Congress Park, opposite Grand Central Hotel. Congress and Empire
Spring Company are the proprietors. The New York office is at 94
Chambers street.

History.

Congress Spring was discovered in 1792, by a party of three gentlemen,
who were out upon a hunting excursion. Among the party was John Taylor
Gilman, an ex-member of Congress from New Hampshire. Probably in that
day, office conferred more honor than at the present time, and as a
compliment to so distinguished a person, the spring was then and there
christened the Congress. The attention of the hunters was attracted to
the spot by the foot-prints of large numbers of deer, the first
patrons, it seems, of the sparkling water. Although more especially
esteemed by pretty dears of a different character at the present day,
the liquid-eyed fawn, who grace Congress Park, are among those who
take their daily rations. At the time of discovery, the low ground
about the spring was a mere swamp, and the country in the immediate
vicinity a wilderness. The mineral water issued in a small stream from
an aperture in the side of the rock, which formed the margin of a
small brook, and was caught by pressing a glass to the side of the
rock. The flow of water was only about one quart per minute.

From the date of its discovery to the present time this celebrated
spring has been the center of attraction at Saratoga. Its name has
become a household word through out the land, and the whole civilized
world are its customers.

At one time Mr. Putnam had three large potash kettles evaporating the
water. The salts thus precipitated were sold in small packages to the
amount of several hundred dollars. It was not long, however, before it
was discovered that _Congress water_ was not obtained by re-dissolving
the salts, as might have been expected if the nature of the water had
been considered.

About the year 1820, Dr. John Clarke, the proprietor of the first soda
fountain opened in this country, purchased the Congress Spring
property. By him the water was first bottled for transportation and
sale, and to him the village is indebted for much of its beauty and
attractiveness.

The simple and tasteful Doric colonnade over the Congress, and the
pretty Grecian dome over the Columbian were erected by him. Dr. Clarke
realized a handsome income from the sale of the water. He died in
1846, but the property continued in the hands of his heirs, under the
firm name of Clarke & White, until 1865, w