Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1853-02-22
Remarkable Phenomenon.

The Holmes County Ohio Farmer
contains communication from an eye.
witness Of the facts stated therein, which
discloses the existence Of rare phenom.
enon in that part Of Ohio. The follow.
ing extract from the communication OK.
plains the character Of this curiosity.
"In company with several other gentle.
men visited the farm Of Sylvanus Purdy
Esq, three miles west Of Oxford, on the
Mt. Vernon road, in Wol(creck valley,
for the purpose Of examining his newly
discovered "gas works." and to my as.
tonishmen found the following state of
facts:
Mr.. Purdy's farm lies upon the north
side ofWolf.creek; the road runs near his
house, at the base Of the hill; just below
his house the level bottom Of the valley
begins and stretches out southwark to the
creek; some eight or ten rods south ofthe
house is a curious kind Of earth, resem.
bling dark saw.dust. The owner, for
some years, has been aware Of the exist.
.cnce of some wonderful phenomenon.
The place on which the discovery has
been made has been cultivated for mum.
Der Of years, and it has been observed
that, in number Of places, every thing
.sown or planted, and all kinds of vegit'
alton, would dwindle and die, and SEEM
1ngly burn up. Alter The late rains, the
water was discovered to be agitated, and
to bubble up in o number Of places.
which led Mr.. Purdy and others to ex'
pertinent, by collecting bottle Of this
gas a.d setting it on fire; when the in.
slant lighted match was touched to it
the vapor ignitcd, and sent the bottle
whizzing through the house.
found the extent Of the spade from
which this ignious Or inaammable vapol
issues, to be about 2l rods, and Is or 2C
rods in length; the soil TO the depth o
six inches, or thcrcabouts, is as above
stated, loose and resembling dark saw
dust; beneath this is The common clay
soil. An examination Of this led TO thu
discovery Of small holes. perhaps hal
the size Of an ordinary sized mans littl
finger, out OF which the vapor issues
There are undoubtedly many hundred o
these holes in the space above indicated
Into one Of these holes Mr.. Purd
ahrust small hollow stick, and upo1
applying light the vapor was ignised
and burned throughout the night. Thi
led to further and more critical exami
nation, when they procurnd barrel, an
taking out one Of the ends; unc overe
too Of these holes, and placed the barre
over them, and having secured and clos
it properly, bored small hole in tn
head, and inserted small tin tube;
this light was applied, when the vape
was instantly ignitcd, and has been burr
ing large, steady, brilliant light, da
and night, for nearly two weeks, at tn
time ! am writing.
1t has no smell and emits no smoke, b,
it is about as warm as the heat Of con
mon tallow candle.
Itlooks much like the gas.light, is fir
bright and steady at night, and can
seen for miles up and down the valley
Wolf creek. Hundreds have visited d
place since the discovery, and as yet ,
one has been able to account for the ph
nomenon. 1t will not smoke glass VIII
held over it, and it is believed to be fr
from any poisonous substance.
1t is thought by some that it procee
from burning stone coal-the hills abo
the road seeming to favor that idea. 4
upon the other hand it is argued that
1t proceed from such cause it wot
smoke glass or have an odor. The lie
is Of blush color where it is emit
from the tube, this place is somewl
raised above the level Of the field. a