Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1899-12-13
Singular Natural Curiosity In Texas.

Ground and is the only place in
Texas, so far as known, where the
wind blows up and down in a regular
Irish gale. The hole Ii on The cattle
ranch belonging to Mr.. Claus Baum.
gartner, and close to the creek be-
tween high wooded bluffs. Peach
creek is really bayou, it's waters
level with the sea and running only
during freshet, caused by excessive
rains. High south or north winds
are the only ones that ruffle it's usual
placid surface.
But it does not matter how placid
the waters of Peach creek may be,
low straight and unbendlng the trees
on the high bluffs may stand or how
lazily the clouds drift through the
air, there is always a gale in this
Hole In the Ground. 1t blows and
roars and whistles and shrieks, as on.
ly hurricane can do in it's mad ca
reer.
The hole is costly affair to the
man who owns it. The low ground
on which it is situated is the only
place where his stock can get water
on the creek. It would be alright if
fence could be maintained around
the hole, but that cannot be done.
Whenever the wind veers to the east
everything above ground between the
bluffs is sucked into the hole, snap
ping the stnutest fence posts like pipe
stems, and snatchIng coils OF barbed
wire like they were but fimsy gossa-
mers.
At such times, horses, cattle and
sheep, that happen to be on the flat
are doomed. Strong horses caught
III the eddy Of the mysterious wind
are as helpless as flies caught in a
gale of wind. They plunge and leap
and struggle for a minute and then
they are pressed down, whirled around
a few times and go down never to be
seen again.
The hole is about 300 feet across
the top, with slantng sides. No one
has ever dared to go close enough to
be able to look down into it and see
what the bottom is like. The sounds
OF the wind vary from a hoarse roar
to keen whistling noise. The pre-
valing winds, except an east wind, do
not seem to affect it in any way, for
in calm and storm, rain or shine
night and day, winter or summer, it
puffs and sucks and whirls and eddies
to suit itself.
Twice in the memory Of man Peach
creek has overfowed it's banks high
enough to run into the hole. The
last time was during the general ov-
eraow last summer. The water rose
to a depth OF four feet ON the flat
where the hole is situated. For few
minutes the water would rush down
with gurgling sound, then the earth
seemed to hump itself fer a moment
and the next moment there was an
CAploSlN0 6Ounu dDu GIl0 "dIor WOulU
come up again in solid column 100
feet high. When the column broke
the waves rushed against the ada
cent bluffs and we're whipped into
foam. This was repeated ever min
ute or two until 5he water went back
into it's banks.
MIR. Baumgartner has been trying to
devise some way to do away with the
hole which is constant menace to
his stock, but so fas he has failed.
Some twenty ears ago the man who
then owned the land thought that the
wooded bluffs we're the cause, and he
denuded them of all the trees, but
that did not seem to have any effect.
Many Of the trees branches and all
we're tipped into the fiat below. The
first time the wind veered to the east
they were sucked into the hole by tho
whisting eddies and il they caused
any internal distress no sign OF it was