Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-04
BELLE PLAINS GEYsEH.
NO Means Yet Devised 10 stop the
Flow or Water.

A Belle Plain Iowa special says
An expert civil engineer from Chicago
has been here to-day endeavoring to
devise some means Of abating the ter
rife flow of water from the new Arte-
sian well. Thus far he has been I'M
able to suggest any mode OF relief.
The we'll is surrounded by strangers
who have journeyed long distances to
witness the wonderful phenomenon.
The probable source Of the immense
flow Of water is undetermined. Ii IS q
mineral water. Large pieces Of wood
and camel coal, charcoal, together
with iron pyrites and all varieties OF
stone are thrown out by the flood. The
damage direct to the adjacent property
is not large, as the entire surroundings
are about on a level. After the first
food levees were built along the streets
and the water was led off. The indi-
rect damages are, however, incalcula-
BILE ct this time.
The mistake made by the contractors
was in their efforts to force three-inch
tube into a two-inch hole. The water,
of course, broke loose sufficient space
was worn away outside the tubing to
allow water to boil out around the
tubing at the surface, and the demoraii'
zation began. Frantic efforts were
then made to get the casing down, but
after prying away at it the contractors
only succeeded in getting about 10
feet down, aud not ia shutting Oft the
outside flow. The amount OF water
and sand thrown out was I'M
mense. Men were employed to shovel
out the cutters to allow the water to
run off but the sand filled them up as
fast as they were opened. Every min
ute the situation was becoming more
desperate. At shutdown Friday a
stream Of water foot in diameter was
pouring out. The attempts to check
the flow had so far been Of no more Ell
feet than pouring water on ducks
back. The city authorities were final
" appealed to to take control and al
ford relief from impending danger.
Already many lots and houses
were more or less flooded. A
gang of men was then set to work, the
mayor and council personally superin-
tending them. BY this time the hole
| had become as large as a barrel, and
the emissions were terrific. The casing
| already in was pulled out, and two
bushel.sacks filled with sand were
thrown into the seething caldron. 1t
may seem incredible, but it is true,
that these heavy sacks were tossed out
rs easily as if they were corks'
Until nearly morning all expe'
dents that could be devised were
tried, but the elephant could not be
controlled. The hole grew larger every
hour. and men and women looked
at the awful situation with blanched
faces. 1t was worse than fire. The
latter would in time burn out and die
for want Of fuel, but this flood was
gaining strength with no prospects OF an
exhaustion. The mind could not grasp
the extent Of the direfal possibilities o.
the continuance OF that awful flood.
After passing through the upper crust
about twelve feet there is stratum o.
quicksand forty feet thick, beneath
which there are layers of blue
clay and sand down to the
water, which is found in
stratum Of sand. There was reason tC
fear that the ground would cave in, but
that fear has not yet been realized
Over five hundred carloads Of SAND
have been thrown out. On Sunday
eighty-fve feet of boiler iiues, slxteer
inches in diameter, was sunk IN the
hole, but without effect. The force o
the water was so strong as to make
l.600.pound hammer recoil wher
dropped from q pile-driyer. An i'm
mense cone made of heavy boiler iror
is now being made to sink in the hol'
in hopes TO check the flow.