The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1879-12-27
AN ELECTRIC SPRING.
The Most Wonderful Natural Curiosity Yet
Discovered.

mOuntalneer'S paradise, ana one OF the
most romantic spots in Tennessee-hes
along the eastern bank of that lovely
mountain stream, the Caney Fork.
Three or four miles from the mouth of
this valley stands an old water mill,
whose huge iron-bound wheel, it is said,
performed its last revolution somewhere
about the year 1918. The mill in its
day was no doubt wonder in that part
of the country, for, judging by its pres
ent appearance, it must have been the
most wonderfully constructed building
1t is now the home of rats and owls, and
the ashes of the jolly old miller, who
long years ago was the life and the light
of the place, sleep peacefully on a neigh
boring hill. Under this old mill is the
most wonderful spring of which the
world has ever heard. Among the in
habitants it is known as the "Devil's
Spring" No one seems to know how
or when it received this unpleasing, inn
Fortunate appellation. Few people,
other than those living in the immedi-
ate neighborhood, know of its existence,
and they rarely visit it, from the fact
that it is believed to exert q powerful
and evil influence over all who were
rash enough to venture sufficiently
near its confines to allow single drop
of the bubbling, boiling fluid to fall on
them or their garments. Besides, the
old mill is said to be haunted, and this
alone would keep those superstitious,
though pious, people from risking their
lives by frequenting the accursed place,
much less the fact that the devil keeps
his spring underneath it. Notwithstand-
ing the many narrowing tales related by
the natives of the loss Of fortune, rea-
son, and finally death of those who had
ventured in too close proximity to the
unhallowed spot, gentleman recently
visited the mill and the spring, the lat
ter of which he thoroughly examined,
pronouncing it the most remarkable
natural curiosity he had ever seen. The
spring is described as boiling up from
the center of solid rock, its shape be-
ing very like that of bushel measure
and about as large. The sides of this
basin or hole are perfectly smooth, hav-
ing the appearance of having been pol
ished by the hand of man. Its depth is
not known. The people who reside in
the Immediate vicinity say it is without
bottom. How this may be we are not
prepared to state, but true it is that an
iron wedge and 800 feet of cord failed
to reach it. The water is of dark blue
color and boils up with great force-so
great that it spouts up several inches
above its proper level. And not only
does it boil up with immense force, but
ity, something after the fashion of
whirlwind.
The gentleman who describes it says
that he dipped an ordinary tin dipper
into the spring for the purpose of pro-
curing some of the water for closer
examination of Its qualities, and that the
moment the dipper touched the water
it was wrenched from his grasp as
though it had been struck from his hand
by stroke of lightning, and indeed, he
states, that his arm felt very much as if
it had been suddenly paralyzed. In en-
deayoring to regain the dipper, which
did not sink more than six inches below
the surface, but which kept whirling
round and round so fast that it was al
most impossible to see it, he placed his
hand into the water. He says that the
sensations he experienced at the instant
his fingers touched the water were sim
gularly strange, causing him to think
that thousands of needles had pierced
his body at one time. But he didn't
succeed, in getting the dipper out. He
tried time and again to wrench it from
its fastenings, but the greedy waters
seemed lOath to give up their strange
captive, TO which they chung with more
than a vise-like grasp. Giving up all
hope of rescuing the dipper with his
hands, the gentleman bethought
himself of an empty flask which
he carried in his companion.
With this he again attempted to lift
some water from the spring, and was
rewarded with success, not, however,
without considerable effort, for it re-
quired his entire strength to prevent the
angry waters from snatching the flask
from his hands. Pouring single drop
of the strange fluid in the palm of his
left hand he examined it infinitely with
a magnifying glass with the most salts
factory results. He states that the drop
of water resembles flake of snow
viewed with the same instrument. He
examined several other drops, and,
strange to say, each presented q marked
difference in appearance. The first as
sumed the shape of star, the second
that of crescent, the third dagger,
the fourth a comet, and SO on. After
concluding his examination, the gentle
man resolved to further test the quail
ties OF the water by tasting it. Letting
a single drop fall on his tongue, he was
surprised and delighted to find that it
sparkled like the best brand ofimported
champagne. He then concluded to
swallow portion, which he did with
the most delightful effect. He says the
moment the water began descending
his throat he enjoyed tina most