St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1890-05-17
A WONDERFUL WELL.
Il Throws . Fountain Of water . HI
drcd Feet Into the Air.

/ le Throws Fountain Of water . Hon.
drcd 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 railroad station, but in one Of
the most unlikely places that could
have been imagined. Who on earth
would have expected that this artesian
we'll, which is the best in the world, or
at all events yields the largest amount
OF water, was sunk on the top Of hum.
mock? Yet SO it is. The site was
chosen by the hydraulic engineer, J. Il.
Henderson, for reasons known only tc
himself, but. which have been amply in
stified.
Crossing the swampy nat leading to
this hummock, attention is drawn TO .
wide channel cut through the drift
sand, and it is explained that the out
flow Of water had done this ere the ap-
paratus for controlling it had been OBJ
tained. The bore itself looked harm
less enough kind Of thing. 1t might
havo been taken for a rather high stand
pipe placed in an idiotic position in the
bottom Of hole sixty or seventy yards
long, thirty broad and ten feet deep.
But a moments observation showed
that the Misunderstanding standpipe
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
mil nd s.1n hn
tiOns Of the derrick and threatened to
wreck the whole contrivance. II they
had not got a plug in it pretty soon, it
would have washed Charleville into tho
Warrego. On top Of the pipe there has
been fixed q right-angle bend, so that
the water can be turned in any direc.
ton.
When the visitors arrived at the borc
it was seen that the water was trickling
in tiny stream from this bend into the
thirsty sand below. but in few minutes
the scene was changed. Mr.. Woodley
Of the Queensland Boring Company.
which sunk the we'll, opened the valve.
and with every turn Of the wheel the
thin stream thickened and DETECTED
from it's former perpendicular course.
Gradually the volume of water increased
and began to roar through the pipe
almost like steam blowing from q safety
valve. Every moment the sight became
more interesting, and when the valve
was fully opened it was spectacle to
wonder at Rushing from the bore and
by its own force ejecting itself for dis
tance Of thirty feet in horizontal direc-
tion came . column Of water white as
milk In appearance. In second or two
it churned up the sand before it into
coffee-colored mud.
This was Tie first singular thing no
ticed, for tAe falling white torrent driv-
ing before AyaS il sesineSs, III brown
mud, produced . whimsical effect like
the pouring Of milk and cofiee into the
same cup But this did not last long
In very few moments little pond was
formed, which filled up until the level
Of the surrounding ground was reached.
and then there was seem at first riv-
ulet and then . stream rushing down
the hillside. When it is said that this
we'll filled . 400-gallon tank in thirteen
seconds it can he readily understood
that all this did not take long. The
valve was next closed and the right
angle bend removed. On the second
opening of the valve there was witnessed
a spectacle at once beautiful and ma jes-
tic. and which was worth the long journey
from Brisbane to see. The water rose
in a snowy column like a stalagmite OF
wool to height of thirty feet, and de-
scended in . kissing torrent SO heavy
and close rs to quite obscure the pipe
itself. 1t was marvel of beauty. and
a picture that will never be effaced
from the memories Of those who wit
messed 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 height OF |
nearly one hundred feet, returning to |
earth in q heavy shower. or dissipating |
in mist clouds through which the rain |
bows played with an effect that was as
beautiful as il was wonderful. Itseemed |
that the visitors would never tire of |
looking at it. They simply stood and
gazed, hardly saying word, for in the
presence of this marvellous phenomenon
speech seemed poor and commonplace.
and the mind simply gave itself up to
,hildlike observation-disclosures |