The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-14

an outlet-though subteranean one to
| the gulf and can laugh TO derision the
ratings of the railroads.
! AS stated the large bucket was low
cred and when ii had been let down its
| usual length il was found that the
| bucket had not touched bottom.
More rope" yelled Austin, and it
| was given until all the rope in the shop
| was turned loose and still the man
! holding the rope cried out in the Ian
| guage of Mark Twain, mo. bottom"
THE bottom has fallen out was the
| unanimous verdict of all. IT was fin
ally decided to lower the drill, which
was done and at the depth of 1925 feet
| il stood on the bottom. This settled
one question, and that was that the bot
tom was there. The drill was raised
| again and the big sand bucket lowered
but when 1l25 feet of rope was let out
the bucket was still suspended in the
air as it was when 155 more feet Of rope
had been given the thing.
Every man took hold Of the rope read
lily acknowledged that the bucket was
not on the bottom. Different tests
were made with the same result and
that was, the sand bucket, notwith-
standing the fact that it had been given
155 feet more of rope than the drill was
yet far from the bottom
Some one suggested that probably
the bucket had gone astray at some
point passed which the weight of the
drill had carried the drill down the well
while proba bly, the bucket being light
er had gone off cavorting around in
one Of Doc Kelley's chimneys or in
other words a big cave.
The idea was accepted and the buck
ct was raised about thirty feet above
where the coal was found and let down
and at depth of 1125 feet it struck
bottom and brought up it's craw full of
debris. 1t was let down again and
again it went off in the great outlet
which is at least eighteen feet high and
leads in the direction of New Orleans.
AS before it found no bottom in this cav
ern and had 10 be brought up and low
cred in the right channel.
Today an electric light and a looking
glass will be placed at the top of the
well and a view will be taken and pho
tographed of the entire interior, if it
can possibly be done, and If this does
not work photograph will be taken
by Roentsen X rays.
There is one thing certain and that
is that this new cave, subterane can rail-
way or whatsoever it is, is no small
concern. 1t is at least eighteen feet
high and may be thousand miles in
length. There is no telling but what
it can be converted into a canal or a
railroad and If it only comes out at the
right places instead of at hades, as Doc
Kelly declares, Wichita will be on the
highway Of prosperity.
Think Of the small cost of lowering
few cargoes of grain, pottery, manu-
featured goods, etc, and by this natural
outlet landing them at seaport at a nom
inal cost. If this don't prove a sumner
to the railroad companies and let Wich-
tia into communication with the out
side world what can bring justice TO
her people.
OF course the Eagle will have more
to say Of this subteranean passage as
soon as new developments are had but
it goes to prove the old axiom 1.-The dark
est hour is just before day"
One short week ago the city had all
the Affections which could be heaped
upon a corporation by vindictive adj
ministration, but as these lines are pen
ned the clouds have cleared away, coal
has been found and an outlet TO some
where that may furnish a market for
the surplus products of the Nile of
America If this is not enough to
cause the cheerful Offering up of the
prodigal, what more could be asked.
The prodigal should be killed and the
long lost calf should be welcomed home.