Cape Breton's Magazine

The Department of Mines Annual Report for 1947 regarding the Mineral Springs was not enthusiastic. M. G. Goudge wrote: The mineral spring is situated on the north bank of the Mineral Spring Brook which flows from the northwest into the Gaspereaux River. It is about 50 feet north of the old abandoned Gaspereaux Riv? er Road and approximately 7% miles by road and trail from the main highway at Big Pond.... The water is apparently a "salt spring" containing a large amount of solu? ble lime salts. Only a small amount of the lime is present as sulphate.... The spring is walled around with a few rocks. It is 20 inches in diameter and 15 inches deep. The flow of water, when vis? ited in June, was practically nil and the surface of the spring was covered with a dirty, iridescent film or scum. At periods of high water the spring is submerged in Mineral Spring Brook, since it is situated only a few inches above brook level at times of normal flow and is in the water course made by high water. Josie MacNeil, Big Pond: How I heard about Glengarry Springs is through Grandma. And there was another spring at Irish Cove, where Jim (Josie's husband) was born. And it was the same thing, the same thing. I don't know what beneficial medical quali? ties it had, but I think it was blessed, that it was God Himself that blessed it so that people would find it some way, to know that it was there and use it. There were no doctors, very few • And they'd nev? er go out there unless it was an emergency, somebody was dying. However, there's a story about that spring at Irish Cove. A doctor used to come out there and take quarts of it, take it and sell it. He even put -a fence around it, so that it would be all in one place--and that place dried up, after he commercial? ized the spring and water. Jim knows more about it than I do. He was born around there. Jim, tell about the spring. Jim MacNeil: That was the farm next to my father's farm--that spring at the rear of Irish Cove, about two miles out from the main highway there. That doctor got my fa? ther to fence that off, lock the place so people wouldn't be going in there, and put a concrete wall around where the water was coming up, you know? Then after awhile, probably a year or so, the brook was still there--but it broke through and went over this place and washed everything away. I know that for sure. I've seen it. But some? body was telling me that the water was still there, that the brook went back a- gain. Well of course, you could tell there was a reason for that--a man selling the water, you know. Josie: You can't commercialize on anything that's blessed. (And do you think the spring at Glengarry is blessed as well?) My opinion is, whether you're Catholic or Protestant or what--what you see, you have to believe. And from what I've seen and heard--that was a blessed spot. That's the way I have it figured out, I remember hearing the story about my own grandfather (Jim Maclnnes). He went to Syd? ney with a load of potatoes, turnips and whatever they had to sell, and got flour and tea, tobacco, sugar--and he was on his way home to Glengarry. And this was the on- Beservatioins: 564-6417 Fieaturliig the fUel efficient Citation tor General Motors. "Rates as low as or lower than our major competi? tors in this cityI Where Canada's smart money rents its cars. Our U.S. amuata is National Car Rental AIR CANADA ? THE UNITED STATES For information call yo CANADA COAST TO COAST ?? UNITED KINGDOM * EUROPE CARRIBEAN ur 'Travel Agent or We print newspapers, flyers and magazine-sized publications. Contact us! Scotia Sun Printing & Publishing Ltd. Your community news can be found in your local weekly newspaper serving eastern Nova Scotia. Port Hawkesbury, N. S. 625-1900