St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1886-06-26

1ail- udSS nave passed since We nave Dlet,
Yet Oft and long think of you,
And God TO both is ever near,
Tho go" are there and am here.
Words fail me in an endeavor to ues-
cribe, to my friends, the unrivalled
beauty OF Louisiana, since my return
north. To you description is super
t1uOus since you are there.
However, you may appreciate a few
words, descriptive of one of the recent
wonderful discoveries that has been
made here.
Taking the shortest route from New
Orleans to Cincinnati, after two days
and night cor vice versa) constant
travel thro' matchess and ever chang
ing scenery, we arrive in Queen City,
the flower of Southern Ohio. that bios
SONS so thriftily on the bank of the
beautiful Ohio River.
\ change of ears, and few hours ri
ding brings us to Toledo, Il thriving
manufacturing and commercial city of
Northern Ohio, on Mauncel Bay just
Ten miles from Lake Erie, and nearly
fifty by water, from Putin Bay and the
scenes of Commodore Perry's famous
victory.
Let Us hope we may have arrived in
time to Join one of the lately-become
famous excursions to the pretty town
of tlndlay, Ohio. where the wonderful
wells of natural gas have been dlScOv-
cred recently.
AS We draw near tae town, altho even
at distance of five miles we become
aware of a strange, peculiar roaring
heard above, and plainly discernlble
from, the noise of the train.
The entire landscape, as the shades OF
night draw closer on, is lighted with Il
reddish yellow glare as from IA distant
bonfire of huge proportions, and as We
approach the city the roar increases to
deafrning until we become accustomed
to it; the glare of the light grows
brighter until the clouds and sky lie III
inky hlackneSs, as Il background, des-
pite tnt stars or moonlight Every
nook and crevice in the town is like day,
since OF the Il gas wells only four ha We
been sealed. The rest burn constantly.
As We cross the bridge, we catch a
glimpse of the famous karg we'll the
largest and most prolific OF its kind, in
existence.
\ peculiar. and to strangers very dis
agreeable, ndor greets us. \ biDa
ton of smells of the oil and gas in theil
crude state.
The first of these wonderful wells
was sunk in the fall of 1885, causing
great excitement and attracting many
spectators and manufacturers.
Sixteen wells have been Sunkeu since,
but all sink into lnsigniticance when
compared with the kars we'll, the capa-
city of which reaches the enormous
amount of JJ000.000 cubic feet per day,
or sufficient to heat ana light the entire
county (HancOck) for a week.
The first well is now in hands OF
stockholders and is the means of heat
ing and lighting the entire town with
the exception of the private wells. sunk
by individuals for manufacturing pur-
poses, or few among the poorer class
es unable to pay for the necessary
plumbing and some overly cautious
people who think prudence the better
part of valor," and hold the new fuel in
SuperstitiOus awe amounting almost to
terror.
Aud, indeed. little Wonder. Leaving
the cars, let us follow the mass OF peo-
pie down an, until recently, almost un-
used street, away from the residences,
back into an old field, to the very edge
of Blanchard river.
All attempts at conversation are USE
less, Every other sound is drowned by
the deafening roar, and as we nearer
der, at this new manifestation of Gods
OmnipOtence.
Out over the river is extended Il small
iron pipe, about four inches in circum
ference, connecting with Il larger pine
that runs back some fifty feet to the
derrick.
From the smaller pipe comes the
enormous flow of gas that forms flame
whose light and Its reflection can be
seen for sixty miles whose heat bolls
the water in the river beneath it, cook
ing the unwary fish and caused Il lux
uriant growth of vegetation on the op-
posite bank one hundred feet distant
| during even the months of January and
! February when snow was five feet deep
and the ice above the we'll would beal
up a team.
\ Will this supply lust always
| That is a much discussed, but, us yet
undecided question. Then arises anotll-
er.N
| II there exists ii doubt, and the gas i.
so Invaluable. why this waste
! SO powerful is the flow that 1t has
been impossible to control it. At one
| time an effort was made to pack the
! pipes, while yet standing, with rubber
/ filing, but the gas, bursting through
the packing threw it high i'll air,
! Another attempt will be made sooi
/ by an experienced packer from Penn.
i sylvania, where natural gas has beel
| in nse for many years, but in no way st
remarkable as this which attract,
spectators from all parts Of the worlt
and gives the hitherto unknown towl
name and fame.
Two other facts of interest remain IL
be noted. First the. gas bursting
| through the fssures in the rocks cause.
waters in the wells for several square
to boil, and, second is the beautiful
sulphur spring, that flows continual,
/ e.n,,, .,r,dn,, fI,n lorrinl- riros lnun tl,I