The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-28
THIS is PHENOMENAL
Subtsrransan Current Of Cold Ak Under
Thompson Falls. =. r
NATURAL REFRIGERAroRs
It Is Supposed That this Remark
able Air Duct Finds Its ar
Source Under Some Hid.
den Terminal Moraine.

have been regions made famous by oil
wells; vast reservoirs of natural gas have
brought wealth and celebrity to other dis
tricts; hot springs have proved .bonanzas
to cities that else would have been OF lit
tie Importance; fountains OF mineral
water have densely populated TOWNS
whose only claim to greatness Las insthe
medicinal properties of this fluid. All
these conditions are matters. OF comrnon
knowledge and have become OF 20 fse-
quent occurrence as to excite no REMARK.
But 1t has remained for this town to shine
forth as an immense natural reyrigerator.
vast cold storage plant. Other fowns
have boosted Of their incQmparsble
natural resources, but no othes has ever
advanced this claim to the attention of
the world. 02N y1st II
The possibilities of this sremxrkable
natural cold blast system are great. II Is
only recently that any practical use has
been made of the vast store Of cold air
that has been known to exist In subter-
ranean chambers beneath thoutown, but
the experiments that have boon made
show that no ice is necessary in Thomp-
son Falls, and that the proceSs Of refrige-
ration is a very simple one here Already
meat dealers. hotel keepers and saloon
men are awaiting themselves. OFF the won-
derful phenomenon that is now bxeiting
scientific investigation. So far sns is
known there Is no parallel instance re-
corded, and nobody who has examined
the peculiar conditions has been able to
satisfactorily explain Them, ea5 .snsts
Whenever diggers penetrate, % feet be-
low the surface OF the earth here. they
strike q stratum of coarse gravel and
large boulders that averages - feet in
thickness. Through this stratum cur
rent of cold air pours in that can be con-
Quoted to rooms where GOLD storage 10
needed, and the temperature OF these
rooms kept below 50 degrees. Fahrenheit.
Recent experiments have demonstrated
the practicability of this utilization of the
cold air and the scheme is being generally
adopted. Above the townsite this phe-
nomenon is not observed, but in the town
and for at least five miles below ut exists
wherever a deep we'll has been dug
The existence of this peculiar under
ground air current was discovered some
time ago at the old Potter mill, i've miles
below town. To obtain water, o well was
sunk to the depth OF 20 feet. Atthe depth
stated above the layer of boulders and
gravel was encountered and thealow tenn
perature was observed, but no attention
was paid to it, In the fall. however. it was
found necessary to run q steam pipe along
the suction pipe to keep the latter, from
freezing. Then similar state of affairs
was discovered in town, and inv esftxation
disclosed the cause, as stated abovo
The we'll at the Allen hotel is6o feet
deep, it having been necessary 20. pene-
trate to that depth to reach q good water
supply. As in the well at the min. there
is a stratum of gravel, II feet thick be-
ginning % feet below the surface.
Through this layer, in which there are
many large boulders. the current OF cold
air comes and, even at this season of the
year, there is thick coating of ice inside
the we'll. 1t is only during the summer
months that a pump can be used, as il
freezes Immediately. Except inJ0 very
warm weather. q bucket has to be used
for drawing the water. -s@oasss
George Massey, proprietor of tbs Allen
hotel, has constructed q systeme of air
ducts from the well to his hotel and finds
that the results are more satisfactory
than the use of ice. The DIR conduits are
built of wood and vary in size according
to the degree of cold that IL desired and
the sine of the apartment to be cooled.
One air duct leads to the refrigerator In
the bar room, another to tho meat house
and smaller ones are used to regulate the
temperature of the dining room aud the
hall from which the sleeping rooms open.
When a STANDARD representative Wis
tied the hotel yesterday. a Thermometer
hanging in the shade out Of doors regis
tered 65 degrees. This was taken into
the meat house and in eight minutes had
fallen 30 degrees, registering IS degrees.
Mr.. Massey stated that the temperature
varies from that point to 81 degrees, but
never gets higher than IS. John Wilt
has similar system in his meat market
and it has also been introduced into
number of private residence. The cold
air emerges from these ducts with sufH-
cient force to blow . handkerchief out
straight when 1t IL held at the opening
from which the air enters the room. The
air is sweet and clean and has mono of
cellars and wells. 1t is apparently pure
aud must have it's source somewhere in
the outer atmosphere. poa SHii1af
At various points above this town efforts
have been made to find this stratum of
air-bearing gravel, but thus fer they, have
been unsuccessful. At buffalo" Clarke
ranch several shafts have been sunk for
exploration but no air has been struck.
Near the river the stratum Also siisap-
pears and it is not until q height of about
40 feet above the river ID reached, that It
is found In town. Every we'll in town,
above Main street has pierced the gravel
and possesses an air blast, and. for Ave
miles below town the Same conditions ex-
list. The current Of air seems to be in
no way affected by the sinking Of new
wells, as it is as cold and as strong ~
when first discovered. x.sssi ,s'ss.ess.sf
This phenomenon was FIRST observed at
the old Allen mill. one mile below town.
and soon afterward at the Potter mill
mentioned above. Since then the coun.
try has been thoroughly prospected, and
now this section 10 well provided with
natural refrigerators. No theory has yet
been advanced TO explain this curiosity
and local scientists are at aaloss to know
how TO account for it, Some have at
tempted to explain IL by assuming that
l. .s.t. - - -