Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-09-08
AN ARTESIAN FLOOD.
Belle PLANE, Ia, Inundated by q Fear
full Flow of Water.


CEDAR RAPIDS, Ia., Aug. 31.-The
village Of Belle Plaine is inundated by
the fearful overflow of an artesian well
lately bored. The water in huge vol
umes is spouting high in the air, and
the supply seems inexhaustible. Two
gigantic rivers have been formed bv
this phenomenal water-burst which
are running through the town at the
rate OF twelve miles an hour and car
rying every thing before them. Houses
and lives are threatened, and the citi-
zens OF the town are appalled, at their
impending danger, which at present
they are powerless to overcome. All
means have been tried that necessity
could devise to check the flow of the
water that increased each moment and
threatened the destruction of the
town. Endeavors were made to con-
fine the water by using large tubing,
and fifteen-inch boiler pipes were used.
An attempt was made to drive these
into the hole, but the terrific force of
the water hurled them out and rem
dered all attempts fruitless. Finding
this plan useless it was then attempted
to fill up the huge aperture through
which this geyser was spouting its
deluge. Carloads of stone were emp
tied into the we'll, but these were in
stantly thrown out. Bags of sand
were then hastily constructed and
cast into the well, but these, too, were
hurled into the air by the tremendous
force of the spouting water.
The history OF the overflow is as fol-
Weir d Sons began boring an artesian
well at the intersection of Beech and
Washington Streets, on the fat about
four blocks south of the Burley House.
The contract called for well with
three-inch casing. and flow was guar
anteed. The contractors bored a
two-inch hole and theorized that the
flow of water through it would wash
it out SO that they could sink three
inch casing. Thursday they struck
water at depth of 1875 feet, at
which time they had about sixty feet
OF three-inch casing down, and
the water arose with strong force
twelve feet above the surface in asolid
three-inch stream, plainly showing the
strongest flow yet struck. Friday
but during the forenoon, in the at
tempt to force three-inch tube into
a two-inch hole, the water broke loose
and wore away a sufficient space out
side the tubing to allow the water to
boil out around the pipes at the sur
face. At shutdown Friday a stream OF
water foot in diameter was pouring
out. At $50 the city authorities
were appealed to to take control and
give relief from impending danger; al
ready many lots and houses were
more or less flooded. At 8 P. NJ. g.
gang of men were set at work, the
mayor and council personally super
intending them until nearly morning.
All expedients that could be put in
practice were tried, but the water
could not be controlled.
Saturday morning, Engineer Palmer
proposed that 15-inch tubing should
be driven down to the blue clay, be-
Iieved to be about so feet, and by thus
confning the water the outside flow
could be stopped and then the water
in the tubing controlled. This proved
unavailing, and the flow continued to
increase.
The hole has Increased to the Size OF
a barrel, and the water is bubbling up
four feet above the surface, throwing
out immense quantities of sand. At
least 500 carloads have been brought
up by the flow, and the gang of men
are kept constantly at work day and
night shoveling it away. Channels
have been dug for an outlet to the
Iowa, River. and this channel has
doubled the volume Of theriver at that
point. There are seven other wells at
Belle PLANE, but they have all ceased
flowing since the outburst of the last
one. The citizens have grave appre-
tensions of the outcome. 1t is impos-
sible at this time to estimate the dam
age. The southern part of the town
is more or less flooded and cellars are
filed with water. To-day there were
at least 2,O00people visiting the place;
and no relief has yet been procured.