Miscellanies. 185 



The well is situated in the highway, about one mile northwest of the 

 village of Owego, in the town and county of Tioga. There is no other 

 well on that table of land, nor within sixty or eighty rods, and none that 

 presents the same phenomenon. In the excavation, no rock or slate was 

 thrown up, and the water is never affected by freshets, and is what is 

 usually denominated " hard," or limestone water. A lighted candle 

 being let down, the flame became agitated and thrown in one direc- 

 tion at the depth of thirty feet, but was quite still, and soon extinguished 

 at the bottom. Feathers, down, or any light substance, when thrown in, 

 sink with a rapid and accelerated motion. 



The above facts may be relied upon as entirely correct, and a solution 

 of the mystery is respectfully requested, by 



Your obedient servant, 



D. O. Macomber. 

 Owego, Feb. 26th, 1839, N. Lat. 42° 10'. 



Remarks. — We wish it were in our power to solve this interesting and 

 difficult problem. 



At the depth of more than sixty feet, the water ought not to freeze at 

 all, as it should have nearly the same temperature of that film of the 

 earth's crust, which is at this place, affected by atmospheric variations, 

 and solar influence, being of course not far from the medium temperature 

 of the climate. Could we suppose that compressed gases, or a greatly com- 

 pressed atmosphere were escaping from the water, or near it, this would 

 indicate a source of cold ; but as there is no such indication in the water, 

 we cannot avail ourselves of this explanation, unless we were to suppose 

 that the escape of compressed gas takes place deep in the earth, in the 

 vicinity of the well and in proximity to the water that supplies it. Per- 

 haps this view is countenanced by the blowing of the candle at the depth 

 of thirty feet, blowing it to one side, thus indicating a jet of gas which 

 might rise from the water as low as at its source, and even if it were 

 carbonic acid, it might not extinguish the candle, while descending, as 

 the gas would be much diluted by common air; and still in the progress 

 of time, an accumulation of carbonic acid gas might take place at the 

 surface of the water sufficient to extinguish a candle. 



We would recommend that a bottle of water be let down, and by 

 means of a string so affixed as to empty the water, and of course to col- 

 lect the air both at the jet and at the surface of the water. It should 

 then be examined by lime-water and by other well known methods. As 

 the water is impregnated with carbonate of lime, this appears to indicate 

 a source from which the carbonic acid gas (if such it be) is derived, and 

 it may be forced into cavities as it is extricated until it is condensed to 

 such a degree as to escape from its prison, and in expanding it may pos- 

 sibly produce the requisite cold. 



Vol. XXXVI, No. 1.— Jan.-April, 1839. 24 



