The Mystery of the Freezing Well
A farmer digging a well in Eastern Washington strikes a bizarre pocket of frozen earth that defies explanation.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Mr. J. C. Maya, a reliable farmer, reports the discovery of a strange 'cold well' about 45 miles west of the Snake River. While digging for water, the crew passed through 55 feet of ordinary soil before hitting a layer of frozen ground. Digging five feet deeper into this frozen strata, they encountered cavities from which cold air roared with such force that it could be heard 25 feet away. A bucket of water lowered into the well froze over in minutes, and the temperature was so intense that workers had to abandon the project. Even during a snowstorm, the air pressure from the well was strong enough to keep snow from reaching the bottom.
“The air came out with so much force as to prevent the snow from reaching the bottom.”
Stories of 'strange but true' natural phenomena were staples of frontier journalism, serving as a palate cleanser from the grim realities of economic struggles and racial exclusion prevalent in the same papers. While likely a localized geological oddity, these reports tapped into a sense of wonder about the untamed landscape of the Washington Territory.
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