The Kentucky Burning Well

From the Louisville Cotirmr-Jrmrnfil. Adit. 23. In connection with the receöt risit of the scieritists to this city, and the proaence of a number of thoBQ gentlemen ítill in oür midst, the existence of a great natural curiosity in this State is suggostod, whiöh has probably escapod their notico in their CiplOT-ations in Kentucky, and whioh will be of interest to them aa to other readers. Sonie six miles east of Crab Orchard1, in Liincaln county, there is a spring known as the " Burning VTell," situatea at tho very base of the Cumberland inotintains, and on the banks of a sniall stream oalled Dix river. The water in this woll is in a constant state of ebullition, and fogularly every dayj between 4 and 8 o'clock in thö afternoon, overflows. A. large quantity of gas is liberated, said to be carburet ed hydrogen gas, to which a light beiug applied, a flame, sometimes ten or fiftoen feet in height, resulta. The only poculiarly curious featute of this woll is the diurnal and infallibly regula? overflow, as there are soveral " burning wolls," so called, in this and Othor States.One gentleman, who professes to have devoted a good deal of time and attention the subject, explains this phenontenon ort the hypothesis thilt the rarefaction of the atmosphere caused by hoat relieves the atmospheric pressure upon the water upwards. This might be satisfactory, but that the phnnomenon ocgjirs soine twa bdurs subsequent to the time of average highest heat, and in the coldest months of winter, as in the hottest days of summeri always betwoen the hours meniioned. The phenomenon has been meütioned before, but oever with a satisfaötory explanation. A good story is told, by the way, apropos of this well. In the earlier part of the present century, when Kentucky, and especially the inoüntain (listricts werg but sparsely settled, a mart by the name of Hti niks ewned this portioii of Lincoln county in which the woll is situated. At that time all the salt used in thu Stato had to be broufjht from Louisville, or mported fïoiu "Virginia at a very large expense in those diiys oL stage coaches and ooveivil wagons. Mi". Khanks had cvidonce of salt on his land, and deteiniinod upon tryiii'i Whethei ho Miight not fiinl that conlmodity by boring in the Viciuity of Jus salt licks. Ho sunk two or thr;! sluifts, bilt ïliisuocessfully, when his Oeigbbora begau to laugH at 'Old Shanks's folly." He mindud not a whit their jeera, bilt swore that ho would sink one moro shaft if lie bored clean through into ln;ll. Sttfe enough, after boriitg to quito a depth, his drill feil through. th rilling" sliaft wiis blowri souie distailce into tllö iii: CsCaping gas, which ignited frotii á fire near by, and in an inde.HCribábly short space of time all the undorgrowth, the troes ïitütr by, and even the surface of the river itself, formed one broad sheet of flaine. Üil nowed out with the fjfaí, whioh accounted for the " river on firo." AU of this to the spectators was inoompiehensible, and a general stampodo froin the coittltry round about resultod. Old Shanks had been as good as his word. lle had bored cluan through into h'jll, and his neighbors fled as from a pestilence, leaving growing crops, houses, property of all sorts byhind in the general terror. Why does the well so ov.rtlow, and with suoh regülarity ? At any othor hour than between those mentuincüi, that the gas niay escapo it is ürst neeoasary to pump o'l' a largp portion of the superiiicUulbcnt Water. When this is dono tho regular overflow doiís uot ocour but when the well reinains undisturlxid through tlio dar the phenomenon is repeated Vith unffiiling n.gularity. Nor doos enongh gaa pcrcolate the water during any olher period of day to becomo ignited, although, ts is said, a slight but constant ebullitiou is ki'pt up bolow. Betwoon the? hours of 4 and ö the water becomes strongly agitated, ailil, ftér the lapso df a ie raoments, rises rapidly to tho lovel of the ground, a distance of sovural foot, and verflows; the gas is liberated at thu samo moment, and although tho experiment tías been ti'ied nearly every day for a numbor of years, bürns brightly, on being ignitod, to a distance of froin three to si feot, varying in steady continuance from half an hour to an hour and three quarters in duiation. All this is VoUched for by the guardián of the well, and by the noighbors and oecasional visitorsThe wufcor has a stfong saline taste, but singulavly enough, even after the surface has beon scemingly on fire for half an hour or more, it is as cold as before the overflow.