodation of invalids will make it a place of great resort. The following mining districts are tributary to Elko, and will in the future, far more than in lin, some distance west of this point, and runs to the north-east for a distance, then nearly east, and finally turns toward the south-west, and unites with the Humboldt at this point. The road through this canon is full of short curves, and winds like a s erpent through the hills. Now it seems as though the train i would be t hrown into a heap at t he bas e of the hill we are approaching, but a turn to the right or left saves us from suc h a calamity. Onc e o r twic e before we reach Osiiso, the valley opens out between the hills, and whe re the North Fork enters there is an abundance of grass which is monopoliz ed by a rancheman. At the next station, Osino,-614 mile s fr om San Fra ncisco, with an elevation of 5,132 feet,- a mer e side track, we enter upon an open valley, an o e allead for about nine miles pass ove r a nearly straight track. T he vall ey is all taken up by ralcheinen and farm ers, and good crops are raised by irrigation. The water is taken from the Humboldt above, brought down ini a ditch, from which it is taken and distributed among the farms. tElleo,-606 mtiles from San Francisco, with an elevation of 5,063 feet. It is the regular br e akfast and supper station of t he road, and passengers get an excellent ineal ill a neat, wellkept hou se. In t h e midst of a game and fish country, t he table is g enerally supplied in the proper season. P assengers hav e h alf an hour for their meal. Elko is the county-seat of Elko County-the north-eastern county of the State. It has a population of about 1,200, and is destined to become one of the important commercial and educational centers of the State. It has a large brick court-house and jail, one church, an excellent public school, and is the seat of the State University. This institution has 40 acres of ground on a bench of land overlooking the city, in plain sight of the cars on the right, just before reachng the town. Its buildings have thus far cost about $30,000, and it was first opened in 1875. The money paid for freights consigned to this place and the mining districts which are tributary to it, in 1875 amounted to nearly $400,000, and the first year the railroad was completed ran up to over $1,000,000. The town has numerous retail stores and two or three wholesale establishments, with a bank, a flouring mill, brewery, hotels, etc. Water taken from the Humboldt River some 17 miles distant, and brought here in pipes, supplies the city. It has three large freight depots, for the accommodationl of its railroad business, and is the location of the United States Land office for the E~lko Land District. The city is rapidly improving, brick and wooden structures taking the place of the canvas houses that were formerly pr evalent. Altogether it has a bright and promising future. Indians, mostly the Sho 12 .rmlu ederple revorsp. I

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Title
The Pacific tourist:
Author
Williams, Henry T.
Canvas
Page 177
Publication
New York,: H. T. Williams,
1876.
Subject terms
West (U.S.) -- Description and travel
Central Pacific Railroad Company.
Union Pacific Railroad Company.

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"The Pacific tourist:." In the digital collection Making of America Books. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/afk1140.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 15, 2025.
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