The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-21
Remarkable Phenomenon.

The Holmes County Ohio Farmer contains COM
munication from an eye witness of the facts stated
nomenon in that part of Ohio The following ex
tractfr the communication explains the character
Of this curiosity
In company with several gentlemen visited the
Oxford, on the Mount Vernon road, in Wolf creek
valley, for the purpose Of examining his newly dis
covered gas works. and, to my establishment, found
the following state of facts:Mr Purdys farm lies
the north side of Wolf creek; the road his
house at the base of the hil just below his house
the level bottom of the valley begins, and stretches
out southwark to the creek; some eight or ten rods
south of the house is curious kind of earth rese.
bling dark sawdust. The owner, for some years. has
been aware of the existence Of some wonderful phe-
nomenon The place on which the discovery
has been made has been cultivated for number Of
years, and it has been observed that in number of
places, everything sown or planted, and all kinds of
vegetation, would dwindle and die, and seemingly
burn up. After the late rains, the water was dis
places, which led Mr., Purdy and others to expert
ment by collecting bottle Of this gas and setting it
on fire, when, the instant a lighted match was
touched toit the vapor ignted, and sent the bottle
the space from which this igneous or infam-
mable vapor issues to be about two and half rods
wide, and fifteen or twenty rods in length: the soil
to the depth of six inches or thereabouts is above
stated, loose and resembling dark sawdust; beneath
this is the common clay soil. An examination OF
this led to the discovery of small holes about half
the size of mans little finger out of which this
vapor issues. There are undoubtedly many hundreds
Of these holes in the space above indicated. Into
of these holes Mr. P. thrust small hollow stick,
and upon applying light the vapor was gnited, and
burned throughout the night. This led to further
and more critical examination, when they procured
a barrel and taking out one Of the heads, uncovered
two of those holes and placed the barrel them,
and having secured and closed it properly, bored
small hole in the head and inserted a tin tube to
this light was applied, when the vapor was in
santly ignited and has been burning large, steady,
brilliant light day and night for nearly two weeks,
at the time am writing. IT has no smell, and emts
smoke, but it is about warm as the heat of a
common tallow candle. 1t looks much like the gas
light, is firm, bright and steady at night and can
be seen for miles up and down the valley. Hundreds
have visited the place since the discovery, and AZ
yet one has been able to account for the pheno-
menon. It will not smoke glass when held over it,
and il is believed to be free from any poisonous sub
stance. 1t is thought by that it proceeds from
burning stone coal-the hills above the road seeming
to favor that idea But, upon the other hand, it Is
argued that if it proceeded from such cause, it
would smoke glass, or have an odor. The light is OF
a blush color where it is emitted from the tube but
il is of the usual color above that The earth at these
places is somewhat raised above the level Of the field
and can be readily distinguished.