Freaks of Howard County (Ind.) Wells.

Freaks of Howard County (Ind.) Wells.

Our Kokomo correspondent writes: For several weeks a gas well on the farm of Wm. Neal, near Jerome, in the east end of Howard county, and belonging to the Jerome gas company, has been cutting queer capers. Owing to the tubing not being tight it has leaked until the gas has permeated acres of adjacent territory, and with it came an unusual flow of water noticeable in streams near by. The citizens of the little burg, having in mind the Shelbyville explosion of a year ago, became frightened, and while they were at church (they all go there) on last Sunday, the well, disregarding the day, let loose, tearing a great chasm in the earth near the well, sending clouds of earth In the air, and at the same time taking fire, the flames spreading over two or three acres of territory. In a few' minutes the well commenced throwing streams of water high in the air, and has so continued since. A river has mapped itself out across the prosperous acres of Wm. Neal (whose farm it is located on), while the adjacent farm wells are flooded, in some instances overrunning, while the villagers came home from church to find their gas pipes entirely empty. This state of affairs continues, while the gas company is bustling to have another well drilled.

A few weeks since a farmer came to fire headquarters of this city imploring the aid of the department to help him pump out a well, which he said had taken possession of his farm. Anxious for a little “recreation," Fire Engineer Garrigus went down with one of the steamers to the scene, three miles west of the city, and there on the farm of Anthony Vonderahe, found a well whose bottom seemed to be in a river. The well was an abandoned one which he had sought to deepen, and while in this effort the workmen struck a hole that spouted w'ater up like from a fire hydrant, nearly drowning the men before they could l»e raised to the surface. Putting the steamer to work at 8 o’clock, work was continued all that day, without avail, but getting a little more speed the bottom was found about io o’clock next day, although vigorous and steady work was required to keep the water below the men who were doing the w-allirtg. The flow was measured and found to he eight barrels per minute. The well is the only one of the kind in that part of the country, and is a valuable acquisition to the farm. At the last reports the well was still holding its own. The water is clear, pure and tasteless. This well and those recently dug in the city park go to prove the existence of an underground river running from southeast to northwest through the county.