The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-02-03
WONDERFUL WISCONSIN WELLS.
Strange Natural Phenomena That
Eclipse the Great Gcysers.

Strange Natural Phenomena That
Eclipse the Great Gcysers.
The great geysers of the west are NO
more wonderful phenomena than are
the ''blowing'' or ''whistling" wells in
Wisconsin.
These wells have been developed in
the northern part of the town of Eure-
ka and in the southern part of the town
of Sterling in Polk county, west Of Cum
berland. There are six of these phenom-
email wells, ranging in depth from 100
to 16O feet. Most remarkable of all is
one in Eureka. This well is 100 feet
deep and was dug Is years ago. The
first 20 feet is hardpan and the balance
gravel.
Before a storm the wind blows out of
this we'll with great force, making a
roaring sound that can be heard great
distance. This wind is so hot that water
placed over the we'll will boil. The cur
rent blows out only before a storm, and
the severity and duration Of the storm
is always in exact proportion to the
force of this current and it's duration
before the storm commences. 1t is,
reliable barometer, as it foretells
change from cold to hot, or vice versa,
with equal accuracy, but remains quiet
in settled weather, no matter what the
temperature. In winter a current of
air is drawn in before a change Of
weather, just as forcibly as it blows
| out in hot weather. This current of
air will freeze the water 100 feet from
the surface of the earth more quickly
| than it would at the surface, and
though many attempts have been made
to use pump in it, they have all failed,
and number Of pumps of different
makes have been destroyed by the water
freezing and bursting the cylinders and
pipes.
Some years ago a house was built
over this well, and a stove placed in it
so that it could be heated intensely hot,
but, strange as it may seem, this did not
prevent the water from freezing and
bursting pipes lis feet from the sur
face, and though there are but IS or 20
inches Of water in the well in winter,
ice freezes several inches In thickness
in spite of all preventives. Windmills
have been tried with the same disas-
trous results. A windlass and buckets
have also been tried, but the water
freezes over so thick in one night that
a heavy stone dropped from the surface
| will not break the ice. The temperature
at the bottom of this well is so much
| colder than it is at the surface that it is
extremely dangerous for anyone to ven-
ture into it. In winter the heavy DOWN
ward current before a storm or change
| of weather will cause the water to low
er, while in summer the outward cur
| rent causes the water to rise-some-
times Is Or 20 feet. The curbing in this
we'll is always dry and the water of good
quality.
The other five wells referred to,
| which resemble this in almost every
particular, are all located within tho
| radius of about one mile, and vary in
depth from about 100 to 100 feet. Some
of the characteristics are not so pro-
nounced as in the well described, while
| others are even more remarkable.
Within half a mile of these wells water
is obtained at a depth of from tent
thirty feet, and the wells exhibit mono
of these unusual or diabolical features.
Chicago Inter Ocean.