The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1859-06-28
4 remarkable Fountain of Natural Ga.

4 Remarkable fountain OF Natnrai e"s'
The Detroit Adrertiser of the Esd has the
following communication:
During late tour through Western Canada,
| visited some curious wells which had been
dug during the past season. They are i'll the
township of Howard, about fifteen miles south
easterly from Chatham and two of them are
about 200 yards apart They were dug of the
ordinary size, about 80 feet and then bored
about 50 feet more, when a stream of gas rushed
up suddenly with roaring sound that could be
heard fur.ong distant. 4 man ventured into
one of the wells but was suffocated with the
yapor, and fell TO the bottom. Another man
was lowered to save him, but was obliged to
withdraw twice before he succeeded III fastening
q rope to the body of the first, who was dead
when withdrawn.
A tube long enough TO reach above the top
of the ground, was made and driven into the
hole, and the well bricked up. 1t soon filled
With water to within about II feet of the top,
the gas escaping through the tube, and the
water clear and without any bad taste. But, in
a short time, the gas commenced rising through
the water, which it keeps in constant state OF
ebulition, as in kettle over a brisk fire--,he
water rising near one side of the well and rolling
toward the other side, an having very much the
appearance of dirty sOapsuis. No smell is ap-
parent at the top of the well, and the water,
when drawn from it, soon settles, and becomes
clear and pleasant 10 the taste.
The other well exhibited nearly the same phe-
nomena, and, as they were unwilling to risk lif,.
in it. has been filled with EARTH but the gas still
rises through the mud, and has formed for itself
three apertures, or crater, AZ the surface, the
largest being OF oval shape, 10 by Is inches in
II TN. hn,tnul kninf, about thu
sstence of thick batter aud the gas rises through
il in bubbles with such force as to throw blotches
of mud upward and outward of distance full
four feet. | saw it only in the day time, but was
told that it could be ignited with match, and
that it would burn a long time.
A friend, who has since visited il, writes
thus:
81 think it the grandest sight | ever saw.
We visited it about midnight. We SAW the
light some time before We reached the house,
and were informed tina, the gas had gn;ted OF
itself, or by means unknown 10 the family
There three openings in the top of the well
the largest about the size of pail. From the
largest ascends fame about three feet high,
which burns very clear, and as bright "a a heap
of shavings. From the other apertures the
flame was smaller, but equally bright, and all
over the surface of the well are cracks, through
which issues flame resembling burning sui
phur."
About seven miles from Chatham there is an.
other well dug in the same manner as the above
described, which exhibits nearly the same phe-
nomena, and in which, although the water in
and above the clay is very hard the water is as
soft as rain water, and is drawn to quite dis
lance in summer by the neighbors, for washing
purposes. The gas in this well has been ON fire
several weeks at time.