Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-19
1883
STRONGER THAN FIREWArRR.


The wonderful Natural Fluid Discovered In
aTexns weil-Ir Makes Negroes Dance
and Affects White Folks Strangely
Scientists SoreIy Puzzled.
A discovery Of immense scientific interest
has recently been made rear Wharton, Tex. a
discovery which it is thought will add hith-
erto unkn own element to the 65 already famil-
lar to the chemist. Mr.. Chudleigh Mason,
prominent cotton, planter, living about five
miles from town, while boring an artesian well
on his place struck water few days ago at
depth of 215 feet A powerful stream was
thrown up with loud report and slight
trembling of the surrounding earth. Mr.
Mason, in order to test the quality of the water,
drang glass of it, and the negro workmen also
crowded about and drank freely of the water,
which was found to be very cold and good,
though possessed of slight unfamiliar flavor,
which was, however, not disagreeable
Within quarter of an hour, or even less,
after drinking the water, Mr. Mason began to
feel strange twitchings in the muscles of the
face, and his workmen also commenced to COM
soon extended to the arms and legs, increasing
all the while in violence, until at last the
negroes cast themselves down, crying that they
had been conjured, and rolled about on the
ground shrieking aloud and writhing with
hideous contortions of the face and body. AS
the jerking and jumping of the muscles of the
limbs grew more and more violent, all hands
sprang up and joined in Wild uncomfortable
dance. or rather hopping up and down like SO
many disturbed frogs.
Men Compelled to Dance.
MI. Mason, describing his sensation, says that
he was conscious of feeling of great lexhilara-
tion and an increased acuteness of every sense
The sight of the leaping negroes who were too
frightened to realize that they were suffering
only from fear, and their cries and shrieks pro-
voked him to bursts of laughter that sounded
almost maniacal. Mrs Mason, seeing her hus-
bands extraordinary behavior, became alarm
ed, and running out, attempted to hold him
down, but, though he endeavored to assist her
by clinglng with all his strength to post 1t
was found impossible to restrain him.
This dance was kept up, says a Philadelphia
Times correspondent. until sheer exhaustion
caused the involuntary participants to fall
prostrate to the earth, where they lay and
kicked for some minutes, after which they fell
into deep sleep. This sleep was the heavy,
dreamless slumber thas follows intoxication.
and lasted for several hours, but left them with
clear heads and no evil consequences beyond
soreness of the back and limbs and pain in
the face resembling neuralgia, which, however,
soon passed away.
An Unknown Element.
Mr.. Mason sent q jug of the water to Houston
to have it analyzed, but the chemists of that
city profess themselves at complete loss to
account for one of the elements entering into
The composition of the water, and give as their
unanimous opinion that it may be added to the
number of known elements as a sixty-sixth.
This element imparts to the water beautiful
bright blue tinge of metallic luster, and gives
t taste more like that of fresh cider than any
hing else. When the water is heated this ele- |
nent passes of in colorless gas Of a most |
agreeable odor, resembling the perfume of |
,u6eroses, only more penetrating and pungent. |
IND SO powerful that gallon of the water SIM |
nerlng over slow fire will render whole |
house fragrant for hours. Taken from the well |
md left to stand, however, the water loses its |
beautiful blue color and thickens to the con- |
stency of turpentine, with a faint ereenish /
1nge. and will, when drunk or inhaled produce |
'1olent nausea and vomiting accompanied by a |
winning in the head and failure of the sight |
md hearing, which lases for hours.
Negroes Regard IL With Awe.
The negroes about have christened the well
Devils Water" and regard it with supersti-
lous awe, and, with one exception, cannot be
fevailed upon to even approach it. This ex-
'fption is an old darkey Familiarity known as
Uncle Dence, who is actually becoming a con-
Timed drunkard on the water, on which he in
iplges in daily spree in spite of all attempts
okeep him from drinking it. He claims that
ioIeeiS Younger ana spryer after each dance. |
dany of the crowds that come daily from all
'arts OF the county, and even from adjacent
mes, to visit the well have the curiosity to taste
he water to judge Of its singular qualities for
themselves, and 1t is curious to observe the
ifferent ways in which it affects individuals;
or, while the twitching of the nerves and mus
les and the uncomfortable propensity to dance
re common to all, the effect on the minds of
iHerent persons is of endless variety.
Startling Effects on Drinkers.
One man will shout for Joy, betraying all the
of child; another will weep
nth q gentle melancholy. A third will sing
ymns and perhaps fourth at the same
ime will be praying aloud. Your correspond
Mt found himself reciting whole pages of
lank verse from the different poets that he
ad been unconscious Of having retained in his
,emory. The effect on the spirits is delightful
q the extreme, feeling of exhilaration and
ghtness pervading the whole system. and the
enses take on an acuteness and refinement
hat is most remarkable.
By the advice of Prof. Deichstag, one of the
blest chemists of Houston, Theoretically
saled jar of this wonderful liquor has been
,rwarded to the Society of Chemists and
Pharmacists in New York for their careful
nalyzation, which process, when completed,
e is confident will confirm his opinion of the