Spring′bok, a species of antelope found most abundantly in Africa. It is a beautiful creature, larger than the roebuck, brown above and white underneath. The head is white, except a broad band of brown on each side of the eye to the mouth and a brown spot in the middle of the face. Its name comes from the great leaps it makes, springing into the air from seven to 12 feet. It lives on sandy plains, but great herds will travel to more fertile regions. A traveler describes a vast herd seen by him, pouring through an opening in the hills, a living mass half a mile in breadth and taking hours for the passage. It is growing scarce, though still abundant near Zambezi River.
Spring′field, Ills., the capital, is in Sangamon County, a short distance southwest of the center of the state; and, according to the latest census, had a population of 51,678. The first settlement was in 1818, and in 1821 the town was made the county-seat. In 1837 the capital was removed to this place, and a state-house erected. The present capital, begun in 1868, first occupied in an unfinished condition in 1876 and completed in 1885, cost $5,000,000. The surrounding country is a rich agricultural region, the chief products being corn, oats, wheat, hay, fruits and vegetables. Cattle, hogs and horses are raised extensively. Bituminous coal is mined in large quantities around the city, and is one of the leading products. During the year ending July 1, 1900, 2,519,511 tons of coal were mined in the county, and four fifths of this amount shipped by rail to other parts of the country. The principal articles manufactured here are iron, steel, steam-engines, boilers, agricultural implements, brick, watches and woolen goods. It is a railroad center, main lines of the Wabash; Alton; Illinois Central; Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern; and other roads passing through it, besides a number of interurban electric lines.
The city has a very efficient public-school system. There are 15 buildings, one for high-school purposes with a capacity for 800 pupils, and 14 other buildings for primary and grammar schools. The school enrollment has reached 7,500. Besides, there are colleges and many private schools. Springfield is of historical interest on account of having been the home of Abraham Lincoln. The house in which he resided, when elected president, still stands; and in beautiful Oak Ridge Cemetery just outside the city, is a fine monument erected to his memory, where his remains are deposited. The state-fair grounds and buildings, the most extensive in the country, the encampment-grounds and the armory are here.
Springfield, Mass., a city on Connecticut River, 25 miles north of Hartford. It is a well-built city, parts of it elevated, with a fine park. It is noted for its excellent public school system and fine churches, including a cathedral. The United States armory, employing 3,000 men during the Civil War and from 500 to 700 ordinarily, and the arsenal, in which 500,000 stand of arms can be stored, are located here. The manufactures of the city are numerous and important, including the Smith and Wesson arms-factory, the great car-factory at Brightwood, a suburb, the Knox Automobile Company and others, making gold chains, goldleaf, filters, envelopes, hardware, spectacles, thimbles, needles, buttons etc. Springfield was settled in 1635 by emigrants from Roxbury and called Agawam, from the Indian name of a neighboring river. The city was burnt in 1675 during King Philip's war. It is served by six railroads, including branches, and splendid civic spirit prevails. Population 88,926.
Springfield, Mo., a city in southwestern Missouri. It is built on a table-land 1,500 feet higher than St. Louis, and has an important trade. There are flouring-mills and wagon-factories. Drury College was founded here in 1873. Springfield was a trading-post in 1820, and incorporated in 1830; it has two great railroad-plants, one for the Kansas City and Memphis, and one for the St. Louis and San Francisco system. During the Civil War it was held by Federal and by Confederate forces in succession, and the battle of Wilson's Creek was fought near the city, Aug. 10, 1861. Population 35,201.
Springfield, O., a city in the western part of the state, on Mad River, 80 miles northeast of Cincinnati. It is in a fine farming region, and has a large trade in farm-products. With good water-power, manufactories are numerous, especially those of bicycles, piano-plates, iron fencing, steam-engines, road-rollers and farm machinery, including large numbers of mowers and reapers. Wittenberg College, opened in 1845 by the Lutheran church, and Springfield Seminary are institutions of higher learning. Located in this city are the state fraternal homes of three orders: Masons, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias. Population 46,921.
Springs are the outflow of underground streams. In general they are due to the accumulation of water which has sunk into the ground, until its course has been closed by a layer of impervious rock. In such cases the water must find some outlet. Such an outlet may often occur in a valley or upon a hillside. It occurs in a valley wherever such a valley dips into the ground-water; and on a hillside wherever the percolating water runs along the slope of a bed of rock or clay to the outcrop of the bed. Springs frequently become charged with minerals which have been dissolved in the course of the percolation of the water. The water of hot springs and geysers generally rises from a great depth, whither it has penetrated through a cleft in the start to the warmer
