The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-12
Natural Wonders in Texas.

have in my time been in many of the
most remarkable places in the world, and
now I have turned up, as think, in that
which is the most remarkable of all.
Sour Lake is circular pool of an acre
or two in extent, situated in depression
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 con-
ceive depression in the centre of our
island, filled with q bubbling, boiling
pond, as round as q we'll, surrounded
by dense forest, and we have Sour Lake
and its topography.
On the edges of the lake or pool are sit
uated most of the wells, five or six feet
in depth, with plank curbing. Some of
these are in vigorous state of ebullition.
while others have very little ebullition.
This ebullition is nothing but currents
of gas escaping from the earth. This is
made apparent by common experiment
here. Take common fruit can open at
one end and small hole bored in the
other. Immerse halfofit in water where
the ebullition is going on, and touch q
lighted match to the hole. Instantly q
brilliant fame pops up, which will burn
unless blown out by the wind as long as
you choose 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 may even
set fire to the pools, or apparently do so,
by applying a match to the surface where
it is bubbling, or boiling, but these flames
speedily go out.
Some Of these wells throw up yellow
ish and blackish oil, which collects on the
surface and may be skinned like cream.
This smells very strongly of tar or naph-
tha, but at little distance is pleasant to
the nostrils. The water on which this
substance collects tastes precisely like the
substance smells. He who drinks it gets
his whole body considerably infected by
the smell. This substance is gathered
here, and the people readily buy it at
dollar quart. They say it cures sores.
cuts and burns. 1t is inhammable and
burns with great smoke. 1t is, sup
pose, liquid carbon.
Others of the wells are as sour as crab
apples, and these invariably send up a
strong odor of sulphur. They bubble
and boil considerably, and have whitish
appearance, as if 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 pow
erfully upon the liver, and several have
told me no case of dyspepsia could long
withstand them. Then there is another
well that is strongly imprcgnated with
iron. Its waters are distinctly marked
from the others in appearance, being ex-
ceedil soft and limipd.
Then oere is another well or pool,
which if what is said of it be true, is, if
not the most remarkable, yet certainly
destined to be the most renowned of all.
They call it "Youth and Beauty" 1t
deposits a peculiar sort of sediment on
its bottom, which, as they say. has the
remarkable property of beautifying the
skin and removing the freckles. am
told that this deposit is so much in de-
maud that it is not always easy to keep
supply of it during the watering season.
The site here is really glorious one
for watering place; great prairie to
the south filled with fragrance and wild
flowers, and great forest in every other
direction, penetrates the labyrinthine
walks; oaks, magnolias, myrtles, hollies,
beeches, and naples, and gums, and vines
without end. How easy would it be to
light all this extensive ground into
blaze of glory at night, by utilizing the
gas that pours in torrents out of the
earth.-Letter to Galueston News.