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Show Old Town Well Now Spouting Gasoline No Leakage or Seepage Is Found in Checkup. TAYLOR, MISS. Threats of a gasoline shortage are not worrying citizens of this community since the old town well, after more than a century of loyal service as a thirst-quencher, thirst-quencher, suddenly began producing produc-ing gasoline. All efforts to explain the enigma have failed. First indications that all was not right with the old well came when an unmistakable odor of gasoline was noticeable. "Some boy playing a joke," residents said. But the gasoline odor kept getting stronger Mid stronger. A Negro was lowered into the well to investigate the trouble and the fumes were so strong that he was overcome. When he was revived, he reported gasoline was two feet deep in the eight-foot depth of water. wa-ter. It was decided to experiment further fur-ther by tossing a lighted match into the well. The result was an explosive ex-plosive roar and a tower of flame that surged high into the air. Buckets Buck-ets were lowered, and when brought to the surface, were filled with fire. Members of the state geological survey were summoned and after an investigation, they reported the fuel was seeping into the well from a nearby filling station. The filling station owner, however, said a three weeks' check on his tanks revealed no shortage. Once more the well was emptied and a thorough check was made on the walls of the 50-foot shaft. The second report declared there was no seepage of "gasoline or anything else" through the walls. "Whatever is in the well is either coming in from the top or bottom,"" Mpyor J. E. Walker said. |