Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-15
AN ELECTRIC SPRING.
The Most wonderful Natural .CariesIfy
Yet Discovered.

paradise, and one of the
most romantic spots In Tennesgee-lieB
along the eastern bank of that lovely
mountain stream, the Caney Fork.
Three or four miles from the mouth of
this valley stands IAN old water-mill,
whose huge iron-bound wheel, IL Is said,
performed its last revolution somewhere
about the year 1913. The mill in its
day was no doubt wonder in that part
of the country, for, judging by its pres
ent appearance, il must have been the
most wonderfully constructed building
OF its kind ever erected in that vicinity.
1t is now the home of rats and owlsyand
the ashes of the jolly old miller, who
long years ago was the life and 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 IL is known as the DEVILS
Spring" No one seems TO know how or
when 1t received this unpleasing. i'm
Fortunate appellation. Few people,
other than those living in the immediate
neighborhood, know its existence, and
they rarely visit it, from the fact that il
is believed TO exert powerful and evil
influence over ali who are rash enough
TO venture sufficiently near its confines
TO allow a 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 people from
risking their lives by frequenting the ac-
cursed place. Notwithstanding the
narrowing tales related by the natives Of
the loss of fortune, reason, and finally
death TO those who had ventured in too
close proximity to the unhallowed spot,
a gentleman recently visited the mill
and the spring, the latter OF which he
thoroughly examined, pronouncing IL
the most remarkable natural curiosity
he had ever seen. The spring is de-
scribed as boiling up from the center of
n solid rock, its shape being very like
that of n bushcl measure and about as
large. The sides Of this basin or hole
are perfectly smooth. having the appear
ance Of having been polished by the
hand Of man. It's 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 il is that an iron wedge
and three hundred feet OF cord failed TO
reach il. The water is of dark blue
color and boils up with great force-so
above its proper confines. And not only
does il boil up. with immense force, but
il whirls around with tremendous veloc-
ity. something after the fashion OF a
whirlwind.
The gentleman who describes il says
that he dipped an ordinary tin dipper
into the spring for the purpose of pro-
curing some of the water for "A closer ex-
animation Of its qualities, and that the
moment the dipper touched the water il
was wrenched from his grasp as though
II had been struck from his hand by
stroke OF lightning. and indeed, he
states, that his arm felt very much as If
IL had been suddenly paralyzed. In en-
deavoring TO regain the dipper, which
didnot sink more than six inches below
the surface. but which kept whirling
round and round so fast that ii was
almost impossible TO see II, he placed
his hand into the water. He says that
the sensations he experienced ut The in
slant his fingers touched the water were
singularly strange, causing him to think
that Thousands of needles had pierced
his body at one time. But lie didn't
succeed in getting the dipper out. lie
tried time and again TO wrench IL from
its fastenings, but the greedy waters
seemed loath TO give up their strange
captive, TO which they clung with more
than vise-like grasp. Giving up all
hopes of rescuing the dippcr with his
hands, the gentleman hethought himself
of an empty flask which he carried in
his companion. With this he again at
tempted to lift some water from the
spring. and was rewarded with success.
not, however, without considerable
"a Tor. ,-a1 q as~ 4.
TO prevent the angry waters from snatch
ing ne flask from his hands. Pouring
n single drop Of the strange fluid in the
pain Of his left hand he examined IL
minutely with a magnifying glass with
the most satisfactory results. lie states
that the drop of water closely resem-
bled n flake Of snow viewed with the
same instrument. He examined several
other drops, and, strange TO say, each
presented a marKed difference in appear
ance. The first assumed the shape Of a
star. the second that Of n crescent, the
third dagger, the fourth a comet, and
so on. After concluding his examin-
alton, the gentleman resolved to further
test the qualities of the water by tasting
1t. Letting drop fall on his tongue, he
was surprised and delighted 10 find that
1t sparkled like the best brand of cham
3agne. lie then concluded 10 swallow
a portion, which he did with the most
delightful effect. He says the moment
the water began descending his throat
he enjoyed the most pleasant sensation
of his life. IL was indeed as u he were
truly slipping the nectar of the gods. The
draught seemed TO divide itself into a
million parts the moment II passed his
throat; n portion passing with the speed
of lightning along every vein of his
body. So delightful was the effect that
he forgot for the time where he was. and
uttered peal after peal of the widest
possible laughter. Owing to the pecu-
liar effects which the water has on the
human system, the gentleman before
leaving the place christened the spot
=" The Electric Spring" Heclaims that
this name Is peculiarly appropriate, for
there Is no doubt but thai the water Is
heavily charged with electricity. He
will endeavor next summer to form a
r a. r