Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1890-05-09
auseNsLANp's WONDERFUL WELL.
Il Throws Fountain OF Water y Hundred
Feet Into the Air.

The artesian well at Charleville. on
the Warrego River, Queensland, is the
newest and most remarkable instance
of the natural resources OF marvellous
Australia. The well is situated quite
near the railway station. but in one of
the most unlikely places that could
have been imagined. Who on earth
would have expected that this artesian
well, which is the best in the world, or
at all events yields the largest amount
of water. was sunk on the top of o
sandy hummockp Yet so it is. The
site was chosen by the hydraulic en-
gineer, j. b. Henderson, for reasons
only known TO himself, but which have
been amply justified.
Crossing the swampy flat leading to
this hummock, attention is drawn to a
wide channel cut through the drift
sand, and it is explained that the out
flow of water had done this ere the APP
paratus for controlling it had been OBJ
tanned. The bore itself looked harm
less enough kind of thing. 1t might
have been taken for rather high
standpipe placed in an idiotic position
in the bottom of hole sixty or seventy
yards long, thirty broad, and ten feet
deep. But momeut's observation
showed that the Misunderstanding
stand-pipe had made the hole. AS a
matter of fact. the water when it was
tapped rushed up in such volume that
it washed away the sand around the
bore in few minutes, and cleaned out
the foundations of the derrick and
20 hn yhn1
trivance. If they had not got a plug
in it pretty soon, it would have washed
Charleville into the Warrego. On top
of the pipe there has been fixed right
angle bend, so that the water can be
turned in any direction.
When the visitors arrived at the bore
it was seen that the water was trickling
in a tiny stream from this bend into
the thirsty sand below, but in few min
utes the scene was changed. Mr..
Woodley of the Queensland Boring
Company. which sunk the well, opened
the valve, and with every turn of the
wheel the thin stream thickened and
detected from its former perpendicular
course. Gradually the volume of
water increased and began TO roar
through the pipe almost like steam
blowing from a savety valve. Every
moment the sight became more inter-
esting. and when the valve was fully
opened it was a spectacle to wonder at.
Rushing from the bore and by its own
force ejecting itself for distance of
thirty feet in horizontal direction
came a column of water white rs milk
in appearance. In second or two it
churned up the sand before it into
coffee-colored mud.
This was the first singular thing
noticed, for the falling white torrent
driving before it, rs it seemed, the
brown mud produced whimsical
effect like the pouring of milk and
coffee into the same cup at the same
time. But this did not last long. In a
few moments little pond was formed,
which filled up until the level of the sur
rounding ground was reached, and
then there was seen at first rivulet,
and then a stream rushing down the
hillside. When it is said that this well
fills a 500-gallon tank in thirteen
seconds it can be readily understood
that all this did not take long. The
valve was next closed and the right
hand bend removed. On the second
opening of the valve there was wit
messed a spectacle at once beautiful
and majestic, and which was well
worth the long journey from Brisbane
to see. The water rose in n snowy
column like a stalagmite of wool to
height of thirty feet, and descended in
Kissing torrent so heavy and close as
to quite obscure the pipe itself. 1t was
a marvel of beauty, and picture that
will never be effaced from the mem-
cries of those who witnessed it.
Subsequently nozzle, one inch in
diameter, was attached to the pipe, and
when the water was turned on it as
cended in an even jet to a height of
nearly one hundred feet, returning to
earth in heavy shower, dissipating in
mist clouds through which the rain
bows played with an effect that was as
beautiful as it was wonderful. 1t
seemed that the visitors would never
tire of looking at it. They simply
stood and gazed, hardly saying a word.
for in the presence of this marvellous
phenomenon speech seemed poor and
commonplace, and the mind simply
gave itself up to childlike wonder
ment.-Ihe QUeenSldnder.