The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-07-11
The SPRINGS OF DEATH.
THAT KILL INSTANTLY WITH
DEATHLY GAS.
An Appalling Phenomenon lately Dis
covered-Thc Fnmous Death valley
Completely Outdouc-Terribic stor-
les of Victims.

The people Of Central California are
worked up 20 a pitch of wild excited
ment over "a phenomenon that seems To
battle all explanation. Recently near
the banks of "A mountain stream that
runs at the foot of Mendocina mount
aims and which Is reached from the
town of Hapland by a much travelled
road running TO ukiah has suddenly
appeared a series of gcysers. the breath
OF which is death 20 every living and
human thing that inhalcs It's odors.
The springs as they might be called
gushed from the earth near the side OF
the road and suddenly rendered IL inn
passable. A little girl who was pass
ing by dropped dead when she came
within range of the odors. Hundreds
of birds and other animals lay lead i'm
profusion in the immediate vicinity.
When IA nan picked up the lifeless
body Of the girl he also fell
dead, and IL was then that
the character of the springs was dis
covered. The only thing peculiarly
noticeable about the spring from a dis
lance is the loud kissing sound IL makes
as IL gushes out of the gravelly soil.
1t sounds more like boiling water with
occasional jets of steam escaping thar
il does like the ordinary purling of "A
stream. Approach IL and you will be
startled, TO see lying around the spring
the skeletons of hundreds of birds.
scores of small animals such as coons,
foxes and the like, and nearly always
there will be a body or two of birds or
animals in "a more or less advanced
stage of decomposition near the edge
of the spring. IL a man Is wise he will
be content with an inspection of the
unattractive spot from "A distance, more
especially IL there happens TO be the
carcass of a steer lying by the side of
il with the nose an inch or two from
the water. There rises constantly
from the spring a gas 81 noxious and
so deadly that one Whit of il is suffi-
cient 20 ~extinguish life.
The terrible character of the spring is
now well known To an who reside in
the neighborhood and they tell some
horrible stories concerning IL. The
other day the little 6-ycar-old daugh-
ter OF "A farmer living near the spring
wandered away from home. It's alb
sencc was not noticed for an hour or
two and then the parents went in
search OF their child. They found her
lying dead beside the spring with "A lit
tie dead bird clutchcd in her hand.
She had evidently seen the bird lying
beside the spring and. being attracted
by the bright colors OF its plumage, had
tried to pick it up and in so doing hao
inhaled the gas rising from the water
and died with the bird.
The following day "A squaw. who was
supposed 90 be recovering from a spree
wandered down by one Of the springs
She probably started TO the river TO get
a drink, when She discovered the spring
and knelt beside IL. dying in that posi-
ton. The strangcst thing about IL |,
that, well known as is the deadly char
acter of the spring, there is yet abso
lutcly no warning posted no fence
around IL nor protection against IL 81
any kind. Last week "A vcnturesoms
man held his breath and nostrils and
leaned over the spring To hear the noiss
IL made, which he described as some
thing terrible. The water is though
10 be comparatively wholesome, bu'
nothing is known positively about IL
There can be no doubt, however, tina
the spring Is certain and instant dealt
10 every living thing insect, ANNA
and human-that approaches 1t.
The place Is visited daily by hundred
of people daily who come a-foot and IN
carriages. They always remain at
respectful distance, though. Some rude
stones with unreadable hicroglyphicl
are in close proximity. and IL is though
that an ancient burying ground is tn
cause Of the gas.