Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-09-11
A REaIARKABLE srOn
An Iowa Town Inundated by a Artssian
Well

Well.
! CHICAGO, Ill, August, 8I.-A dispatch was
/ received at the city hall this afternoon from
I the mayor Of Bellsplains, Iowa, which states
I that an artesian well, four inches in diane
/ ter burst when the depth Of $50 feet had
I been reached IN boring, and instantly vol
un16 or water was forced into the air to the
t distance Of several hundred feet. This grad
/ ually increased IN size and volume until a
I stream OF water fully sixteen inches In diam
I eter was formed, and the upward force Of
I this stream is equal to the power OF dFua-
/ mite, the water II huge volumes Epouting
I high IN The air and the supply seems mex
hausuble. Two gigantic rivers have been
I formed by this water burst, which are run
ming through the town at the rate OF twelve
miles an hour and carrying every thing before
them. Houses andlives are threatened by this
/ peculiar freak OF nature, and the citizens OF
{ the town are appalled, at their impending
| danger which at present they are pOWerless
l to overcome Finding 1t impossible to di-
/ vert this damaging flood, an attempt was
made to insert sixteen inch boiler iron tube
I into the well, but these were instantly blown
out and forced high in the air Finding
Z this plan useless the terrified people then
attempted to I'LL up the huge aperature
through which this terrible geVssE was
{ spouEng Its d6Euges Fifteen car loads OF
/ stone were emptied into the WELL but these
were instantly blown out and forced up ward
as though propelled by the force Of q
! bursting magazine OF giant powder. Bags
I Of sand were then hastily constructed and
Cast the Well LlGBes TOO were luEL6Q
! into the air by the tremendous force Of the
I spOuting water. The Northwestern railroad
! vas then called upon for assistance, and in
stantiy sent large gang Of men to the res
cue. The bridge gang OF the company was
I also called upon, but up to this evening no
abatement in the flow OF water was percsp-
tlble, as the rushing river formed by IL was
washing the channel it had made deeper
and wider, while the basin formed by this
| immense volume OF water was spreading
over the low lands in the vicinity. The
mayor Of BelleplaIne, in his last extremity
tel5graphed to Chicago for the best engi-
neers that could be secured to come immedi-
ately to the spot and use their skill and en-
ergy Ia attempting to stop this perilOus con-
ditlOn of affairs. City Engineer Ariingstall
to whom the matter was referred at once
started out to ind an engineer who would
supply the demand, and succeeded in Undue
ing Engineer Morgan TO undertake the
mission. Messrs. AlIugstal and Morgan
are however, both of the opinion that but
little can be done, if anything, 20 stop the
How of water, but that it may be possible to
direct the rivers into less dangerous direc-
tons and contin6 them to their present
channels. Mr.. Morgan left for Bellsplaine
tonight, and if more assistance is necessary
Mr.. Ariingstall viii send all that is needed.
This is regarded as one of the most phe-
nOmenal freaks Of nature which has yet been
known, and the threatened danger to the
people and property Of Belleplaine demand
instant and energetic efforts to stop the
ruinOu5 deluge Of water.