Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-06-16
Z Remarkable Fountain of Satura,
Cas-A man SuMocatcd in il.

The Detroit Advertiser, of the
23rd, has the following commmica-
ton:
"During a late tour through West
ern Canada. | visited some curious
wells, which had been dug during the
past season. They are in the town
ship of Howard, about fifteen mics
souihcastcrly from Catham, and two
of them are about 200 yards apart
They were dug of the ordinary size.
about 80 feet, and then bored about
30 feet more, when a stream OF gas
rushed up suddenly with a roaring
sound that could be heard n furlong
distant. \ man vcntured into one of
the wells, but was suffocated with the
vapor, and fell to the bottom. An
other man was lowered to save him.
but was obliged to Withdraw twice be-
fore he succeeded in fastening 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when withdrawn.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 ten feet of the top, the gas
escaping through the tube, and the
water clear and without any bad taste.
But in short time the gas commenced
rising through the water, which it
keeps in a constant state of ebulition
as in a kettle over a brisk fire; the wa
ter rising near one side of the well,
and rolling toward the other siae-and
having very much the appearance Of
dirty soapsuds. No smell is apparent
at the top of the well, and the water
when drawn from it soon settles and
becomes clear and pleasant to the
taste.
The other well exhibited nearly
the same phenomena, and as they wer,
unwilling to risk life in it, mas beer
filled with earth, but the gas still rise,
through the mud, and has formed fol
itself three distinct apcrtures, or crater
at the surface, the largest being Of ova
shape, 10 by Is inches in diameter
the bottom being mud. about the con
sistence of thick batter, and the ga.
rises through it in bubbles with sucl
force as TO throw blotches Of mud mp
wards and outwards of distance ful
foul feet. Isaw it only in the daytime
ont was told that it could be ignite,
by a match, and that il would bum
long time.
a friend who has since visited j
writes thus: Il think il the grandes
sight | ever saw. We visited il abou
midnight. We saw the light SOM
time before we reached the house, ans
we were informed that the gas ha'
ignited of itself or by means unknown
to the family. There are three open
ings In the top Of the well, the larges
about the size Of a pail. From th
largest asccnds flame abonr thre
feet high. which burns very clear, an
as bright as a heap of shavings.-
From the other apertures the fam
was smaller, but equally bright, an
all over the surface of the we'll al
cracks through which issues fam
resembling burning sulphur."
about seven miles from Catbai
there is another well dug in the sam
manner as the above described, whic
exhibits nearly the same phenomen,
and in which, although the water !
and above the clay is very hard. II
water is as soft as rain water, and
drawn TO quite distance in SUNNI,
by the neighbors. for washing pu
poses. The gas in this well has bee
on fire several time"
.
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