St. Paul daily globe., 1886-09-01
THEY HAVE A DELUGE.
The People of Belle Plaine, Ia, Wanted
Water Supply From an Artesian
Well.
The Fluid is Now Coming Up in Rivers
and May Sweep the Town
Away.
A Hard Task Before the Indian Com
missioners Who Are at Leech
Lake.
logan in Dakota--A Robbery at
AnOka-Farm Property
Burned.
Belle plaine DeIuged.


received at the city hall this afternoon from
the mayor of Belle Plane, Ia. which states
that an arteSian well four inches in dame
ter burst when the depth of $50 feet had
been reached in boring and instantly vol
ume Of water was forced into the air to the
height of several hundred feet. This grad
ually increased in size and volume until
stream of water fully sixteen inches in
diameter was formed and the upward force
Of the stream is equal to the force of pow
der or dynamite. The water, i'll huge
volume, is SpOuting in the air and the sup
ply seems ineXhauStible. Two gigantic
rivers have been formed by this phenomenal
water burst, which are running through the
town AT the rate of twelve miles an hour
and carrying everything before them. Lives
and property are in great danger and the
citizens are pOWerleSS. Finding it impOS-
sible to divert this damaging flood, an
attempt WAS made to insert SiXteen-inch
boiler iron tubes into the well, but these
were instantly blown out and forced high
into the air. Finding this plan useless the
terrified people then attempted to ill up
the huge aperture through which the ter
rible syeySer was spOuting its deluge. FIT
teen carloads of stone were emptied into
the well. but they were instantly blown out
and forced upward as though propelled by
the force of a bursting magazine of giant
powder. Bags of sand were then hastily
constructed and cast into the WE'LL but
these too We're
HURLED INTO THE AIR
by the tremendous force of the SpOuting
water. The Northwestern railroad was
then called upon, but up to this evening no
abatement in the flow of the water was per-
ceptible, and the rushing rivers formed by
it were washing the channel it had made
deeper and wider, while the basin formed
by the immense volume OF water was
spreading over the low lands in the vicinity.
The mayor of Belle Plaine in his last eX-
tremity telegraphed to Chicago for the best
engineers that could be had to come imme-
diately to the spot and use their skill and
energies in attempting to stop the perilOuS
condition of affairs. City Engineer Arting
stall, to whom the matter was referred. at
once started out to find an engineer who
would supply the demand, and succeeded
in inducing Engineer Morgan to undertake
the mission. MesSrS. Artingstall and Nor
gan are, however, of the opinion that but
little can be done. if anything, to stop the
flow Of water, but that it may be possible
to direct the rivers into less dangerous di-
TectiOnS and cOnfine them to their present
channel. Mr.. Morgan left for Belle Plaine
tonight and if more assistance is necessary
Nj. ArtingSt2ll VIII send all that is needed.
This Is regarded as one of the most phe-
nomenal freaks of nature yet heard of and
the threatened danger to the people and
property of Belle Plaine demands instant
and energetic efforts to stop the ruinOus
deIuge Of water.
FURTHER DETAILS.
CEDAR RAPIDS, Ia. Aug. 31.-Monday
Aug. %. William Weir d Sons began
boring an artesian well at the intersection
of Beech and Washington streets in Belle
Plaine, on the fiat about four blocks south
of the BurIey house The contract
called for we'll with a three
inch casing and a flow guaranteed. They
bored twO-inch hole and thought the flow
of water through it would wash it out so
they could sink three-nch casing. Thurs
day they struck water at depth of 1S5 feet.
At this utime they had about sixty feet
of three-inch casing down and the water
rose with strong force twelve feet above
the surface in solid three-inch stream,
plainly showing the strongest flow yet struck.
Friday morning the flow was under con-
troll. but during the forenoon, in an attempt
to force the three-inch tube into the two
sufficient space outside the tubing to allow
the water to boil out around the tubing at
the surface. At sundown Friday the
stream was about foot in diameter
and was pouring out. At $50 the
city authorities were appealed to
to take control and give relief from the i'm
pending danger as already many lots and
houses were flooded. At p. m. a gang of
men were set at work and the mayor
and council personally superintendent
Until nearly morning all expedients
We're tried. but the water could not be con-
trolled. Saturday morning Eugene Palmer
proposed that a tifteen-inch tubing be
driven down to the blue clay, believed to
be about fifty feet. and by thus cOnfning
the flow to common center, the outside
flow could be stopped and then
the one in the tubing controlled. The plan
failed. 1t is Impossible to estimate the
damages. The south part of the town is
flooded and cellars filled with water. The
flow continues unabated, making two rivers
through the lower part of the city. In
helplessness the mayor to-day appealed to
the hydraulic engineering science Of Chi
cago for relief.