The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1884-10-03
HardiS0n'S Mills.

ED. HERALD:-l am seated III my dOmi.
ell once more to scribbie you a few itoms.
We are nov passing through protracted
drouth here, which is causing 4 general de
preston in business. The farmers are
greatly discouraged; late corn badIy dam
aged; pastures generally giving away, con
sequently stock of all description are re-
ducing in flesh. The general outlook can
not be first class. The dry weather, with
the radical charges of temporal ure, can not
be considered conducive 10 good health.
We are evi ltntly realizing the fac; our
health generally !. las good up TO the past
ten days; since that time there has Leen
several cases of chilIs and fever, and some
few cases of bilious fever, but we believe
there have been no fat eases rs but e
fear if the drOu;h continues ard the tenn
perature so changeable, that the worst is
yet to come.
We we're visited by Col. P. c. Haynes,
of Marshall county. recently. lie was on
his way from Columbia, where he had been
on a trading expedition. On his route TO
this place, near the residence of the Is c
Col. SOwell, the Colonel managed to kill q
ratlesnake about four feet long and good
average SIZE, with about five rattlcS; being
the first of the kind the Colonel ever seen
i'll the S ate, he concluded to dsrobe him,
and the operation was performed by him
self and Mr.. Whitehead. The Colonel
StCllltN - oS S!tdilS CiaJSu over MS con-
quest. | helped the Colonel to stuff his
snakeship's hide with bran; lie says he will
have it deposited in Lewisburg with Geo.
Ewing in his great collection of CuriOsities.
| was truly glad to receive visit from the
genial Colonel, but | can't say had much
taste in helping him stuff a snake skin.
The public here are greatly excited over
burning well at L9sea church, one mile
from this place. The church employ ed
Mr.. William Taylor to drill a well near the
church, paying him so much to insure
water. 1t was thought perhaps, be would
get water at the depth of 40 or 80 feet, but
he failed to reach it as expected; of course
he drilled on, having some bad luck in the
time, however, he pushed ahead, and for a
few days past he was helped by G. l..
Cheek; on Friday last, about 1 p. M, they
struck a vent in the rock, and from it is
sued continual flow of gas, creating a
bubble in the water that he poured in the
well to facil9ta drilling. The large amount
of gas that &Tose, and the unusual sound
below, caused some little excitement in the
matter. AS the gas still continued to pour
out rapidly Mr.. Taylor had his drill taken
out to prospect little, and when he was
down a short distance in the well, where he
commenced in the rock, he ordered Cheek
to give him blanket to spread over the
hole, which he did. Alter a short time he
tod Cheek to hand him match, SO he
might see if it would burn; lifting the
blanket he applied his match, setting the
well on fire. He says he does not know
how he got out of there. The well is 90 feet
to this flow of gas; this occurred last Friday.
This flow of gas has been fired several times
and was put out last night. Mr.. T. invited
some of the neighbors--I among them-to
witness the wonder, which was indeed
beautiful. There was small iron tube
placed in the mouth of the well, and en-
closing it so as to force the gas through it,a
match was applied which SET it on fire i'm
mediateiy, sending up blaze 10 or II in
ches high. 1t burns with the same regular
ity that the gas does from well regulated
gas pipe. Eighty-fve persons, as specta-
tors were on the ground.