The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-04-23
Mr.. N0vOTNY's PUFFIN0 WE'LL.
Ought to Be Drawing . Salary From
the Weather Bureau.

Pogr TOWNSEND. April 22.-TSpeciai. T.
A peculiarly of nature in the form of .
chronometer well, capable of forecasting
the weather with the same precision and
accuracy as that OF the most delicate
mechanism now in use, exists in this city,
and is attracting much attention from
local amateur scientists. J. b. Novotny,
on his home in the Eisenber.'s addition.
last year sunk a well to the depth of
seventy feet. Not finding water, he aban-
doned the project. After going through
the surface soil = bed of solid dry cement
about fifty feet thick was penetrated. after
which a loose stratum Of very dry porous
sand was found. While digging
through the sand. Mr. Novotny says,
out through the sand, the current being
much greater On some occasions than at
other times.
the aperture was boarded over with
heavy planking. through which were one
or two Apgcr holes. A short time after
ward the family were startled 10 hear wind
whistling through the holes. This phe-
nomena continued for several months.
For days al time the noise would cease
and tNen suddenly start up again. Suisse
quently it was observed that just upon
the approach OF . storm the air came
from the Well with greater velocity.
force sufficient TO throw drop
of water into spray or blow
small pebble several inches from
the hole. This peculiar feature is exactly
reversed preceding fair weather. Finally
W. g. Godfrey. the city and county sur
yeyor. who has devoted considerable time
to The study Of scientific subjects. heard
of the well. and commenced experiment
ing. lie constructed q wooden box, open
a: both ends, through which the air
flowed. and which was fastened over one
of the auger holes In the box Was q
neatly constructed paddle oil pivot, that
swings IN the direction that the wind
blows. Fastened to the paddle was PEN
Gil, which marked piece OF
paper carried on cylinder which
was reyoived by clock-work. The in
geaioGs mechanism accurately registers the
force and direction of the asmospherical
current flowing in or out OF the We'll Each
day the paper is removed from the GYM
der and the uneven, ragged pencil marks
Indicate the force and variation OF
the air flowing in or out of the well, and
that shows the rise and ial OF the barosn-
eser or the variation of pressure Of exter-
nal atmosphere. For several weeks close
attention has been given 10 the well and
the machine. and every change OF the
weather has been accurately and quickly
determined by the pencil marks. Mr..
Godfrey SAYS that he IS fully convinced
that with proper mechanism atmospheric
changes could be more fully torecasted
than bY the mereuViaI baTometers. The
fl0w and ebo OF the tides, storms
OF wind or rain, or the variation
OF tame has no effect whatever on
the how OF the atmosphere from the
Well. Just preceding storm. when the
density ol the AR becomes lighter. the
force 81 wind fairy whistles through the
anger holes SIS ii escapes from the well.
\ barometer is 20 be used hereafter 10
cneck Gois5ey's machine and test the ac-
cugacy Of the supposed forecast. IL Is said
tha; :ajs - the girst wei kaown 20 develop
the qualities of mercaria! barometer and
c&ret9, scientific sia4y OF the subject IS
10 Re made.