Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-01-24
Natural Wonders in Texas.
CURIOUS LAKE-wELLS THAT EMIT GAS AND
CONTAIN SOUR WATER


CONTAIN SOUR WATER.
have in my time been in many of the most
remarkable places In the world, and now have
turned up. as think. in that which is the most
remarkable OF all. Sour Lake is a circular pool
OF an acre orr two in extent, situated in depreS
sion On the most elevated tract OF land in wide
scope Of country. 1t rises above the contiguous
territory as an island In the sea rises above the
waters. Now conceive Il depression in the
center of our island, filled with bubbling, boil
ing pond, as round as well, surrounded by a
dense forest, and we have Sour Lake and its
topography.
ON the edges OF the lake Or pool are situated
most OF the wells. five or six feet in depth, with
plank curbing. Some OF these are in a vigorous
state OF ebullition while others have very little
ebullition. This ebullltion is nothing but cur
rents Of gas escaping from the bowels of the
earth. This is made apparent by a common
experiment here. Take a common fruit can
open at one end and small hole bored in the
other. ImmerSe half OF ii in the water where
the ebullltioD is going on, and then touch
lighted match TO the hole. Instantly a bril-
liant flame pops up, which will burn unless
to hold the can in its position. There are Jets
OF gas Issuing out OF the ground all about the pool
so that with your fruit cans and milk cans you
may have flames without end. You NAV even
set fire to the POOLS or apparently do SO, by ap-
plying match to the surface where it is bub
bling or boiling, but these flames speedily go
out.
Some of these wells throw up yellowlsl and
blackish OIL, which collects on the surface and
may be SKINNED like cream. This smells very
strongly OF tar or naphtha, but at little dis
lance is pleasant to the nostrllS. The water on
which this substance collects tastes precis ely
like the substance smells. He who drinks of it
gets his whole body considerably infected with
the smell. This substance is gathered here, and
the people readily buy 1t at a dollar q quart,
They say 1t cures sores, cuts and burns 1t is
1n1ammable, and burns with great smoke. 1t
is. suppose, liquid carbon.
Others OF the wells are as sour as crab apples,
and these invariably send up strong odor OF
sulphur. They bubble and boil considerably,
and have whitiSh appearance, as II pulverized
chalk had been stirred UP In them. This Is
white sulphur. They have slight taste OF the
fluid carbon. These are said to act powerfully
upon the liver, and several have told me no
case OF dyspepsia could long withstand them.
Then there is another well That Is strongly I'M
pregnated with iron. Its waters are distinctly
marked from the others In appearance, being
exceedingly soft and limpid.
Then there is another well or pool, which, II
what is said OF it be true, is, II not the most re-
Beauty II deposits peculiar sort Of sedi-
ment on its bottom, which, as they say, has the
remarkable property OF beautifying the skin
and removing freckles. am told that this de-
post Is so much In demand that 1t is not always
season.
The site here Is really glorious one for a
watering place; a great prairie to the south
nlled with fragrance and wild flowers, and q
great forest IN every other direction, penetrated
with labyl fnthine walks oaks, magnOlias. myr-
~ MONIES, 1eeches and naples and gums, and
light all this extensive ground into q blaze OF
glory at night, by utilizing the gas that pours
in torrents out OF the earth.-LlEe Sur Letter
TO Galveston Ne,rS. -a,.-- - -