Saving The Springs

The woodlands around Saratoga’s mineral springs once resembled an industrial park, as companies in the late 1800's and early 1900's exploited the springs for carbonic gas by building extraction plants, factory buildings, huge water tanks, and as many as 200 wells, pumping thousands of gallons of water each day for sale to soda manufacturers. This heavy pumping damaged the quality and flow of the springs and caused them to begin running dry. A local Committee of Concerned Citizens successfully lobbied the State Legislature to preserve the springs, leading to the Anti-Pumping Act of 1908 introduced by Assemblyman Whitney and Senator Brackett. Although the gas companies challenged the law in court and continued pumping during litigation, the committee, led by Spencer Trask, pressed for all the springs to be brought under State control. In 1909 the State Reservation was created, the springs were saved from exploitation, the gas companies were shut down, and many wells were capped, though it took many years for the remaining springs to regain their normal flow.

Saratoga Springs, New York · United States