New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-01
A GREAT GEYSER IN IOWA.
IMPENDING DANGER IN BELLEpLAIN.

VOLUMES OF WATER THROWN INTO THE STREETS
FROM AN ARTEsIAS wELI-Two LARGE RIVERS
FORMED.
CHICAGO, Aug. 31.-A dispatch was received
at the City Hall this afternoon from the Mayor OF Belle
pain lows, which states that an artesian we'll four
inches In diameter burst when depth of so feet hal
been reached In boring. and instantly volume Of wstss
was forced into the air to the distance Of several hun
dred feet This gradually increased and volume
until a Of fully sixteen inches ia diameter
WAS formed. and the upward force Of this stream 10
equal to the power Of powder or dynamite
The water in hugo volumes spoutng high in tho afr,
and the supply seems inexnaustibe. Two gigantic
rivors have been formed By this phenomenal water
burst which running through tho the rae
Of twelve miles hour, and carrying everything be-
fore thsm Houses and lives arc threatened By this
peculiar freak OF nature and the citizens arc appalled,
their impending danger, which az present they are
powerless to overcome. Finding 1t Impossible 70
divert this damaging food an attempt was mads
to insert sxtssn-inch boiler iron tubes into tho
we, these were instantly blown and forced high
into the air. Finding this plan useless the terr,nsa
th. terrible eeyser was spoueng its deugs. Fifteen
carloads OF stone emptcd into the we'll but these
BsG
uo id s air. !p e 9s w and p se
road was called upon for assistance and instantly sent
the county ssy wa. so called but up to @
no abatement In the How OF water was percept5ie ana
tho rusnlnx rivers l0rineu were the cnan
mel it had made deeper and wider. wdile tie basin
formed by this immense volume OF water was spreading
OFT Of Beopain IN bis last s extremity. teesrapssd
to Chicago for the best ensinsers thas
the spot and use their skill and energy in attempting to
end this perilous condition OF affairs City Engineer
started out to ind engineer who would supply tho
demand and succeeded in inducing an engineer named
and Morgsn however, both OF the opinion that but
little anything can be done TO stop tho flow OF water,
hn AL m ne In
dangerous dlrsctons and conhne tnem to their channels
Mr. Morgan left Chicago for B-lepain tonight aud II
more assistance is necessary M Artlngsal will send
all that is needed This Is regarded as one OF tho most
and the threatened danger 20 the people and property
OF Beepsn demands instant aud energetic efforts 10
stop the ruinous deluge OF water
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Aug. Sion Monday, August
%, william Weir Sons began began boring artesian
we'll at the Of Beach and ngon-st.
Belle Plain. the fat about four blocks south OF tho
Buroy House. The contract callei for well
with q three-inch casing and flow guaranteed.
They bored a two-lnch hole and tneorized
that the flow OF water through It would wash 1t OUT SO
that they could sink threeinch casns Thursday they
struck depth OF ls5 feet. At this ii ne they
and the rose with strong force twelve
feet above tho surface in solid t1ree-lnch stream
plainly showing the strongest 1ow yet struck. FRI
day morning flow under control but during tho
forenoon in an attempt to force thrseneh tnne n.o
hceut space outside the tubing to allow the wafer 10
boil out around the tubing at the 'nrfcs a. noun
ing out At $50 O'clock the city suthorltie. appeal
ed to take control give relief fro the impenilnx
DANGER Already many lots and houses wera Hooded
Al o D. M q gang OF men set at work. the Mayor
ami Council personally experimenting IT, Until nearly
morning all oxpedents we're tried, but tho water could
not be controlled. Saturday morning Eugene Palmer
proposed that ifteen-inch tubing should be driven
do wn 10 the clay, believed to DO nfty feet below
BY thus cou aiming the flow to commoh ccntre ne std'
the outside could be stopped aud the one In the uD-
lug controlled This plan also failed " IS Impossible As
yet to estimate the damage Tho south part o the town
is flooded and cellars filled with water The now con-
tinues unabael making two large rivers throush the
lower part Of city. In helpessness the Mayor To-
day apr a cd to hydraulic engineering science OF
Chicago relief Tho reports that have gone out nav:
been somewhat exaggerated the flow OF water and
means used to stop it, but the main facts are as tee
graphed Chicago to-day.