DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

BULLETIN

OF THE

UNITED STATES

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

KTo. 138

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PBINTING.OFFIOE

1896

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SUEVEY

CHAKLES D. WALCOTT, DIBECTOK

ARTESIAN WELL PROSPECTS

IN THE

ATLANTIC COASTAL PLAIN BEGION

NELSON HOEATIO DAETON

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1896

CONTENTS.

Page.

Letter of transmittal ....................................................... 15

Introductory................................................................ 17

General geologic structure of the Atlantic Coastal Plain region............... 18

Some conditions affecting subterranean -waters in the Coastal Plain........... 19

New York................................................................... 22

Long Island ..^........................................................... 23

General geologic relations............................................... 23

Wells of Long Island.................................................... 23

List of deep wells on Long Island.................................... 24

Notes on Long Island wells.......................................... 26

Brooklyn city water department................................ 26

Woodhaven......................................'............... 31

Barnum Island.................................................. 32

Fenhurst ...'.................................................... 33

Calvary Cemetery............................................... 34

Nassau Gas Works, Williamsburg................................ 34

Jericho......................................................... 35

Port Eaton ..................................................... 35

Water horizons and well prospects on Long Island....................... 36

Staten Island ............................................................. 37

New York City............................................................ 38

List of wells in New York City....................................... 38

Southern New Jersey........................................................ 39

General geologic relations....................................;.......... 39

Characteristics of the formations........................................ 40

Earitan formation................................................... 40

Matawan formation ................................................. 40

Navesinkformation ................................................. 40

Redbank formation.................................... .............. 41

Eancocas formation ................................................. 41

Manasquan formation ............................................... 41

Shark River formation .............................................. 41

Chesapeake formation............................................... 41

Wells in southern New Jersey ........................................... 42

List of deep wells in the Coastal Plain region of New Jersey.......... 42

Notes on the wells of southern New Jersey........................... 48

Absecon .....................1.................................. 48

Asbury Park.................................................... 49

Atlantic City..............................................'...... 49

Atlantic Highlands.............................................. 51

-Barnegat°Landing............................... ................ 51

Bayhead........................................................ 51

Bayside......................................................... 52

5
6 . CONTENTS.

Southern New Jersey Continued. Page. 

Wells in southern New Jersey Continued.

Notes on the wells uf southern New Jersey Continued.

Beach Haven.................................................... 52

Berkeley Arms.................................................. 53

Bordentowu .................................................... 53

Bridgeton....................................................... 54

Brigantine...................................................... 54

Burlington..................................................... 54

 Camden......................................................... 55

Cape May City.................................................. 57

Cape May Point................................................. 57

Cinnaminson.................................................... 57

Clay ton......................................................... 57

Collingswood ................................................... 58

Columhus....................................................... 58

Delair.......................................................... 59

Fellowship................................ ............*.......... 59

Fifields, Great Egg Harbor Bay.................................. 60

Freehold........................................................ GO

Gihhsboro ...................................................... 62

Glassboro....................................................... 62

Gloucester...................................................... 62

Great Sedge Island, Barnegat Bay............................... 63

Greenwich ...................... 1............................. I.. 64

Harrisonville ................................................... 65

Harrisia ........................................................ 65

Hartford........................................................ 66

Hightstown..................................................... 66

Holmdel........................................................ 67

Jamesburg...................................................... 67

Key East .......;................................................ 68

Keyport ....'......................-............................. 68

Lake Como ..................................................... 69

Lakewood .............. .... .................................... 69

Longpprt....................................................... 70

Magnolia Station........................'........................ 70

Mantoloking.........................................«.......... 70

Maple Shade.......... .....-..................................:. 70

Marlton region................... 1.............................. 71

Matawan....................................................... 73

Mays Landing................................................... 73 

Mechesatankin Creek............................................ 74

Medford ........................................................ 74

Millville........................................................ 75

Monmouth Beach ..................... .......................... 75

Monmouth Park ................................................ 75

Moorestown..................................................... 75

Mount Ephraim............... '. ................................. 76

Mount Holly.................................................... 76

Mullica Hill.................................................... 77

Ocean Beach.................................. ...^.... .......... 77

Ocean City................................................."..... 77

Ocean Grove .............. ...................................... 79

Pavonia......................................................... 81
CONTENTS. 7

Southern New Jersey Continued. Page. 

Wells in southern New Jersey Continued.

Notes on the wells of southern New Jersey Continued.

Perth Aniboy.................................................... 81

Pitman Grove................................................... 81

Pleasant Mills .................................................. 82

Point Pleasant.................................................. 82

Port Moninouth...... ........................................... 83

Port Norris ..................................................... 83

Port Kepublic .................. ...^........................... 83

Quinton ........................................................ 83

Rancocas ....................................................... 84

Red Bank............................... 1....................... 84

Kichwood .. 2 ................................................... 85

Riverside....................................................... 85

Kivertou.............................................. .......... 86

Rumson Neck................................................... 86

Sayreville...................................................... 86

Seabright....................................................... 86

Sea Girt ....................................................... 87

Sea Island City ................................................. 87

Seven Islands, in Great Bay..'................._................. 88

Sewell.......................................................... 89

Shrewsbury..................................................... 90

South Amboy................................................... 90

South Beach Haven.............................................. 90

Spring Lake ...................... .............................. 90

Stockton ....................................................... 90

Straight Creek.................................................. 91

Trenton ....................................................... 91

Vinelaud ....................................................... 91

Waretown...................................................... 91

Wenon ah....................................................... 92

West Creek...........:.............................. ........... 92

Weymouth................ .......... ............................ 93

Wildwood...................................................... 94

Winslow ....................................................... 95

Woodbury...................................................... 96

Woodstown..................................................... 97

Water-bearing horizons in southern New Jersey ......................... 98

Lower Cretaceous horizons.......................................... 98

Basal Raritan................................................... 99

Beds in the Raritan formation .................................. 100

Base of the Matawan formation................................. 101

Beds in the Matawan formation ................................. 102

Upper Cretaceous horizons .......................................... 103

Under the Lower Marl.......................................... 104

In Redbank formation .......................................... 104

Chesapeake horizons................................................ 105

Post-Chesapeake horizons........................................... 108

Well prospects in the various counties of southern New Jersey........... 108

Atlantic County .................................................... 108

Cape May County................................................... 108

Eastern Cumberland County ........................................ 109

Eastern Burlington County.......................................... 109
8 CONTENDS.

Southern New Jersey Continued. Page. 

Well prospects in the various counties of southern New Jersey Cont'd.

Southern and eastern Ocean County .................................. 109

Monmouth County..................................................... 110

Eastern Middlesex County .......................................... Ill

Eastern Mercer County ............................................... Ill

Western Burlington County......................................... 112

Western Camden County............................................ 113

Gloucester County................................................... 114

Salem County............./.......................................... 114

Western Cumberland County........................................ 114

Pennsylvania............................................................... 115

Philadelphia region.........'........................-........-.-.....-.... 115

List of wells in the Philadelphia region............................. 115

Notes on some wells in Philadelphia................................. 116

Delaware................................................................... 117

Geologic relations..................'..................................... 117

Characteristics of the formations........................................ 118

Raritan and Potomac formations .................................... 118

Cretaceous marl series .............................................. 118

Pamunkey formation................................................ 119

Chesapeake formation............................................... 119

Columbia formation .................................................. 119

Deep wells in Delaware..........'....................................... 119

List of deep wells in Delaware...................................... 119

Descriptive notes on wells in Delaware.............................. 120

Middletown..................................................... 120

Farnhurst ...................................................... 121

Dover .......................................................... 121

Clayton ........................................................ 122

Milford......................................................... 122

Mahon River.................................................... 122

Kitts Hummock................................................. 122

Lewes.......................................................... 123

Wilmington .................................................... 123

Water horizons in Delaware............................................. 123

Well prospects in Delaware ............................................. 124

Maryland............,.....................................'..........:...... 124

Geologic relations....................................................... 124

Potomac formation............,...................................... 125

Magothy formation ................................................. 125

Severn formation .................................................... 125

Pamunkey formation................................................ 125

Chesapeake formation............................................... 126

Lafayette formation................................................. 126

Columbia formation................................................. 126

Wells in Maryland........................ ............................... 126

List of deep wells in Maryland...................................... 127

Descriptive notes on wells............................................ 128

Crisfield.................................... .................... 128

Salisbury....................................................... 131

Cambridge...................................................... 132

Federalsburg ................................................... 132

Denton ......................................................... 132

Claiborne........................................................ 132
CONTENTS. 9

Maryland Continued. Page. 

Wells in Maryland Continued.

Descriptive notes on "wells Continued.

Ocean City...... .........................\...................... 132

Easton............................ ............................. 133

Miles River Neck.............................-.,,....,.,......... 133

Centerville .................................... ...................... 133

Bay Ridge......................,.,....,........,.,...'.......... 133

Hawkins Point.................................................. 133

Bowie .......................................................... 133

Marlboro .......................................................... 134

Indian Head .................................. s.................. 134

Laurel............................................................ 135

Solomons Island.....................1........................... 136

St. Mary County................................................. 136

Chapel Point.............. ...................................... 136

The Baltimore region ..................................................... 136

Geology of Baltimore .................................................... 136

List of deep wells in Baltimore...................................... 137

Water horizons, wells, and well prospects in the Baltimore region.......... 142

Canton.......................................................... 142

Southern Baltimore, from Canton to the basin..................... 144

Region between the basin and harbor and the Middle Branch.... 145

Region from Brooklyn to Curtis Bay............................. 147

Region southeast of Canton to Sparrow Point..................... 147

Northeastern Baltimore.......................................... 147

Western part of Baltimore ....................................... 148

The water horizons of Maryland.......................................... 148

Prospects for counties in eastern and southern Maryland................. 150

Anne Arundel County ............................................... 150

Calvert County...................................................... 150

St. Mary County .................................................... 151

Charles County..................................................... 151

Prince George County............................................... 151

Harford County.................................^................... 152

Ceci 1 County............................... T ......................... 152

Kent County................................... T ...................... 153

Queen Anne County.................................................. 153

Talbot County ........................................................ 153

Caroline County ......................................1................ 154

Dorchester County.................................................... 154

Wicomico County................................................... 154

Somerset County.................................................... 154

Worcester County................................................... 154

District of Columbia........................................................ 155

Geologic relations........................................................ 155

Deep wells in the District of Columbia........................ A........ 156

List of deep wells in the District of Columbia....................... 156

Notes on wells in the District of Columbia............................... 157

Insane Asylum ......................................,....._..,.,.,.... 157

Metropolitan Railroad power house............................... 157

 Hygienic Ice Works.............................................. 157

National Capital Brewing Company.............................. 158

Eckington ...................................................... 158

Reform School .................................................. 159
10 CONTENTS.

District of Columbia Continued. Page. 

Deep wells in the District of Columbia Continued.

Notes on wells in the District of Columbia Continued.

Palais Eoyal.................................................... 159

Lafayette Square Opera House .................................. 160

Mount Vernon Apartment House ................................ 160

North Tacoma Hotel ............................................ 160

The Cairo................................................. ...... 160

Good Hope...................................................... 160

Highland....................................... ................ 160

Water horizons and prospects in the District of Columbia................ 160

Virginia...............:.....................-.............................. 162

Geologic relations....................................................... 162

Potomac formation.................................................. 162

Pamunkey formation................................................ 163

Chesapeake formation..........................;.................... 163

Lafayette formation................................................. 164

Columbia formation................................................. 164

Wells in eastern Virginia................................................ 164

List of deep wells in eastern Virginia.. ....... ...................... 165

Descriptive notes on wells in eastern Virginia ....................... 167

Fort Monroe .................................................... 167

North End Point................................................ 171

Lamberts Point.................................................. 172

Norfolk.................-......................:................. 173

Newport News .................................................. 173

Onancock....................................................... 173

Williamsburg................................................... 173

Homewood ..................................................... 174

Jamestown ..................................................... 174

White House.................................................... 174

Lester Manor ................................................... 174

Wells along the Mattapony and York rivers...................... 174

Wells along the Eappahannock Eiver............................. 175

Dymer Creek ................................................... 176

Lancaster...'.................................................... 176

Wells along the Potomac Eiver.................................. 177

Eichmond ....................................................... 178

Ashland ........................................................ 179

Bothwell ....................................................... 179

Arringdale....................................................... 179

Courtland ...................................................... 179

Franklin ....................................................... 179

Zuni.................................. .......................... 179

Mount Carmel Church........................................... 179

Dendron........................................................ 179

Swan Point..................................................... 179

Water horizons in eastern Virginia...................................... 180

Potomac............................................................ 180

Pamunkey.......................................................... 181

Chesapeake......................................................... 181

Well prospects, by counties.............................................. 183

Alexandria County............-...-..:......-................-...... 183

Fairfax County...................................................... 183

Prince William County.............................................. 184
CONTENTS. 11,

Virginia Continued. Page..! 

Well prospects, "by counties Continued.

Stafford Comity..................................................... 184

King George County................................................. 184

Westmorelancl County............................................... 184

Richmond County................................................... 185

Northumberland and Lancaster counties............................. 185

Spottsylvania County............................................... 185

Caroline County ...................................................... 185

Essex County....................................................... 185

Middlesex County .................................................. 185

King and Queen County................................... ; ......... 186

King William County............................................... 186

Gloucester County .................................................. 186

Mathew County..................................................... 186

Eastern Hanover County............................................ 186

New Kent County................................................... 187

Charles City County ................................................ 187

James City County.................................................. 187

York and Warwick counties......................................... 187

Elizabeth City County.............................................. 188

Norfolk County..................................................... 188

Princess Anne County............................................... 188

Accomac and Northampton counties................................. . 188

Eastern Henrico County ......................................."..... 189

Eastern Chesterfield County......................................... 189

Prince George and Sussex counties................................... 189

Surry County....................................................... 189

Isleof Wight County...... .......................................... ' 190

Southampton County................................................ 190

Nansemond County.................................................. 190

North Caroli na.............................................................. 190

Geologic features ....................................................... 190

List of deep wells in the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina...... 191

Notes on wells and prospects, by counties............................ 192

Pasquotank County.............................................. 192

Northampton and Halifax counties............................... 193

Gates and Hertford counties..................................... 193

Chowan County................................................. 193

Bertie County.................................................... 194

Martin County.......................i.......................... 195

Beaufort County................................................ 195

Washington and Tyrrell counties................................ 196

Dare County.................................................... 197

Hyde County ................... ............................... 197

Craven County.................................................. 199

Pamlico County ................................................ 199

Carteret County ................................................. 200

Jones County..................................................... 200

Sampson County................................................ 200

Onslow County ................................................. 200

Edgecomb County ................................-.....:....... 201

Greene County.................................................. 201

PittCounty......................... ............................ 201

Wilson County.................................................. 202
12 CONTENTS.

North Carolina Continued. Page. 

Geological features Continued.

Notes on wells and prospects, by counties Continued;.

Wayne County.................................................. 202

Lenoir County.................................................. 203

Duplin County.................................................. 204

Ponder County.................................................. 204

Cumberland County.............................................. 205

Bladen County.................................................. 205

Robeson and Richmond counties................................ 205

Columbus County............................................... 206

Brunswick County.............................................. 206

New Hanover County ........................................... 206

South Carolina.............................................................. 207

Geologic relations....................................................... 207

Potomac formation.................................................. 208

Marine Cretaceous.................................................. 209

Eocene ............................................................. 209

Miocene............................................................ 209

Lafayette formation ................................................ 209

Columbia formation................................................. 210

Wells in South Carolina................................................. 210

List of deep wells in eastern and southern South Carolina............ 210

Notes on South Carolina wells....................................... 211

"Charleston...................................................... 212

Ashepoo Phosphate Company.................................... 214

Edisto Phosphate Company ..................................... 214

Stono Phosphate Company ...................................... 214

Sineaths Station................................................ 215

Johns Island Ferry.............................................. 215

Bulow phosphate mine, St. Andrews Parish...................... 216

Grahamville.................................................... 216

Mays River ..................................................... 216

Port Royal...................................................... 216

Beaufort........................................................ 217

Florence........................................................ 218

Marion ......................................................... 219

Darlington ..................................................... 219

Lake City ...................................................... 219

Conway ........................................................ 220

Aiken .......................................................... 220

'Orangeburg..................................................... 220

Barnberg ....................................................... 221

Water horizons and prospects in South Carolina......................... 221

Eastern Georgia ............................................................ 222

List of deep wells in eastern Georgia................................ 222

Notes on wells in eastern Georgia ................................... 223

Savannah....................................................... 223

Lumber City.................................................... 224

Index ...................................................................... 225
ILLUSTRATIONS.

PLATE I. Areas underlain by Lower Cretaceous water horizons in New Jersey. 40

II. Areas underlain by Upper Cretaceous and Chesapeake water hori-

, zons in New Jersey............................................ 44

III. Sections across southern New Jersey............................... 48

IV. Columnar section of artesian wells at Atlantic City, N. J.......... 62

V. The Coastal Plain region of Maryland and Delaware, showing relations of underground waters................................... 118

VI. Sections, Maryland and Delaware.... .................. ........^.. 122

VII. Map of Baltimore region, illustrating features of underground

waters......................................................... 136

VIII. Sections, Baltimore region........................................ 142

I.. Potornac gravels on crystalline rocks, North Charles street, Baltimore ; looking north........................................... 146

X. Severn clays on Magothy sands, shore of Chesapeake Bay, 1 mile

north of Grove Point, Cecil County, Md.; looking east......... 152

XI. Potomac gravelly sands on crystalline rocks, Quarry road, near

Zoological Park, Washington, D, C.; looking north............. 154

XII. Arkosic sands of Potomac formation, Sixteenth street, just north of

Florida avenue, Washington, D. C.; looking east............... 156

XIII. Map of a portion of the District of Columbia, illustrating features

of underground waters......................................... 158

XIV. Sections, District of Columbia.................................... 160

XV. Map of eastern Virginia, showing distribution of underground

waters......................................................... 162

XVI. Sections, eastern Virginia........................................ 174

XVII. Portions of South Carolina and Georgia, showing location of deep

wells.......................................................... 208

XVIII. Sections, eastern South Carolina.................................. 212

XIX.. Columnar section of well at Charleston, S. C...................... ' 216

FIG. 1. Section across the Atlantic Coastal Plain from west to east........... 18

2. Ideal sections illustrating certain general conditions affecting underground waters..................................................... 20

3. Ideal sections illustrating certain special conditions affecting well

prospects ......................................................... 21

4. Ideal section illustrating water-bearing beds in channels............. 21

5. Ideal section illustrating the occurrence of local clay strata in gravels

and sands......................................................... 22

6. Ideal section illustrating water-bearing beds intercepted by a valley.. 22

7. Cross section of the western end of Long Island...................... 23

8. Cross section of eastern North Carolina.............................. 194

13

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY,

Washington, D. C., July 29,1895.

SIR : I have the honor to submit herewith my report on "Artesian 

well prospects in the Atlantic Coastal Plain region," which is offered 

for publication as a bulletin of the Survey. 

Very respectfully,

K H. BARTON,

Assistant Geologist. 

Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT,

Director United States Geological Survey.

15
L
ARTESIAN WELL PROSPECTS IN THE ATLANTIC 

COASTAL PLAIN REGION.

BY N. H. DARTON.

INTRODUCTORY.

In the Coastal Plain region of the Atlantic Slope there are no large 

supplies of potable surface water. The great rivers which traverse the 

region are either tidal estuaries or are widely bordered by swamps, and 

the water of their local branches is often of bad quality. The cities, 

situated at intervals along the western margin of the region, obtain a 

plentiful supply of excellent water from the rivers in the highlands to 

the west, but out on the Coastal Plain surface waters are mainly used. 

Malarial diseases prevail in varying degree over the greater part of 

the region, and as medical opinion is largely agreed that these diseases 

are taken into the system in drinking waters, the hygienic importance 

of pure water is very great.

Fortunately the region has a geologic structure particularly favorable 

to the accumulation and flowage of underground waters, and many 

streams of pure water are known to exist at moderate depths. These 

have been tapped by numerous wells, and water supplies of the very 

greatest economic and hygienic value have been obtained. The cities 

of Brooklyn, Charleston, and Savannah have wells which yield millions of gallons per day, and there are several hundred wells which 

supply smaller settlements and individuals.

During the past six years I have been engaged in a study of the 

Coastal Plain region, mainly its central portion, and have given special 

attention to the question of subterranean waters. Lately my observations have been extended to Long Island on the north and to eastern 

Georgia on the south. Although my special investigation of subterranean waters is not far advanced, it is thought that a preliminary 

Bull. 138 2 . n
18 AKTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

report would in a measure meet the great demand that exists for information as to well prospects and the general relations of the water 

horizons.

Notwithstanding the fairly large number of wells, the information 

is meager for many portions of the region. Few of the well records in 

the southern portion of the area and on Long Island are sufficiently 

definite to fully indicate the geologic relations of the water horizons 

and their associates, but some general features are quite clearly indicated. In New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia there are many wells, 

and the geology is so relatively plain that it has been possible to definitely determine the position of many of the water-bearing horizons 

and to predict water almost everywhere with a fair degree of certainty.

GENERAL GEOLOGIC STRUCTURE OF THE ATLANTIC 

COASTAL PLAIN REGION.

It is proposed to give under this heading a brief outline of the general geologic features of the region in order that the relations of the 

water-bearing strata may be clearly understood. More detailed descriptions of local features will be given in subsequent chapters.

The Coastal Plain is a geographic province which extends along the

FIG. 1. Section across the Atlantic Coastal Plain from west to east.

eastern margin- of the Atlantic Slope from Long Island to Florida, Its

width averages about 100 miles, exclusive of a submerged seaward 

extension out under the Atlantic Ocean. The surface is in greater 

part smooth or gently rolling, and westward it slopes up gradually to 

altitudes of from 300 to 400 feet in the Northern States and to heights 

somewhat greater toward the south. It is deeply intersected by bays 

and long, narrow tidal estuaries of rivers, which are surrounded by 

low lands near the ocean, but are flanked by moderately high plateaus 

and hills as the country rises inland.

The region is underlain by a series of great sheets of unconsolidate'l 

deposits, consisting mainly of sands, clays, and marls, which lie on an 

east-sloping floor of older rocks, predominantly granite and gneiss. 

These deposits constitute a great flat wedge, inclined to the east and 

southeast, and presenting its thin edge to the west and northwest. 

The underlying rocks emerge at the surface along a line which passes 

from New York city through Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington,
DARTON.] CONDITIONS AFFECTING WATERS. 19'

Eichmond, Weldon, and Columbia to Augusta, Ga., arid thence through' 

central Georgia and Alabama, and they extend westward up the gentle 

slope of the Piedmont plateau to the base of the Appalachians. To 

the east the crystalline floor sinks to a great depth, and it is about 

2,000 feet below the surface along the ocean shore south from KewJersey. In fig. 1 a typical cross section of the Coastal Plain province 

is given.

The sedimentary deposits are a succession of widely extended sheets 

which usually thicken to the east and dip gradually to the east and 

southeast. In their usual relations they comprise alternating beds 

of coarse and fine deposits, of which the coarse materials are waterbearing and the fine materials, on account of their relatively impervious 

nature, serve to confine the waters in the coarse beds. The eastward 

inclination of the beds determines the direction of flow, and as the 

watersheds or surface outcrops are iu the higher lands to the west, the 

waters often- have sufficient pressure to rise above the surface from 

wells in the lower lands.

On the floor of crystalline rocks there appears to be an almost general occurrence of coarse water-bearing beds which are overlain by 

clays and fine sands. At various intervals above there are other coarse 

beds of greater or less extent containing water supplies for deep wells. 

The order and thickness of the beds vary in the different portions of 

the region, and present local features which will be described in the 

several chapters that follow this general introduction.

SOME CONDITIONS AFFECTING SUBTERRANEAN WATERS 

IN THE COASTAL PLAIN.

Before proceeding to the well records and to a consideration of their 

significance it may be well to point out some conditions which affect the 

occurrence of subterranean waters. I shall notice only a few points 

here, and those who are interested in a more extended discussion 

should read the paper by Prof. T. C. Chamberlin, entitled "The requisite and qualifying conditions of artesian wells." 1

The simplest condition of underground waters is shown in section 1 

of fig. 2. The water enters the coarse stratum at its outcrop over the 

belt, AA, and flows down the dip, being confined to the coarse stratum 

by impervious materials above and below. When it is tapped at B it 

rises to a level approximately as high as AA. On the Coastal Plain 

there are probably several qualifying conditions of greater or less 

importance. The first is shown in section 2 of the figure. This represents a diminution in the coarseness of the materials down the slope, 

until finally the bed becomes so fine-grained as to be impervious to the 

water. Under this condition a well at 0 would afford water, but one

1 Fifth Ann. Kept. U. S. Geol. Survey, pp. 125-174, 1885.
20 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

at D would not. In case this fining of materials was mainly in irregular . beds or in local areas, the districts underlain by water would be 

restricted to the areas of coarse materials.

This relation is probable throughout the Coastal Plain, for the old 

shore of the deposits was near A, and the fineness of materials increases 

offshore in most if not all of the formations. Beds which contain much 

water to the westward sometimes prove to be entirely fine-grained and 

barren of water to the east and southeast.

A third condition, which is quite widespread in Virginia from 

Fredericksburg southward, is shown in section 3. This represents an

<. S ' * \ 1 *^\ I \ f^^^^-^-F'fcfci W ' '_! M J _ ^ 'n^~ - - '- .-rr ~~:-^^^^^^^: ._. 

PIG. 2. Ideal sections illustrating certain general conditions affecting underground waters.

overlap of flue materials. across the catchment outcrop of the coarse 

beds, and this relation probably greatly diminishes the amount of water 

in the permeable bed. In Virginia the Pamunkey and Potomac formations are overlapped in this way by the clays of the Chesapeake 

and the loams of the Lafayette and the Columbia, and although they 

are more or less widely bared of these deposits in the river depres 

sions, their water supplies are cut off for considerable widths on the 

divides.

Section 2 is introduced to illustrate the reason why some of the beds 

to the westward which hold water have not yielded or possibly may not 

yield water to the eastward.

Section 3 has a somewhat similar practical bearing, but beds which 

are widely overlapped by impermeable deposits in one part of the
DAHTON.] LOCAL CONDITIONS AFFECTING WELLS. 21

region are often widely bared in other areas and receive ample water 

supply diagonally down the dip.

There are many local conditions that affect individual wells or small 

areas which should be illustrated here, for they are often referred to in 

the following pages. They are represented in the sections in fig. 3.

SECTION /.

SECTION 2.

FIG. 3. Ideal sections illustrating certain special conditions affecting well prospects.

Section 1 represents a gravel bed merging into clay or fine sand in a 

circumscribed area. Wells at B and C, and probably at D, would find 

water-bearing gravels on the crystalline rock floor, whereas at A there 

would be clays all the way down and no water would be obtained. In 

some cases at A the gravels might continue, but with a clay matrix 

which excludes the water.

FIG. 4. Ideal section illustrating -water-bearing beds in channels.

Section 2 represents the occurrence of a gravel bed which is completely inclosed in clays, so that no water can accumulate in it, and a 

well at A, although finding favorable materials for water, would obtain 

iione.
22 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. '[BULL. 138.

In fig. 4 a condition is illustrated which is in a measure similar to 

that shown in section 1, fig. 2. The water-bearing beds lie in channels, 

as it were, with intervening belts of nonwater-bearing materials. In 

this case wells at A and A would be successful, but those at B and B 

would not be.

Figure 5 represents a condition which is no doubt quite frequent on 

Long Island among the drift deposits. The conditions would appear to 

be favorable at A for water in the gravels between the upper clay beds, 

but the water does not accumulate, for it is free to flow over the edge 

of the clay into lower gravels, where it would be found in a deeper 

well, as at B.

. , . o . r ,o. o . - o o <-> '. .° v.°«0^.r ' " " : O .;-.o ' '-''0'

Fid. 5. Ideal section illustrating the occurrence of local clay strata in gravels and sands.

In fig. 6 a condition is shown which is frequently met with along 

the western border of the Coastal Plain in Maryland and northern Virginia. The water-bearing beds lie above sea level and are cut across

?£^^fPiK ^Sfca^'^2^^- " '-'Ki'f/T*

FIG. 6. Ideal section illustrating water-bearing bods intercepted by a valley.

by a depression, so that the water may escape in springs. Accordingly, a well at B would usually find but little water, notwithstanding the fact that a well at A finds an abundant supply in the same 

beds.

NEW YORK.

As this report is intended to cover only the Coastal Plain region 

of the Atlantic Slope, in the restriction of the term to the province 

underlain by the Cretaceous and Tertiary deposits, this chapter should 

relate only to Long Island and southern Staten Island. As, however, 

I have incidentally obtained some data for many of the wells on New 

York Island, a list of these wells will also be given.
DAKTON.] NEW YORK. 23

LONG ISLAND. 

GENERAL GEOLOGIC RELATIONS.

Long Island consists of a great mass of glacial drift lying on Cretaceous and probably also Tertiary formations. The Cretaceous formations lie on a floor of crystalline rocks, which is deeply buried to the 

south, but rises gradually to the north and emerges at the surface in 

Long Island Sound, in Connecticut, and 

on the northwestern corner of Long 

Island. The Cretaceous formations, and 

probably also the Tertiary, are a succession of widely extended sheets of sands, 

clays, etc., which are often considerably 

flexed locally, but as a whole dip to the 

south or soutli-southeast. They also

probably thicken and increase in number in the same direction. The drift 

comprises the great terminal moraine of 

the Second Glacial Epoch, which rises ina range of high hills extending along 

the center of the island, and a variety of 

Pleistocene deposits of which the relations have not yet been fully determined. 

It consists mainly of mixtures of sands, 

pebbles, and bowlders, and beds of sand, 

clay, and sandy clays, presenting considerable complexity of structure. It 

lies on an irregular, deeply eroded surface of the older formations, but the 

contour of this surface is not determined 

over a wide area.

The following cross section of Long 

Island shows the general relations and 

also indicates the position and features 

of some of the wells.

AVELLS OV LONG ISLAND.

The artesian water supplies of Brook, 

lyn are of world-wide fame, for their 

amount is phenomenally large and the 

quality of the water is exceedingly good. 

The wells are of moderate depth 100 to 150 feet and the waters do 

not come from any definite geologic horizon, but are simply accumulations in or under.the drift deposits in localities where the physical 

conditions are favorable. There are other wells at various points 

on the island which, in the main, obtain .satisfactory water supplies,
ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BOLL. 138.

but as they are quite widely scattered and draw mainly from moderate 

depths, the underground waters may be said not to have been extensively explored. A fairly thorough canvass of the island was made, 

in part by correspondence and to some extent by a personal visit, 

and I have learned of the wells given in the following list:

List of deep wells on Long Island.

Location.

Bowery Eay :

Brooklyn :

street. 

Brooklyn City Water Dept. : 

Gang -wells :

Watts Pond..... ..........

Test wells :

Springfield.

Springfield.

No. 12. Half mile east of

No. 9.

field.

Do.......................

Clear Creek. ...................

Depth.

Feet. 

100

386

120?

110

50

52

130 160

284

148

200

257

277

295

419

271

406

357

406

582

50

300

Bore.

Inches. 

6

8?

6

-

8

6

Capacity.

Gals, per min.

500

200

300

Pump 3333.

Pump 2000.

Pump 1080.

Pump 3620.

Many.

2

70

230

Height to 

which water 

rises, a

Feet.

50 gallons.

Mow.

Plow.

Plow.

Plow.

 46

2i

To surface.

-1

-11

 7

Remarks.

87-202 feet. 

No water below clay,

72-211 feet.

110-258 feet.

162-170 feet.

248-252 feet.

302-319 feet.

a , feet below surface.
DAfiTON.] NEW YOEK. 

List of deep wells on Long Island Continued.

25

Location.

County "Water Co.

Jamaica:

Do...................

Tin

Do...................

Do.......................

Little Neck.. ..................

Park.

Do.......................

Do.......................

"Hrt

Do.......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Depth.

Feet. 

19*;

75 130

136

111

141J

210

148-183

285

106

398

84

100

175

150

60

300

360

75-85

110

145

165

200

235

200

210

205

107

175

100

180

83

100-225

100

92

(6)

64

70

125

156

190

60

140

87

265

Bore.

Inches.

u

1*

1*

5

11

6

6

1J

2

1*

2

' 5

3

2

2

3

Capacity.

Gals, per mintf

ir>

40

65+

"Plenty."

90

Flows 10.

Flow.

Flow.

T*lttntTr

35

75

Flows 20.

Height to 

which water 

rises. a

Feet.

-12

 104

 80

 60

-80

Remarks.

Clay heds 140-152 and

278-285 feet.

Water also at 80 feet

below surface.

*

Good water at 123 feet.

Milky water at 160 feet.

Water also at 25 feet.

Water also at 18-47 feet.

Under 100-foot clay bed.

feet.

a , feet below surface. b Several hundred.
26 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138. 

List of deep wells on Long Island Continued.

Location.

Rocky Point :

Whetley Hill ..................

Willets Point .................

Depth.

Feet.

19fl

82

210

360

125

125

80

179

160

140

200?

106

310

102

400

577

90-100

166

Bore.

Inches.

s'

6

Capacity.

Gals, per min. 

10

100+

40

12-15

Many.

Height to 

 which water 

rises. Of

feet. 

. 114

__ 11 K

Remarks.

sand.

a , feet below surface. ..... 

NOTES ON LONG ISLAND WELLS.

I have not been able to obtain records of many of the wells on Long 

Island, and for the greater number I can give no further information 

than appears in the above table. In most cases well borers have not 

sayed or recorded the materials penetrated, and we must depend largely

on that sort of data for a determination of the underground geology,

Some borings have been placed on exhibition in the museum of the 

Long Island Historical Society, which I examined with care, but the 

general absence of fossils and lack of distinctive materials preclude a 

determination of the age of the deeper seated beds.

Brooklyn City Water Department. I have not been able to secure 

extended information regarding the wells which furnish a large proportion of the water for the city of Brooklyn. They.are in " gangs" sunk 

at a number of pumping stations along the southern side of Long 

Island from Spring Creek to Freeport. Their aggregate capacity is 

stated to be about 22,000,000 .gallons per day of twenty-four hours and 

the water is of most satisfactory quality. The wells are nearly all 

flowing, but they pump down to a few feet below the surface. It is 

stated that when the deeper wells were sunk at Jameco the flow from 

a 6-inch pipe was 500 gallons per minute and the water would rise to 11 

feet above the surface. In recent extended tests reported by Engineer 

1. M. De Yarona it was found that pumping 1,000,000 gallons per day
BARTON,] NEW YORK. ' 27

from one well reduced the water level to about 5 feet below the surface, 

and pumping 3,500,000 gallons per day from four wells reduced the level 

to about 10 feet below the surface. 

The record of one of the wells at Jameco well No. 4o is as follows:

Feet. 

0-3...... muck or peat.

3-5...... fine, gray gravel.

5-7...... fine, white gravel.

7-r21...... sharp, yellow sand and gravel.

21-34......fine, white sand.

34-65......fine, yellowish sand.

65-79...... coarser, yellowish sand.

79-137......blue clay.

137-144......coarse, black sand. ...

144-150..-...coarse, black sand and gravel.

During the year 1895 the water department sunk a series of twelve 

test wells to obtain additional light on the relations and extent of the 

deeper waters which are tapped by the Jameco and Baisley's wells, and 

the results of these investigations are embodied in a report by I. M. De 

Varona, water engineer, for 1895, now in course of publication. Mr. 

De Varona kindly furnished advance proofs of this report, from which I 

have obtained the following records and statement of results of the 

test wells, given in order from west to east:

Test well No. 5, south of Eidgewood reservoir; altitude, 61.8 feet.

Feet. 

0-16......top soil.

16-40...... brown gravel and sand.

40-51...... fine, yellow sand.

51-62...... coarse gravel.

62-88...... finer gravel.

88-131...... sharp, gray sand.

131-193...... brown gravel and sand.

193-200...... blue clay, with traces of decayed wood.

200-216...... dark gray sand,

216-280......blue clay.

280-284......gravel and black sand, with water to within 46 feet of the

surface.

Test well No. 4, Spring Creek pumping station; altitude, 8.6 feet.

Feet.

0-8...... top soil (decayed vegetable matter).

8-31......coarse, brownish sand and small gravel. Water bearing.

31-64...... finer, brownish sand without gravel. Water bearing.

64-74...... good, sharp, yellow sand without gravel. Water bearing.

76-96...... coarse, brown sand and gravel. Water bearing.

96-105...... finer, brownish sand and gravel. Water bearing.

105-126...... coarse, brown sand and gravel. Water to within 16 feet of the

surface. 

126-139...... tough, dry, blue clay.

139-148...... coarse, black sand, with very large gravel; Watertawithin2-Jfeet of the surface.
28 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Test well at Baisley's ; altitude, 6.7 feet. 

Feet. 

0-21.6...... yellowish sand and gravel.

21.6-34.0,..... fine, yellow sand.

34.0-39.0...... coarser, yellowish sand.

39.0-58.0...... fine, yellowish sand.

58.0-77.5...... gray sand and gravel.

77.5-97.5...... gray sand.

97.5-104.0...... yellowish sand and gravel.

104.0-107.0......yellowishsand, gravel, and clay.

107.0-139.5...... blue clay.

139.5-156.0...... blue clay and quicksand.

156.0-166.0...... black sand and gravel.

166.0-174.0...... black sand.

174.0-200.0...... finer black sand. Water rises to the surface.

Test well No. 1, half mile south of Jameco pumping station; altitude, 5.5 feet.

Feet. 

0-33...... yellow sand.

33-54...... coarse, yellow sand, with some gravel.

54-62...... fine, white sand.

62-75...... coarse, white sand.

75-88...... gravel and coarse, white sand.

88-141......blue clay.

141-155:..... gravel and coarse, black sand, with water to within 9 inches of

the surface.

Test well No, %t one-quarter mile east of test well No. 1; altitude, 7.4 feet.

Feet. 

0-2......top soil.

2-17...... yellow sand, with gravel.

17-42...... fine, white sand.

42-67...... coarser, white sand.

67-73...... gravel and coarse, white sand.

73-84......sharp, white sand, with traces of blue clay.

84-138......blue clay.

138-153...... mixture of very fine sand and blue clay.

153-169......coarse, black sand and gravel.

169-208..... .finer, black sand, very little gravel. Water rose to within 18

inches of surface. 

208-218...... coarser, black sand, with gravel.

218-239...... finer, black sand, with gravel. Water rose to within 2J feet of

surface. 

239-257......very fine, black sand, without gravel.

Test well No. 3, one-half mile east of test well No. 2; altitude, 9.8 feet.

Feet. 

0-1......top soil. .

1-8...... coarse, yellow sand, with gravel. Water bearing.

8-37...... fine, yellow sand. Water bearing.

37-45...... white sand. Water bearing.

45-69...... fine, white sand. Water bearing.

69-87...... coarse, white sand and gravel. Water bearing.

87-140......tough, dry, blue clay.
DABTON.] NEW YORK. 29

Feet. 

140-158......very fine sand and dry, blue clay.

158-161...... coarse, black sand. Probably water bearing.

161-202......dry, brittle, gray clay, with fragments of wood.

202-277...... dry, sharp, white sand.

No water below the clay bed.

Test well No. S, one-quarter mile east of test well No. 2, one-half mile west of Springfield

pumping station; altitude, 10 feet. 

Feet.

0-6...... fine, yellow sand.

6-28......coarse, yellow sand, with gravel.

28-59...... fine, gray sand.

59-72...... fine, gray sand, with wood and mica scales.

72-211......blue clay.

211-222......fine, sharp, white sand, with wood.

222-258...... fine, gray sand.

258-295......coarse, white sand, large quantities of wood.

No water below the clay bed.

Test well No. 7, one-quarter mile northwest of Springfield pumping station ; altitude, 16 feet.

Feet.

0-4......top soil.

4-20......sharp, yellow sand, with a little gravel.

20-32...... sharp, yellow sand, with small gravel. Water bearing.

32-45...... fine, yellow sand. Water bearing.

45-65...... fine, gray sand, with small gravel. Water bearing.

65-68...... blue clay, with traces of decayed wood.

68-78...... fine, gray sand, with small gravel.

78-176...... blue clay, with traces of wood.

176-182......coarse, brown sand, with large gravel.

Water bearing. 

182-197...... fine, white sand. Waterbearing. Water to-7. Two

197-419......sharp, white sand, white clay, and small

gravel. Water bearing.

galls, per minute.

Test ivell No. 9, one-quarter mile east of Springfield pumping station; altitude, 10.3 feet.

Feet. 

0-39......sand.

39-55...... fine, gray sand.

55-57...... yellow clay.

57-60...... greenish- gray sand.

60-65...... fine, yellow sand.

65-107...... fine, yellowish sand.

107-110...... coarse, gray sand and gravel, with pieces of wood.

110-125...... gray clay, with much wood.

125-130......gray clay, sandstone, and iron pyrites.

130-146.... - -gray sand and much soft wood.

146-233......streaks of clay, sand and wood.

233-235...... solid wood.

235-237...... gray sandstone, with iron pyrites.

237-250...... tough, white clay.

250-258...... gray clay and sand.

258-271......white sand and particles of wood.

No water found below the clay bed.
30 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Test well No. 12, three-quarters of a mile east of Springfield pumping station; altitude,

IS feet..' 

Feet. .

0-4...... dark yellow sand.

8-20...... yellow sand.

20-38...... fine, sharp, gray sand.

38-46...... sharp, yellowish sand.

46-56...... sharp, yellow sand.

56-63...... yellow sand and gravel.

63-66...... gray sand and gravel.

66-73......sharp, yellow sand.

73-85...... sharp, yellow sand and gravel.

85-98...'... fine, yellowish sand. 

98-130...... coarse, gray sand and gravel.

130-145...... gray sand, with gravel, wood, and clay of different colors.

145-162...... fine, white sand, with fragments of wood an'd traces of clay.

 162-170...... gray clay, with gravel and wood.

170-205...... fine, white sand, with fragments of wood and traces of clay.

205-223...... gray sand, with fragments of wood and traces of clay.

223-330...... fine, gray sand, with fragments of wood and traces of clay.

330-406...... fine, white sand, with fragments of wood'.

No water was found below the clay bed.

Test well No. 10, one mile northeast of Springfield post-office ; altitude, 27 feet.

.Feet. 

0-18...... coarse, brown sand, with gravel.

18-28...... coarse, light-brown sand, with gravel.

28-40...... sharp, yellow sand.

40-54...... sharp, yellowish sand.

54-59...... fine, gray sand.

59-63...... sharp,.yellowish sand.

63-67...... coarse, yellowish sand.

67-73...... fine, yellowish sand.

73-80...... yellow sand, with gravel.

80-89...... coarse, gray sand, with gravel and wood.

89-94......blue clay.

94-102...... fine, white sand.

102-114....... coarse, gray sand, with wood.

114-132...... sharp, white sand.

132-137...... sharp, white sand, with wood.

137-139......mixture of sand, gravel, wood, and clay.

139-190...... white sand, Avith wood.

190-212...... sharp, gray sand.

212-222...... coarse, gray sand, clay, and wood.

222-227-..... gray sand, clay, and wood.

227-229 ------ sandstone, with iroii pyrites, wood, and clay.

229-243...... gray sand and wood.

243-248.... - -gray sand, clay, and wood.

248-252...... gray clay and wood.

252-325...... fine, gray sand and wood.

325-357-..... sharp, white sand, with wood and clay.

No water found below the blue clay.

Test well No. 6 ; just east of Sollis station ; altitude, 58.6 feel.

Feet.

0-1...... top soil.

1-13...... brown sand, with gravel.

13-19...... light-colored gravel.
DARTON.] NEW YORK. -31

Feet.

19-26......brownish sand, with gravel.

26-37...... sharp, yellowish saud.

37-40...... brownish sand, with gravel.

40-54......light-colored gravel (rich water bearing).

54-60...... brownish sand.

60-69...... brownish sand, with gravel.

69-77...... fine, yellow sand.

77-98...... fine, light-colored yellow 'sand.

98-103...... fine, gray sand.

103-135....... sharp, yellow sand, with gravel.

135-145......fine, yellow sand. '

145-157......fine, white sand. 

157-186...... sharp, yellow, sand.

186-190...... fine, gray sand.

190-196...... fine, yellow sand.

196-212...... sharp, yellow sand.

212-218...... coarser, yellow sand.

218-225...... light-colored gravel.

225-229...... coarse, yellow sand.

229-244...... coarse, yellowish sand.

244-295...... fine, sharp, yellow sand.

295-298...... fine, pinkish sand.

298-302...... sharp, yellow sand.

302-319...... gray clay, with wood.

319-336...... fine, white sand, with wood.

336-355...... very fine, white sand, with wood.

355-368...... fine sand and reddish clay, with wood.

368-395...... fine, white sand, with wood.

395-397......fine, gray sand, with wood.

397-401...... fine, sharp, white sand, with wood.

401-403...... coarse, gray sand.

403-406......fine, gray sand (powdered sandstone).

No water below the clay bed.

Test ivell No. 11, one 'mile south of Jamaica railroad station; altitude, 19.2 feet.

Feet.

0-2...... yellow sand.

2-6...... brown sand.

6-20......yellow sand, with gravel.

20-43...... gray sand, with gravel.

43-65...... fine, sharp, gray sand.

65-89...... dark gray sand, fine and sharp.

89-95...... coarser, yellowish-gray sand, with large quantities of gravel.

95-190......blue clay.

190-198...... dark gray sand and gravel, containing large volumes of water,

which rises to within about 9 feet of the surface.

Woodhaven. In 1888 and 1889 a well was bored at this place to a 

depth of 577 feet. The gneiss was reached at 556 feet, but no useful 

amount of water was found. The record as given by Mr. John Brysou1 

is as follows:

Feet.

0-113...... reddish sand and gravel.

113-120...... sand and coarse gravel.

120-132...... pepper and salt sand.

'Am. Geologist, Vol. Ill, pp. 214-215, 1889.
32 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Feet. 

132-144...... reddish sand.

144-213...... reddish sand and gravel.

213-218...... tough, \vhitish clay.

218-246...... reddish sand.

246-298...... clay containing pebbles.

298-315...... light-bluish clay.

315-358....".. clay with rootlets.

358-375...... fine sand and clay.

375-385...... clay, wood, and vegetable matter.

385-417...... grayish sand.

417-419...... light-bluish clay.

419-430...... sandy clay.

430-433...... bluish clay. \

433-436...... white clay. \

436-443......light-gray sand. \

443-456...... dark-gray sand. \

456-460...... coarse white beach sand.

460-475...... clay, pebbles, and beach sand intercalated.

475-480...... clean gravel.

480-500...... sand and gravel.

500-510...... quartz, sand, and gravel.

510-515...... grayish sand.

515-518......clay or marl(?).

518-540...... dark clay.

540-556...... gray micaceous sand.

556-577...... gneiss rock.

Mr. E. Lewis, jr.,1 gives the additional information that the well was 

35.6 feet above high tide, and reports quicksand with lignite at 417 

feet; 3 feet of blue clay at 436 feet; fine quicksand 7 feet, and coarse, 

clayey sand, 13 feet, to 456 feet; sandy clay, 460 to 470 feet; very 

tough, light-colored clay, 523 to 545 feet; coarse, clayey sand, 545 to 556 

feet. The beds from 1 to 213 feet are regarded as Pleistocene.

Barnum Island. This well was a quite deep one, but a satisfactory

water supply was not obtained.

Samples of the borings are preserved in the museum of the Long 

Island Historical Society. They are as follows:

Feet. 

0-5...... gravel and sand.

5...... fine, light-brown sand. ^

15...... small gravel.

22...... argillaceous sand with mica.

29...... coarse gravel.

29-63...... sand and small gravel.

63...... gravel and sand.

70...... fine, light-buff sand.

74...... dark-gray sand.

75...... lignite fragments.

95....... gray clay.

113......gray clay.

126...... coarse sand and gray gravel.

J Am. Jour. ScL, 3d ser., Vol. XXXVII, p. 233, 1889,
CARTON.] NEW YOEK. 33

Feet.

129...... coarse gravel, in part angular.

135......gray sand.

147...... light-gray, fine sand.

168...... coarse gray sand and gravel.

170...... coarse gray sand.

175...... coarse gray sand.

180...... gray micaceous sand with lignite.

200...... much lignite.

225...... argillaceous gray Band.

243...... loose gray sand.

245......lignite.

247-258 \

260 > .... much lignite in gray sand,

270)

274...... loose gray sand.

284...... lignite.

290......gray sand.

300......gray clay.

335......lignite.

344...... gray sand.

350..-...lignite.

352..... .lignitic sand.

353...... gray micaceous sand.

360......lignite.

365......lignite.

368...... gray argillaceous sand.

370...... gray micaceous sand with lignite.

380......gray clay.

383...... carbonaceous clay.

Fenlmrst. The wells of tlie Queens County Water Company are at 

the pumping station between Valley Stream and Feuhurst, on Jamaica 

Bay. They yield a large flow at the surface, which is elevated from 3 

to 5 feet above mean high tide. The first four wells are situated within 

a relatively small area, but the materials penetrated vary considerably.

They are as follows:

WELL No. 1.

Feet.

0-60...... sand and gravel, reddish in color.

60-80......blue clay.

80-96......dark sand.

96-115...... coarse sand and gravel.

115-120...... very fine, dark sand.

120-128...... reddish, medium coarse sand.

128-142...... coarse sand, round grains.

142-152...... coarse sand and gravel.

152......peat.

WELL No. 2.

0-31......coarse sand, reddish in color.

31-42......sand and gravel, light colored.

42-54...... black, fine sand.

54-87...... blue clay.

87-100...... black sand.

100-101...... blue clay.

Bull. 138 3
34 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE. ATLANTIC COAST. [uuml.38.

Poet. 

101-113...... reddish sand.

113-139...... coarse white sand.

139-158...... white sand and gravel.

158......peat.

WELL No. 3.

0-30...... reddisb.sand.

30-64...... white sand.

.64-87......blue clay.

87-115...... black sand.

115-161......white sand with some gravel (water).

161-176...... peat.

176-183...... sand and gravel.

WELL No. 4. 

0-10......red sand.

10-36.. ....white sand and gravel.

36-37......blue clay.

37-50...... dark or black sand.

50-88......blue clay.

88-105...... black sand.

105-106...... blue clay.

106-114...... black sand, very fine.

114-130...... reddish sand.

130-148...... coarse sand and gravel (water).

Calvary Cemetery. This,well,was sunk through drift and clay to and 

into the crystalline rocks to a depth of 582 feet. The water is soft, with 

only a little lime, magnesia, and chlorine in it. The yield is 70 gallons 

a, minute. 

.According to Mr. Elias Lewis, jr.,1 it had.the following record:

j.'Feet. 

1-139...... surface loam and drift.

139-178...... greenish, earth.

178-182...... white clay with red steaks.

182-582...... gneiss.

The greenish earth was .found to be, ferruginous, and on-treatment 

with hydrochloric acid left a residue which under the microscope was 

seen to consist of fragments of kaolinized feldspar, .with occasional 

grains of quartz sand.

Nassau Gas Works, Williamsburg. Mr. Lewis 1 also .furnishes a 

record of the well bored at the works of this company, as follows:

Feet. ' ' 

1-3...... surface loam.

3-5...... quicksand (so called).

5-75..... '. bowlder clay, some what; sandy.

75-102...... blue clay with pebbles. . .

6 inches of oyster shells, underlain .by.a ^water-bearing quicksand.

1 F. J. H. MerriU, Geology of Long Island, N. Y. Acad. Sci. Annals, YoL.III, p. 346.
DABTON.] NEW YORK. 35

Jericho. Mr.,Lewis 1 has supplied the section of the well bored at 

Jericho in 1878 on the premises of Mr. Jules Kuuz. It is as follows 

Feet. 

0-15...... surface loam.

15-51...... drift.

" 51-132...... yellow gravel.

1324-147...... sand.

147-151......sandy clay with a carbonized branch.

151-154...... yellow clay.

154-184...... blue and gray sandy clay with pyrites.

184-198|..... micaceous sand.

Port Eaton. At this locality a well has recently been sunk to a depth 

of 265 feet which yields a satisfactory supply of excellent water. The 

surface of the land is 4 feet above high tide and the water rises just to 

the surface. The following record was secured through the kindness 

.of Mr. Nimmo:

Feet.

10...... quartz-gravel and sand.

20...... quartz-gravel and sand.

30......fine sand mixed with clay.

40...... gravel.

50...... sand and fine gravel.

60...... sand and fine gravel.

70...... coarse gravel.

80...... coarse gravel.

90......fine gravel.

; 100...... fine gravel.

. 110...... gravel and sand.

120...... fine gray el.

130...... coarse gravel.

'140.... ..fine yellow sand.

v 150...... fine yellow sand mixed with mica.

160...... lighter colored sand with mica.

170.......coarser sand, no mica.

180......coarser sand, no'mica.

190...... fine red sand.

200.... ..coarse, straw-colored'sand.

205...... very coarse sand.

210...... fine light-colored sand.

215..... i clear gravel.

220.... ..light coarse sand.

225.. ....light coarse sand.

230.... ..coarse gravel.

' 240...... coarse gravel.

250.... ..yellow sandy clay.

255.... i. sharp coarse sand.

260...... sand and gravel. 

265...... clear fine light-yellow sand.

Salt water was found at various depths down to 205 feet. The freshwater-bearing bed was first encountered at a depth of 263 feet. The

1 F. J. H. Merrill, Geology of Long Island, N. Y. Acad. Sci. Annals, Vol. Ill, p. 350.
36 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE-ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

experience of this well adds important confirmatory evidence that 

fresh-water supplies may be expected far below the bottom of Long 

Island Sound on the north shore of the island.

WATEE HORIZONS AND WELL PROSPECTS ON LONG ISLAND.

Our knowledge of the underground geology of the island is not yet 

sufficiently far advanced for a discussion of water horizons, and no safe 

basis for well prognostication can be established until the geology is 

understood. Owing to the peculiar geologic structure, of Long Island, 

with its great accumulations of heterogeneous glacial drift, we can not 

infer the underground structure from studies on the surface, and our 

data must come mainly from careful records of wells. As the records 

are so few and most of the wells so shallow the data now available are 

too meager to throw much light on the subject. In the opening remarks 

of this chapter I explained the general underground structure and 

showed how the south-sloping floor of crystalline rocks was overlain by 

a series of sheets of sands, clays, etc., which, as a whole, are thought 

to dip gently to the southward. It is believed that there are beds and 

streaks of coarse sand and gravels in this series which carry water, and 

I have considerable confidence that they will yield water to deep wells 

in wide areas on Long Island. They outcrop along the shores of the 

sonnd, and, as is shown in the cross section, lie quite far below the surface along the south shore. They proved to be fine grained and apparently nonwater-bearing in the Woodhaven well, and there is possibility 

that this condition exists in other areas, but the prospects for water in 

these lower beds is, I believe, sufficiently promising to warrant the sinking of other wells to the basal beds. The depth to these beds along 

the south side of the island is about 1,000 feet, and they rise gradually 

to the northward so as to emerge at the surface along or near the north 

shore. On the eastern end of the island they appear to lie somewhat 

deeper than they do to the west, where the underlying crystalline rocks 

emerge in the Long Island City region. Precise figures can not be 

given, for no wells have been sunk to the crystalline rocks east of 

Woodhaven, and we can only assume that the rate of slope is as uniform eastward as it is known to be in the region westward.

It is thought that the wells on Sands Point and Bowery Bay, and 

probably other deep wells along the north shore, find their waters in 

beds not far above the basal sands, etc., which lie on the bed-rock floor.

The higher horizons on Long Island appear to be in the drift and 

associated with clay beds of which the relations and distribution have 

not yet been ascertained. In the vicinity of Jamaica and southward 

the deeper waters of the Brooklyn city supply are from under a clay 

bed which appears to underlie an area -of considerable extent.

During the past year these waters have been extensively explored 

by test wells by the Brooklyn City Water Department, and found to 

be available for large water supplies. -These explorations have also
DABTON.I NEW YOEK. 37

determined the southeastern limits of the water-bearing beds. They 

did not, however, test the availability of the still deeper horizons.

Long Island is a great reservoir of water, for the rain falling on its 

porous surface sinks in large proportion into the sands and spreads 

widely under the clay, and unless there is subterranean outflow into 

the ocean it should be expected to accumulate in large volumes in every 

porous stratum down to the rock bed. The flow-off is not so large as 

in many other regions, for the drift materials are sufficiently porous to 

hold much of the waters. There are no large surface streams on the 

island, and the small ones never experience any noteworthy freshets. 

The volume of water falling on the island, of which the area in round 

numbers is about 1,200 square miles, is nearly 2,200,000,000 gallons a 

day. Of this, from 50 to 60 per cent runs oft', and some more is lost by 

evaporation, but it may be quite safely estimated that 500,000,000 gallons a day pass underground. This is an average for the year, and is 

based on a 40-inch rainfall, which has been the average for the Brooklyn region of readings extending over a half century.

STATEN ISLAND.

The southern and eastern portions of this island are underlain by 

Cretaceous sands and clays, which are overlain by a greater or less 

amount of glacial drift. In the northern section of the island the 

crystalline rocks, mainly serpentine, rise in high hills, and on the northwestern side there are Newark red shales and sandstones with a large 

intruded trap sheet. The Cretaceous beds lie on a floor of the crystalline rocks, but the depth to this floor has not been ascertained. The 

sands offer favorable conditions and relations for the transmission of 

underground waters, but I have learned of no deep wells to them. 

Several wells have been bored in the crystalline rocks on the northern 

end of the island, which yield water, aud large supplies are obtained 

from wells in drift formations in that region.

Mr. H. Eies 1 reports a boring at Bachman's brewery in Annadale, 

Staten Island, in which at a depth of 200 feet a bed of yellow gravel, 

containing shells, was penetrated and found to be 36 feet thick. It is 

underlain by a 10-foot bed of whitish or bluish clay.

A well at Kreischerville is reported to have been sunk to a depth of 

196 feet without finding water. The following record is given: 2

Feet. 

0-4..... ^gravel.

4-40......sand.

40-61...... white clay.

61-91...... white sand.

91-101......blue clay.

101-191...... fine, white sand.

191-194......sandstone (black).

194-196...... quicksand. '

1 Clay industries of New York, Bull. N. Y. State Museum, Vol. Ill, No. 12, p. 135, 

Albany, 1895.

2 New Jersey report for 1895, p. 90.
38 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

NEW YORK CITY.

There are many deep wells on New York island which yield large 

volumes of water, but it appears that the greater part of the water, contains either mineral or surface contaminations which greatly diminish 

its usefulness. The deep wells are in the granite-gneiss, mica-schist, 

or limestone, which are near the surface north of Fortieth street, but 

southward are more or less deeply buried beneath sands and clays of 

Pleistocene age, There are also many wells 20 to 80 feet deep in the 

superficial beds. Nearly all the data I have for the New York City 

wells were obtained through the kindness of Mr. W. d'H. Washington, 

of New York, who has sunk many of these wells. All those of which 

I have learned are listed in the following table :

List of wells in New York City.

Location.

Dakotaflats, Seventy-second street and Eighth avenue.

Manhattan Athletic Club, Madison avenue and Fourth 

street. 

Eingler brewery, Ninety-second street and Third avenue.

(Swells).

nue (12 wells). 

One hundred and Forty-fifth street and Eighth avenue.

avenue.

Depth.

 Feet. 

+1,000

760

720

 500

.' 626

48

42*

448

45

' 700

500

50

1,047

500

-teoo

700

1,200 

500

300

306 

685 

40 50

on

45

50-60

1,045

605

Size.

Inches.

8.

7'

8

6

6-4

8

8

8

8

8

8 

9

10 8

Capacity, 

per 

minute.

Qallons.

300

80

2,600

80

80

600

500

10

100

100

100

8 

80

25

40 

300 

600

450

120

Eemarks.

Rock at 126 feet.

Eock at 40 feet.

Flows.

Fine water.
DASTON.] NEW JERSEY; 39

SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY.

GENERAL GEOLOGIC RELATIONS.

The portion of the State of New Jersey that lies south and east of a 

line extending from Trenton to near New Brunswick is underlain by a 

succession of great sheets of sands, clays, marls, and gravels lying on. 

a basement of rocks which are mainly granite and gneiss. These rocks 

outcrop in Pennsylvania, at Trenton, and'on Staten Island, but their 

surface slopes gradually to the southeast beneath the overlying sediments, and it is deeply buried along the ocean shore. The sheets of 

overlying sediments also dip to the southeast, but at a less rate, and 

consequently some of them thicken in that direction. In the sections 

on Plate III an idea is given of the structure of the region, although 

they do not show how deep the crystalline rocks finally sink.

The formations of southern New Jersey, have been studied by the

State geological surveys, and during the past few years Dr, W, B.

Clark,1 of the United States Geological Survey, has added greatly to 

our knowledge of them. In the following table is a list of these formations, with the names by which Dr. Clark has designated them, their 

thickness, and some other information, mainly from Dr,dark's reports, 

but in part from the evidence of well records:

Formations of southern New Jersey.

Formations.

Miocene :

Manasquan . . J I

Crystalline rocks.

Monmouth 

Junction and 

New Brunswick to 

Asbury Park 

and Long 

Branch.

Feet. 

100

12

a 65

20

' n 100

»U5

n'275

h « <19fl

Philadelphia 

and Burlington to Beach 

Haven.

Feet.

on A, i

60 

e30

e90

e43

c220

(Z537

Bridgeport 

and Salem to 

Atlantic 

City.

Feet. 

1,000+

/m90 

/)Hml5

0AZ220

aFossil beds in Middle and Lower marls are 100 feet apart in wells atOcean Grove and Asbury Park. 

o b Jamesburg well.

cMount Holly well.

d Columbus well.

e!55 feet in Marl ton well from lower beds of Middle Marl to base of Lower Marl (?).

/Glassboro and Qiiinton wells.

g Wenonah well; 160 feet in Woodstown well.

ft Sewell well, 240 feet (1).

iQuinton well.

k 100 feet in Greenwich well. : Z336 feet in Woodstown well. 

m 235 feet in Glassboro well. 

n 860 feet in Monmotith Park well.

Report of the State Geologist for 1892, pp. 167-245, and Report of State Geologist 

for 1893, pp. 329-355. 

8 Eocene?
40 AKTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

There are also several superficial formations the Lafayette, Columbia, and Trenton consisting of sands, loams, and gravels, which 

thinly cover the lower lands and occupy certain higher regions.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FORMATIONS. 1 

RARITAN FORMATION.

This formation consists mainly of beds of clay and sand and admixtures of these materials lying on the floor of crystalline rocks. As the 

slope of this floor is quite steep, the deposits thicken rapidly to the east 

and southeast and a thickness of 500 feet is soon attained. The basal 

beds often are coarse sands and gravels or bowlders, and these coarse 

materials always contain an abundant water supply. In some areas 

finer sands and even clays extend down to the crystalline floor. Local 

beds of coarse sand and gravel occur interbedded among the finer 

sands and clays in some areas, but their distribution is not fully deter-' 

mined. The clays are of various colors, but red, gray, white, and buff 

are those most frequently observed. Ordinarily, they are in widely 

extended sheets, but they thin or thicken or merge into sands in a very 

irregular manner. Sands predominate in the upper portion of the formation. The basal beds outcrop along the Delaware Eiver below Trenton, and in greater part extend to the Pennsylvania shore. From a 

few miles north of Trenton to beyond New Brunswick the formation 

lies on the easterly edge of the red sandstones and shales of the Newark 

formation.

MATAWAN FORMATION.

The deposits of this formation consist of dark-colored clays with 

intercalated beds and streaks of sand. The upper beds are predominantly sandy. The mineral glauconite, or greensand, occurs in the formation to a small extent, mainly mixed with gray sand. Fossil shells

occur in some'of the beds at certain localities. Dr. Clark has estimated that the formation has a thickness of about 275 feet at its outcrop, but it appears to thicken rapidly to the eastward to over 800 feet 

in the deepest well at Asbury Park.

In the outcrops in Middlesex and Mercer counties there appears to 

be no sharp break between the Matawan and the Earitan formations, 

but to the east and south the well borings have brought to light an 

intervening gravel bed which is an important source of underground 

water. In Maryland and Delaware the unconformity between the two" 

formations is strongly marked, and the occurrence of this gravel bed 

appears to indicate the northern extension of this relation.

NAVESINK FORMATION.

This name has been applied to the Lower Marl bed, which is the next 

formation above the Matawan deposits and appears to merge into 

them. In its unweathered condition it consists of a greensand marl

'The data under this subheading are largely derived from the reports by Prof. 

W. B. Clark, in the report of .the Geological Survey of New Jersey for 1893.
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN N° 138 PL.I

LEGEND

Known Matawan Areas

Probable

Known Raritan Areas

' Mid--Matawaii Outcrop

*« - Matawan Outcrop, (Basal) 

RaritaJi Outcrop, (Basal)

 Successful wells ©Unsuccessful wells

M M i d - Matawan 

B M Basal Matawan

R Raritan 

B R Basal Rai-itan

Note : Figures in red indicate depths in feet 

Letters in red indicate water horizons 

as a"bove.

Scale

AREAS UNDERLAIN BYLOWER CRETACEOUS WATER HORIZONS IN NEW JERSEY

BY IS. H.BAR TON.
DAETON.] NEW JERSEY. 41

which is intermixed with considerable sand below and clay above. The 

basal beds are usually water-bearing. Fossil shells occur in greater or 

less abundance throughout the beds. The thickness of the formation 

averages about 45 feet, and is remarkably constant.

REDBANK FORMATION.

This is the "red sand" member, which lies between the Lower and 

the Middle Marl beds. In its un weathered condition it consists of an 

admixture of gray or dark sand with a moderate proportion of glauconite or green sand. Some clay admixture occurs locally, and the upper 

and lower beds are usually notably argillaceous. In its surface outcrop, which extends across the State along a narrow belt from Navesink Highlands to Salem, the glaucouite is weathered out and the 

residuary sands are stained red by the iron from this mineral. The 

thickness of the formation averages about 90 feet, and the local variations are not large in amount. The sand is an important water bearer 

south of the latitude of Philadelphia, where it is mainly coarse sand of 

a medium-light color.

RANCOCAS FORMATION.

This, the Middle Marl bed, is considerably thinner than the Lower 

Marl bed, but it is a widespread and characteristic horizon. It is 

largely glauconitic, particularly in its lower portion. The upper beds 

contain much calcareous material, often to a sufficient degree to constitute an impure limestone. These beds are highly fossiliferous, and at 

their top carry the very distinctive layer of Terebratula liarlarii.

MANASQUAN FORMATION.

This is the lower portion of the Upper Marl bed. It consists of 

glaucouitic marls, of which the richest beds are toward the top. The 

thickness has been estimated at 65 feet, but to the southward it 

increases somewhat.

SHARK RIVER FORMATION.

This is the upper portion ef the Upper Marl bed, or the ."blue marl" 

of local parlance. It is a highly glauconitic marl with some argillaceous admixture, and is recognized distinctly only in the area about 

Shark River. Its thickness there is about 12 feet.

CHESAPEAKE FORMATION.

This great series of deposits overlies unconformably the Cretp BOUS 

greensand group. To the northwest it consists largely of very coarse 

materials, but these gradually become finer to the south and to the 

east, where the principal deposits are great beds of clays with intercalated strata of water-bearing sands at various horizons. Several 

hundred feet of the clays are intermixed with diatom remains, which 

constitute a very definite horizon in the formation. The thickness of 

this diatomaceous clay bed has been revealed in the many deep wells
ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

in the coastal region, and the bed has been studied with special care by 

Mr. Wool-man. He found that it is about 300 feet thick in the Atlantic 

City well, 380 feet in the Ocean City well, 225 feet at Great Sedge 

Island, 200 feet at Waretown, 253 feet at Beach Haven, and 423 feet at 

Wildwood. Near its center it carries a bed of sand which is an important and widespread water bearer.

The various members of the Chesapeake formation dip at'the rate of 

about 25 feet per mile to the southeast, and pass beneath the surface 

in regular succession in that direction. The various beds are given in 

the record of the Atlantic City well in. PI. IY, so that it is not 

necessary to give an account of them here.

WELLS IN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY.

In the following list there will be given a brief statement of the 

location, depth, diameter, yield, and some general features of; the 

wells, which will : be followed by detailed descriptions. On the maps, 

Pis. I and 11^ the location, depth, and water horizon of the wells are indicated, and there are further data in the sections on PI. Ill;

List of deep welU in the Coastal Plain region of New Jersey.

Location.

Absecon, 54 wells.-

Astmry Park ...... 

Do.............

Do.............

Do.............

Do.............

Do'.............

Atlantic City...... 

Do.............

\ 

\ Do.............

DO;.... ........

'i 

T)n

1. 

Do.............

Do.............

Do. ............

Do. (several 

wells).. 

Do.............

Do,..,.....,...

Do.............

Do.............

Do.............

Depth.

Feet. 

24.

383 

448 

800

1,330 

1, 130 

1 1,045 

960 

1,150

 554 

735

720

780 

763 

809 

55-75

1, 398 

805'

; 185 

90 

: 118

0 +

Bore.

Inches.

6 

6 

6-4J 

8-6

8' 

6-4J

6

6-4J 

8

. 10-4i 

8-4J

Capacity per 

minute.

GallonsMany.

65 

20

I 1.000 

)

Pumps 200

Flows 50.' 

Pumps 200.

Pumps 250.

Flows 150. 

Good flow. 

Good flow.

Not any. 

40

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

. Feet.

+50

feet above the surface ; , feet

Geologic horizon.

Post-Chesapeake ;

Lower Marl ...... 

In Matawan ......

-InMatawan......

Middle of diatom 

bed. 

Base of diatom 

bed.

Absecon horizon..

Cretaceous ( ? )'. . ... 

100 feet below 

diatom bed.

(Upper Chesaj peake.

jelow the surface.

. Hem arks.

Former supply for 

Atlantic City.

Temperature 60°.

Ferruginous water.

No water, 960-1120 

feet.

Pumps 125 -gallons.
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 43

List of'deep wells in -the Coastal Plain'Region of'New Jersey Contained:

Location.-

Brighton House. 

Atlantic City,)

Cooling Co. ;

Electric . Light 

Co. 

Atlantic Highlands':

1 -Wfill

Beach Haven .....<

Do.............

1$ miles south .

Ca'mden,- Esterhrook Pen Co. 

Camden, Cooper 

Hospital.

wells.

station. 

Cape May City, 7

wells. 

Do.............

Clayton, 6 wells. . . .

Do.............

Crab Island........

Depth.

Feet.

fi1Q

QflQ

108-112

480

120

710

190

430

575

470

1 1Q

m

- OA

798

200

135

9^

62-87 

129 

152

112

87-92

224

360

46

90-105 

196

356

i^fi

520

Bore.

Inches. 

6

6

6

4i

41

\ 

6

8

6

6 

6

8

6

8

6

2-3

3

Capacity per 

minute.

Gallons.

i Flows 105.

( Pumps 400.

250

. Not any.

i 10 J 125

60

y

Flows 100.

25

70 

16 

150

75

450.

150 each.

10

Satisfactory.

Height 

to which' 

i water 

 rises, a

: Feet.'

£ -4- Qi

Flow.

Flows.

11 

 40

 5 

 16

 21

 45.

.Geologic horizon.

In Raritan ...........

Marl. 

Horizon.unknown.

"E,''AtlauticCity;

960 feet at Atlantic City(?)..

800. feet at Atlantic City.

Earitan. 

.....do............

Basal Karitan...... 

.....do............. 

.....do............

.....do............

peake. 

.....do............

Post-Chesapeake?.

....do.............

Remarks.

Temperature 66°.

Water somewhat.

ferruginous. .

Saltwater at 100 and

140 feet.

.

Some .water als'o at :

517 and 070 feet.

Clay particles in 

water.

Rock at 104 feet;

water at 90-98 

feet. 

Salt- water.

No water, 360-456

feet;.

feet, -but no water < found.

a +, ieet.above the surface; , feet below the surface.
44 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL.ISS.

List of deep wells in the Coastal Plain Region of Neiv Jevsey Continued.

Location.

Do.............

Freehold, 1J miles 

north, 9 wells. 

Freehold, 1J miles 

north, 1 well.

Glassboro, 5 wells..

( Do.............

Gloucester, 7 wells. 

Gloucester, 3 wells. 

Gloucester, 6 wells. 

Great Sedge Islan d .

Harvey Cedars .... 

Do.............

Do.............

Do.............

Hightstown, several wells.

Magnolia Station . . 

Mantoloking ......

Do.............

Depth.

I

Feet. 

78 

210

131

397 

172 

.322

50 

210

71 

70-80

511 

270 

67-96 

149-162 

65-102 

320

690 

375

122 

187

240 

500 

76

500

428 

201

601 

481

242 

535 

475 

803

110 

91 

175

790 

«+,

Bore.

Inches.

 4i 

44 

3 

4*

6

1J

4i

6

8-4 

8-6

6

3

Capacity per 

minute.

Gallons.

Not any. 

Many.

Not any. 

25 

(?) 

250

Unsatisfactory.

100 

Not any.

650

100 

100

Not any.

Plenty. 

Not any.

Plows 100 

gallons.

Plenty. 

.70 

12 

Not any. 

52

12

Flows 180.

Plenty.

feet above the surface

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

Feet. 

 40

 50

-20

 16

+1

+9

Plows. 

+12

Flow.

+17 

+14

 10 

 36 

+35

; , feet

Geologic horizon.

In Matawan ...... 

.....do............

Under Lower Marl

Under Lower Marl

Post-Chesapeake..

/ Basal Karitan ..... 

1 Basal Matawan . . .

(.Basal Matawan . . .

Under Lower Marl

"C," horizon at 

Atlantic City.

Basal Raritan ....

Low in Raritan... 

In Raritan. .......

Under Lower Marl 

.....do............ 

"G," Atlantic 

City horizon. 

Abo ve MiddleMar 

....do ............. 

"C," Atl antic 

City horizon. 

Under Lower Marl 

below the surface.

Remarks.

Stopped in blue 

clay. 

Water also at 260 

feet. 

Water at 84 feet. .

Water unsatisfactory.

To rock.

Small flows at 157 

175, and 252 feet. 

No Reclbank water 

found hero. 

Good water at about 

200 feet, which 

flowed.

Water at 161-167 

feet in Matawan.

Water at 420-480 

feet. 

Crystalline rock at 

482 feet. '

Temperature 66°.
U. S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN N? 138 PL.II.

LEGEND. 

Known Chesapeake Areas

Probable

Known Lower Marl Areas

^^3v| Probable 

Known Redbaiilt Areas 

Pmhahln

 Successful wells OUnsuccessful wells 

C 525' Horizon at Atlantic City 

E700- 

G 800' , 

0 C 685' Ocean City

I) E L A. W A ft E

Note: Figures in red indicate depths in feet 

Letters in redindicatewaterhorizons 

as above.

AREAS UNDERLAIN BYUPPER CRETACEOUS AND CHESAPEAKE WATER HORIZONS IN NEW JERSEY.

BY N. H.DAiri'O,NT .
DAKTON.] NEW JERSEY. 45 

List of deep ivelh in the Coastal Plain Region of Neiv Jersey Continued.

Location.

Marlton :

2 \vf] 1 a

1 well. .........

1 well

south .

east.

southwest.

west, 5 wells. 

Marlton, J mile 

south.

east. 

Marlton, 3 miles 

east-northeast. 

Marltou, south .....

east-southeast. 

Do.............

east.

east.

 wells. 

Do.............

Creelc.

farm.

farm, deepened.

northeast. 

Millville...........

Monmouth Park. . .

Depth.

Feet.

GOO

3

"-;r

8fi

105

200

155

70

316

30

114 

68

70

114 

155

365

98

102

100

176

158

150

04-70

183

126

380

385 

150

Bore.

Inches.

f\i

6

6

6 

5

c

5

1

8

01

0

3

10

4

Capacity per 

miuute. 

Gallons.

20

Fair.

Plenty. 

Plenty.

Plenty.

Plenty. 

Plenty

Plenty.

16-7

9<;

tory. 

Plenty.

. 200

.....do......

.....do......

75

.

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

Feet.

20

 24

 40

-22

 25

 40

 10 

-10

 6

 7

-18

 17

25

+ 4

Geologic horizon.

.....do............

.....do............ 

.....do............ <Y

.....do............ 

.....do . .........

.....do:..... ......

Atlantic City?.

Atlantic City ?.

.....do ............

.....do............

HemarlcB.

Water also at 64-97,

103-130, aud 200- 

300 feet.

No water at 155-380

feet. 

Temperature, 54°.

water.

90 feet.

feet.

A well 900 feet to 

bed rock.

320, and 338 feet; 

no water at 338-457 

feet.

a +, feet above the surface; , feet below the surface.
'46 ARTESIAN WELLS ON .THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138. 

' List of deep wells in the Coastal Plain Region of New Jersey Continued.

Location.

t

mile distant.

Mullica Hill, l{

miles south-west.

Do......-...-.-

Do.............

Do.............

Pavonia :

1 well..........

Do...........

Do.............

wells.

wells. 

Pleasant Mills, 1J

miles west.

miles northwest.

Hotel Stratford.

valve, 2 wells.

distant. 

Kedbank :

"Riirarairlfl 'ft- -or ft! la

Depth.

Feet. 

130

80

675

102

485

480

760

800

420

1,134

67-82

174

112

130

470

60-80

50

201

158

+ 100

800

78

200

151

9Jfl_97li

124

80-90

93(1

65

200

45

net

91 ft

160

80

. Bore.

Inches.

1J

3

6

6

4

36

2

2*

Capacity per 

minute.

Gallons.

OK

50

140

40

275

160.

500

tory. 

Few.

Flows 45.

1

KK

165

40

ia

10

60

Many.

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a'

Feet'. ,

35

+35

+15

+13

+35

1

63

 12

 10

Geologic horizon.

.....do............

p e a k e diatom 

bed. 

....do.............

rock..

70-470 feet in

gneiss.

beds. 

658-foot horizon at

Ocean pity ?

Low in Chesapeake.

.....do............

428-foot Atlantic

City horizon ?

Basal Raritan .....

Remarks. j

enough.

. feet.

No water 80 to 130

feet.

Water also at . 114

feet.

feet.

a +, feet above the surface; , feet below the surface.
DAETONO NEW JERSEY. 47 

List of deep ivells in the Coastal Plain Region of New Jersey Continued.

Location.

Sea Girt...........

Seabright :

Seabright, Normandy Hotel. 

Sea Island City....

Do.............

^ftWAll

South Beach Haven

Stockton :

Iwell. .........

Straight Creek ....

Do.............

Trenton, 3 wells . .'.

Wenonah, 2 wells..

"WTna+ f i*£»oTr

Do.............

"Weymouth, 4 miles 

 north. 

"Weymoutb, 2 miles 

north.

Do.............

a + , fee

Depth.

Feet. 

. 976

755

125 

258 

?225

380 

535 

408 

420

200 

105 

425

465

116-130 

68 

100 

60 

160 

90 

205 

280

341 

196 

99 

42 

 42 

96-106

45 

215 

931

t above

Bore.

Inches.

.3

4

6-3 

3

8-6

620

8 

4 

4

3 

3 

4 

5

the surf

Capacity per 

minute.

' Gallons.

Flows 50.

210

120 

55

30 

60 

70 

25

Not any.

10? 

Many.

[ 875

Many. 

Many.

200 

20 

20

40

Many. 

70 

52

"Unsatisfactory. 

Flows 10.

ice; , feet b

Height 

to which 

water . 

rises, a

Feet.

+13

+ 1

+ 64 

Mows.

 11

+22 

+15

+14

Mows.

-17J 

Flows.

 6

 1 

Flows. 

' + 8 

 2

No flow.

+ 7

i

slow the s

Geologic horizon.

80-976 feet; in 

gneiss.

Under Lower Marl

.....do............

Just above diatom bed. 

"E" horizon at 

Atlantic City. 

"C" horizon at 

Atlantic City? 

Basal Mata wan...

Under Lower Marl 

Basal Earitan. .... 

"C" horizon at 

Atlantic City. 

. Under Lower Marl

I e Basal Raritan.....

Post-Chesapeake ? 

Basal Earitan..... 

.....do............

Post-Chesapeake . 

"E" horizon at 

Atlantic City. 

Basal Mata wan. . .

>"C" horizon . at 

5 Atlantic City? 

650-foot horizon at 

Ocean City? 

"C" horizon at 

Atlantic City? 

In upper Chesapeake. 

240 feet below 

great .diatom 

.bed.

urface.

, Remarks.

Some wa'ter, at 300 

feet. 

Temperature 65°. 

"Water also at 570 

and 694 feet.

Also water in Redbank at 72 feet 

and in Matawan 

at 381-395 feet.

Fine water.

Small flows at 70 

 and 137 feet.

Water also at 46-78 

' feet. 

1,244 feet deep; 

small flows also at 

625, 750, and 843 

feet, and saltwater flow at 1 , 185 

"feet. ' Temperature 67°. 

Z>Feet.
48 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [DULL. 138, 

List of deep ivells in the Coastal Plain Region of New Jersey Coutiuued.

Location.

Do.............

Do.............

Do.............

Do.............

Do.............

Do.............

Woodbury, 1 mile 

north. 

Woodbury, 2 miles 

south.

Woodstown, 6 wells 

Woodstown, 1 well.

Depth.

Feet. 

655

135-145 

85 

345

80 

163 

132 

113 

142 

68

120 

340

139-149 

776

Bore.

Inches.

4* 

4* 

2*

4

6

Capacity per 

minute.

- Gallons. 

Plows 300.

40 

20

.Fairsupply.

2 

Fair supply. 

8 

8

360

Height 

to which 

water 

rises. a

Feet. 

Flows.

-40 

 40

 19 

 50 

 10

+ 1 

 18

Geologic horizon.

In great diatom 

bed.

960-foot Atlantic 

City horizon. ? 

In Matawau ...... 

Basal Matawan ?.. 

.....do............

.....do............ 

Basal Matawan. . .

Basal Matawan . . .

In Raritan........

Remarks.

Temperature 63°.

No water at base of 

Lower Marl.

Do.

a +, feet above the surface; , feet below the surface. 

NOTES ON THE WELLS OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY.

Much of the information regarding the wells in southern New Jersey 

has been obtained, from the reports of the geological survey of the 

State, and particularly from the admirable contributions by Mr. Woolman in these reports. Considerable additional data have been supplied 

by various persons, mainly well borers. The material from the New 

Jersey reports has been condensed as far as practicable, and in some

cases has been modified in the light of more recent well experience or

geologic investigation.

' I shall indicate in footnotes the source of information when it is taken 

from the New Jersey reports, but can not in every case indicate modifications or additional comments which I have made.

Absecon,1 Atlantic County. The earlier water supply for Atlantic 

City was derived from a series of shallow wells on the mainland near 

the shore road, midway between Absecon and Pleasantville. The 

wells are 54 in number and 24 feet deep. They are on low ground, 

near tide level, and flow into two large basins. The records of the 

borings are as follows:

Feet. 

0-9......heavy white gravel, with fossiliferous pebbles.

9-18...... bluish clay, containing marine diatoms of recent ago

18-24...... coarse sand, with water of excellent quality.

Mr. Woolman has discovered a similar bed of diatomaceous clay, 

overlain by gravels with fossiliferous pebbles, on the shores of Great

. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 283-285,
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. BULLETIN N? 138 PL.III.

SECTION 2: DELAWARE RIVER AT RIVERTON, TO BEACH HAVEN. SECTION 1: NEW BRUNSWICK TO MONMOUTH BEACH.

"~ .£** KJTT.. -' "' -"^r: 

~-, _--^' 1*O .?.«.,-. ' -.: 

SECTION 4: PHILADELPHIA TO MOUTH OF MAURICE R. ALONG W J. RR. SECTION 3: PHILADELPHIA TO ATLANTIC CITY.

SECTION 5: ALONG THE COAST FROM SANDY HOOK TO CAPE MAY.

Horizontal Scale.

JULIUS B!£N ^COMPANY

SECTIONS ACROSS SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 49

Egg Harbor River, near Mays Landing, and believes it to be the same 

as that at the Absecon wells. Other outcrops are at Long Branch and 

Bridgeton. Its dip was found to be 6 feet per mile. From a careful 

study of the diatoms and the relations of the beds Mr. Woolman considers the clay and gravels at 58 to 63 feet and 72 to 75 feet in the 

Atlantic City wells to belong to this series. They were also found in 

the well at Fifields at 84 feet, and in other wells along the southern 

shore of New Jersey.

Asbury Park, Monmouth County. The first well is situated on the 

land of Mr. Uriah White, 3,276 feet northeast from the Ocean Grove 

well. The materials penetrated were the same in this well as in that 

at Ocean Grove. The layer of shells containing Terebratula karlani, 

which is near the top of the Middle Marl bed, was found at 270 feet, 

and continued 7 feet. It has a considerable body of greensand below 

it. At 365 feet there were sands containing fragments of Belemnitella 

mucronata, JExogyra costata, Oryphcea convexa, and Ostreafalcata of the 

Lower Marl bed or Navesink formation. The water is in sands at the 

base of this formation at a depth of 383 feet. The capacity of the well 

proved to be about 95,000 gallons a day.

Another well was bored in 1884 to a depth of 448 feet, to a sand bed 

at the top of the Matawan formation, which yields about 20 gallons a 

minute. 1

In the past few years several deeper wells have been sunk to obtain 

iucreased water supplies and discovered very important water-bearing 

beds. Three borings attained depths of 1,045,1,130, and 1,350 feet 

respectively. The deepest of these was damaged by an accident and 

abandoned, but the other two yield nearly 1,500,000 gallons of water 

per day by the air-lift process. The water contains considerable iron, 

but aeration and filtration render it satisfactory for use.

Mr. Woolman 2 has recently given a detailed account of the formations penetrated by these deep borings, which throws much interesting 

light on the geology. Below the Lower Marl at 380 feet are alternating 

clays and sands mainly of light color. Gray sand with water was 

reported at 380 to 430 feet, several water-bearing sands from 500 to 

630 feet, glauconitic clays 630 to 954 feet, water-bearing fine sands 

954 to 1,000 feet, and coarse gray sands with the main water supply at 

1,083 to 1,135 feet. Below 1,135 feet were dark clays and sandy clays 

in which no water was obtained. 'Molluscan remains reported at 1,195 

feet included an Exogyra, which would indicate Matawan beds. If the 

depth is correct, this would indicate an unlooked-for expansion of the 

Matawan formation to a thickness of at least 800 feet 400 to 1,200 feet 

in the boring and it is the opinion of Mr. Woolman that it extends to 

the bottom of the deepest boring.

Atlantic City. The underground waters of southern New Jersey

1 New Jersey reports for 1883 and 1884. 

? New Jersey report for 1895, pp. 72-74. 

Bull. 138 4
50 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

have been extensively developed at this locality, and a number of 

wells sunk to various depths have thrown most important light on the 

water horizons. The deepest well attained a depth of approximately 

1,400 feet, and there are many which have a depth of over 700 feet. 

The first boring of which I have learned was made in 1858. It found a 

good supply of water at 185 feet. 1 In 1874 the gas and water company 

sunk two wells to 90 and 118 feet, 1 respectively, but no data appear to 

be on record as to the result.

The. deeper borings were begun in 1887 for the Consumers' Water 

Company, and one well reached the depth of 1.400 feet. The principal 

water horizons revealed by these wells were at about 525, 700, and 

960 feet, but several others were also found. Mr. Lewis Woolman, of 

Philadelphia, received samples of the borings from several of these 

wells, and he made a detailed report 2 on them, which is a most valuaable contribution to our knowledge of Coastal Plain geology. He also 

reported on later borings and studied the extension of the beds iii 

other wells.

In PI. IV, I- have reproduced Mr. Woolman's columnar section of the 

Atlantic City wells, with a blue overprint for the water-bearing beds. 

The relations of the beds are so clearly shown in this section that 

further description of them is not necessary. The geologic correlations are based on careful studies of the fossil shells and diatoms by 

Mr. Woolman and others, and they represent the best information now 

obtainable. The lowest beds are regarded by Mr. Woolman as probably Pamunkey and Severn.3

In the earlier reports on the wells of Atlantic City it was stated that 

a water horizon had been found at a depth of 1,120 feet, but it has 

since been ascertained that the water came from a break in the pipe at 

960 feet below the surface. The 800-foot horizon was not fully tested 

until 1893, when it was found to be a great water bearer both at 

Atlantic City and Ocean City. In 1895-'96 several wells were sunk to 

it and all found large supplies. The waters from the several horizons 

between 115 and 328 feet appear to be saline, and it is reported that 

the water from 300 feet is quite strongly ferruginous. Mr. Woolman 

gives the following list of approximate depths of the principal water 

horizons at Atlantic City: 4

2.

3.

5.

6.

7.

8.

406 and 430 J

525..

700 to 720..

760)

800 (

" ' 958 )

. .Bd>UUB <*UUVtJ tilt} UlcttULU UcU.

. . middle of diatom bed.

. .base of the diatom bed.

..below the diatom bed.

' New Jersey report for 1875, pp. 27-28.

2 Artesian wells, Atlantic City, N. J., Report of State Geologist for 1889, pp. 89-99; 

Geology of the artesian wells at Atlantic City, N. J., Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Phila., 

1890, pp. 132-147; and papers in .New Jersey reports for 1890-1894. -

3 New Jersey report for 1894, p. 180.

*New Jersey report for 1893, p. 390.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY.

The two upper horizons are not utilized. There is also a waterbearing bed about midway between the 525-foot and the 700-foot 

horizon at Ocean City, but it has not been found at Atlantic City. 

The sizes, depths, and yields of the Atlantic City wells, from data in 

the New Jersey reports, are given in the table on pages 42-43.

An analysis of the water from the first deep well at Atlantic City, at 

960 feet, by Messrs. Austin and Wilbur, March 14,1888, is as follows: 1

Analysis of water from deep well at Atlantic City.

Grains per 

gallon.

Silica .............................................................. 0.24

Sesquioxide of iron and alumina ................................... 0. 10

Lime............................................................... 1.08

Magnesia .......................................................... 1.02

Potash............................................................. 1.49

Soda ............................................................... 31.24

Sulphuric acid in sulphates .............-.......'.........'.......... 2. C4

Chlorine in chlorides ............................................... 19.30

Total solids determined ...................................... 57. li

Volatile constituents ..................................... ^ . . - - .' 7. 22

Total solids at 212° ................... '.. : ................ ". " 'C4. 33

Temporary hardness, equivalent to calcium carbonate ............. . 3.809

Permanent hardness, equivalent to calcium carbonate .............. . . 0. 326

Oxygen requisite to oxidize organic matter . . . : ....................... 0. 003

Color...... ................................ ..colorless.

Taste...... ...: ...-.. .................. ......none.

Smell .................................:...... none.

Reaction .................................... faintly alkaline.

General appearance .......................... exceedingly clear and attractive.

Atlantic Highlands, Monmoutli County. There are 9 "wells at this 

place, which are 4£ inches in diameter. Eight of them are 108-112 feet 

deep, and the other is 480 feet deep. The shallower, wells flow and 

pump about 80 gallons per minute each. The deep well pumps 250 gallons per minute. The deep water is ferruginous, but is said to be satisfactory after filtration. The 108-112-foot water is from a sand bed in 

the Matawan formation, about 160 feet below the top of the formation. 

The lower formation is in sands in the medial beds of the Earitan 

formation. -- 

Barnegat Landing, Ocean County. At this place there is a flowing 

well with a depth of 120 feet. The horizon has been correlated by Mr. 

Woolman 2 with the 525-foot horizon of Atlantic City and the water at 

137 feet at Waretown, which I believe to be correct.

Say head, Ocean County. Excellent water is obtained at 710 feet, 

apparently from the base of the Lower Marl series,3 or the same horizon

Jersey report for 1888, pp. 72-73.

2 New Jersey report for 1890, p. 271. " "

3 New Jersey report for 1887, p. 26.
52 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

as that at 383 feet at Asbury Park, 480 feet at Ocean Beach, and 465 

.feet at Spring Lake.

Bay side, Ciimberland County. The American Oil and Befinery Company has bored a well at this place. At 100 feet below the surface a 

salt spring was penetrated from which the water flowed to 18 inches 

above the level of the surrounding marsh, and it was not affected by the 

rise or fall of the tide. At 140 feet other water was found which was 

very salt, but cold aud clear. The first 33 feet was mud, underlain by 

about 18 inches of hard clay. At a depth of 160 feet a hard clay was 

encountered, and the work was stopped by the breaking of the pipe. 1

In the report for 1894 2 it is further stated by Mr. Woolman that all 

the beds below 33 feet to a depth of 190 feet were hard clays of the 

great diatoinaceous clay bed in the Chesapeake formation.

Beach Haven, Ocean County. The first two wells were bored to a 

depth of 430 feet. They yielded about 10 gallons a minute. Another 

well was sunk in 1893 to a depth of 575 feet. It has a diameter of 8 

inches, and yields a supply of 125 gallons per minute. The record is 

as follows:

Feet. ; 

0-17...... beach sands.

17-18...... mud, with roots.

18-55...... gray sands, with shells and recent marine diatoms.

55-65...... gray sand.

65-90...... white clay and gravel.

90-95...... fine Avhite clay.

95-115...... white sand, a few fossiliferous pebbles.

115-ir .....fine white sands.

135-150...... alternations of sand and clay, both yellow.

150-160...... coarse gray sand.

160-165...... black clay.

165-170......fine white sand.

170-180...... fine yellow sand.

180-200...... medium fine, white sand.

200-205...... medium coarse, yellow sand.

205-215...... white sand.

215-250...... yellow sand.

250-280...... gray sand.

280-290......greenish sand and clay mixed.

290-365......greenish, marly clay, containing diatoms.

365-419...... dark marly clay, containing diatoms.

410-429...... fine sand, with water.

429-450...... coarse sand, with water.

450-476...... tough diatomaceous clay.

476-543...... alternations of sandy clays and clayey sands, all diatomaceous.

543-575.....-gray sharp sand, with water.

The equivalent of the diatom bed from 18 to 55 feet was found at 

depths of 9 to 18 feet in wells at Atlantic City and on the mainland 

at Absecon, and it is the same, in all probability, as the bed exposed at

!New Jersey report for 1889, p. 87. 

2 Pages 191-192.
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. BULLETIN N° 138 PL.IV.

STRATA SEC TICK SUBDIVISIONS

Surface sand. Feet 30

Blue nvud, shells. is

Coarse gravel and lar£e stones. 10

Light.nne sand. 14

Gravel, medium to coarse water Ll

Coarse gravel.petrified shells. i:,

t* - -"'

Iliin alternate layers of sandA: sandy clay IK

YeUovr iarul. 6

Dark,hard clay: 12

Clav -various colors. 10

Sandy clay. 30

45 Ft. 

Beach sand with

recent shells 

45 feet

220 Ft. 

Whitish sand.

Coarse gravel with

^,t^-.-.-.. ~*--****^-^- -:. "'*.*#*

=~

Mj^Xl . i

Dark, slushy sand. is *-c

White sand. 33

White.coarse sand. water 1?

Dark quick-sand. M

Iron seam.. (Water 328) 

Red sand. 44

Dark, fine quick- sand. 12

Greenish clay. 14

Dark greenish clay. (Water 406) 31 

(Water 429)

Dark,lme sand

Green clay or marl, minute 55 

fragments of shells

Dark.slushy sand. and clay 25

Green clay. 25

Sandy clay. 25

Clean £ray sand. (Water>554 to 565) 10

Sandy clay. so

Dark brown clay. 20

Dark brown and verv hard clav 8

Dark "brown soft clav. 10

Chocolate colored clay, 20

Dark brown clay, diats0W>;^. ,9

Lvrecii marl . tull or snells . Sandv clav - Sharks-teeth "

Light sand. shells. i"

ii^^m&^^m^&

^^^ v'^^i^^^VV^^^^^-^^'v^v.V^^v

!. '. .-: ' : -.- ; :-. .- " - /.- ' '- ': " '-- ::-. ';.- ':

. .-

B - --- - - -;,

K V

K: -!

 . ..;; " .

is _- '

-

-'.

Dark colored clay (Water 720) 12

Dark greenish marl. 27

Reddish brown sand. 40

Light,brown sand. Water so

Quick -sand.

S aiidv clav. G^

Dark clay 20

Dark hard clav, 9

Dark, clay, softer. 15

Green marl. so

Yellow sand. i- -fil-KHIllsll SHIIll, "._-.( :

Yellow sand with

93

streaks of loam.

Coarse, gray, clean sand.(Yel.loamlft.) s

Coarse erav sand y

Yellow loam and sand. - 10

Dark green or grayraarl or clay, si

Dark green marl. 20

Dark green or gray marl. 24

Dark marl, 

a few shells. at uso. 5S

Slate colored clay. 25

. 

Dark,hard clay. 55

Light clav, shelly 93

(White clav at 1398 ft.)

JlHTlUS BIEN !. 00. S.Y

Sk^=^- .L

: - / :v/.^ : . . r ;':-., . ,^t

w: 

fi-- "1

-:,- 1

I" -3

^ : ': -" '

._ ...-_.. :._ .".-_- "._ ;- ~ . .-- 

2^=^^^^^^=^^=^^^-^^

""" " ""1

v. .. Isi

"""-=::

Rr

^C7

ft

, . . _-.-_ _-- . _.__ _ __ ...L_.. . .

\ 5 Yellow sand, clavs

M

^ and gravels. 

§ "White and gray

sand and gravel. 

265 feet

,, Reddish brown 

w 

fr sand with two

W o or more thin clay-beds.

« Fragments of wood 

throughout.

383 feet

 406

-430 Diatomaceous clays, 

rich in diatoms, (382 - 406,

48O

 535 

For anrini fer a ,

comminuted shells, 

' 609 and diatoms.

 632 (430 -'t8O, 632-658)

658 feet

103 Ft.

fc E quivalent of

W

2

g Shiloh marls. 

Perna maxillata .

83 Ft. 

Reddish brown 

sand.

344 Micaceous sand.

Ill Ft.

Dark chocolate

clay.

Green marl. 

955 Ostreaf sp?)inlower 2 feet

140 Ft.

Gr e eni sh y e 11 ow 

sand with 

streaks of loam. 

Barnacles throughout.

1095 feet

130 Ft.

Dark greenish- gray 

clay, alaxmdance 

of Foraminifera.

1225 feet

173 Ft.

Light and dark

slate colored clays . 

Abundance of 

Foraminifera throughout.

Placocyathus . (coral.)

1398 feet 

By Lewis "WoolTnan

COLUMNAR SECTION OF ARTESIAN WELLS ATATIANTIC CITY.NEWJERSKY

Scale of 100 feet tolinclt
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 53

Long Branch by the storms, for both contain the same forms. The 

575-foot water horizon is thought to be the same as the one at Seven 

Islands at 510-535 feet and at Atlantic City at 700-720 feet. The 

water at 425 feet is apparently the 525-foot Atlantic City horizon, but 

it is in somewhat coarser sand. The beds at 410 feet are richly diatomaceous and contain Coscinodiscus excavatus, a form which occurs at 

Atlantic City at a depth of 500-525 feet, just above the water horizon.1

Berkeley Arms, Ocean County. The wells are on the beach opposite 

the mouth of the Toms Eiver. The water was found at 475 feet. It 

rises to the surface, but does not flow, and is said to have yielded 60 

gallons per minute.2

The water horizon is far down in the Chesapeake formation, as will 

be seen in section 5, PI. Ill, and may be the same as the water horizon 

at 950 feet in the Atlantic City well, and at 335 feet at Winslow, as 

suggested by Woolman.3

Analysis of water from well at Berkeley Arms, New Jersey', by Messrs. Austin and Wilier.

Grains' per 

gallon.

' 0.769

0.764

0.619

0.635

1.300

01571

1.032

0.052

11.742

The water is pure and wholesome. It is remarkable for the quantity 

of carbonate of soda which it contains.

Bordentown, Burlington County. The well at the Aquatic Club 

House, on the banks of the Delaware Eiver, obtains an excellent supply of somewhat ferruginous water from a depth of 119 feet. The 

following record was kindly furnished by Mr, Wiese, of Bordentown:

Feet.

0-3......mud.

3-11......sand.

11-21......clay.

21-30...... fine white sand.

30-34...... coarse sand wi th ironstone streaks.

34-52^. ....white clay and fine sand.

52^-54...... blue clay.

1 L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1890, pp. 266-267, and report for 1893, pp. 

395-396.

2 New Jersey report for 1884, p. 187.

3 New Jersey report for 1890, p. 274. 

4 New Jersey report for 1888, p. 133.
$4 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [uuLL.m

F,eet. . , ... .......

54-68...... blue sand with wood, fragments, much irony water.

68-76...... white sand and white clay.

76-90...... coarse gravel in very white clay.

90-90^.....clay. -. . 

90^-103^.... .fine white sand mixed with clay.

103^-110...... coarse gravel with white clay, considerable irony water.

i.10-114...... sandstone and hard sand.

114-119...... sand and gravel with much water.

The horizon is in the Raritan formation, about 125 feet below its top.

In another well in Bordentown, which was sunk to a depth of over 

220 feet, a good supply of ferruginous water was found at 195 feet and 

the crystalline bedr.ock at 220 feet. The water is in basal sands of the 

Raritan formation underlying 65 feet of red clay, and it rises.to about 

tide level.1

Bridgeton, Cumberland County. The well at East Bridgeton is at an 

altitude of about 40 feet. It was bored at a depth of 90 feet, but 

yielded no .water supply. The record is as follows: . v

Feet. 21-22...... clay.'" " ~"""

22-62 ...... ligh t-gray quicksand.

'62-63...... sandstone.

63-64,.-.....white clay. ....

64-66......sand. ' . . - - .

66-69...... quicksand.

69-77...... coarse sand.

77-79...... quicksand. .

79;-80...... sand with small amount of water.

80-82...... hard stiff yellow clay. ' ; ;

82-84...... sand.' ' ' ' ......

84-85...... reddish clay..

85-89......sand. * - ' ,' .

89-90......dark clay.

This record is given by Mr. Woolman,2 who states that the beds are 

probably all post-Miocene (post-Chesapeake) in.age.

Brigantine. In the summer of 1895 a 798-foot well was completed at 

this place. It flows over 100 gallons per minute and undoubtedly 

draws from the 800-foot horizon at Atlantic City. Very small flows 

were noted at 517 to 525 feet and at 670 feet. The main flow is from 

sands at 728 to 798 feet. The diatom clay series extended from 389 to 

670 feet. The detailed record is given by Mr. L. Woolman in New 

Jersey report for 1895.3

Burlington,"Burlington County. A well at the residence of C. S. Taylor, near Burlington, was sunk 200 feet in the dark clays of the lower 

part of the Matawan formation and the upper part of the Raritan 

clays, and ended in a light-colored clay. No good supply of water was 

obtained.4 """' ......_.._

: - - i L. Woolman in'New Jersey report for 1895, p. 71.

3 New Jersey report for 1893, pp.4187419. .. ....,-."

3 Pages 78-79. ' '

4 New Jersey report for 1879, p. 139:
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. . 55

. The well sunk for Mr. Ezra-Bowen, 2 miles east of Burlington, had 

the following record: 1

Feet. ' -

« f 0-6......soil. . . .

£ I 6-59...... black mud or marl.

.Jl | 59-103......green inarl. . .

g [ 103-120...... gray sand with wood, no water.

pj f 120-124...... white clay.

j| j 124-145......red-mottled clay.

^ | 145-150...... dry, dark lead-colored clay.

M I 150-154......sand and hard crusts. . .

At 253 medium-fine to coarse sand and gravel.

A well 1£ miles south of Burlington obtains an excellent water 

supply from a depth of 128 feet, The following record is given : 2

Feet. ..... ; - 

0-8......sand.

8-10......sandy crust. 

10-13...... gravel and quicksand.

13-69......green marl. . . . . . > 

69-76..... .red and white clay.

76-85...... white clayey sand.

86-106......red clay.

106-110......gravel and red sand. " . ..

110-126......white clay. -,.. ..

126-132...... white sand and water. -

132-135......heavy yellow gravel and water.

Camden, Camden County. The well at Esterbrook Steel Pen Works 

yields 40,000 gallons in ten hours. The diameter is 6 inches, and the 

first boring was 66£ feet deep. The water stood at about high:tide level, 

or 5 to 6 feet below the surface. It was at first clear, but finally carried 

particles of clay. It was deepened in 1886 and water was found at 87 

feet, but not in sufficient amount. The record was as follows: 3

Feet. 

0-20...... muck and some gravel.

20-23......gray mud.

23-25......sand. """'

25-30...... potters' clay.

30-33...... yellow sand. ' : - "'

33-60...... coarse gravel with some yellow sand. 

60-62...... fine, smooth, yellow clay.

62-66^. ....coarse sand with green specks.

67-77...... yellow gravel and stones.

77-87...... fine white sand and gravel. . ,

The boring was farther deepened to 100 feet, where a soft micaceous 

rock was encountered, and continued 30 feet into the rock, but the 

supply of water was not increased. 3 ,. ....

1 New Jersey report for 1892, p. 310. ......

2 L. Woolman in New Jersey report for-1895, p. 70.----

3 New Jersey report for 1885, p. 126. . _,
56 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

! The well at Cooper Hospital was sunk in 1885 and a supply of water 

was obtained at 129 feet. It is a 6-inch pipe and the water rises to 

within 16 feet of the surface. It is estimated to yield 25,000 gallons 

per day. The following analysis is given: l

Analysis of water from well at Cooper Hospital, Camden, N. J.

Grains per 

gallon.

Sulphate of lime................................................... 1.76

Carbonate of lime..................................'................ 0.77

Carbonate of magnesia............................................. 0. 83

Chloride of sodium................................................ 0.30

Sesquioxide of iron and alumina................................... 0.07

Silica.............................................................. 0.54

Organic and volatile matter........................................ 0.46

Total solids.................................................. 4.73

/

It is a soft and good water.

The following materials are penetrated: 1

Feet. 

0-4......sand and soil.

4-10......molding clay and sand.

. 10-12...... white gravel with water.

12-20......sand.

20-26......soft clay.

26-28...... soft ironstone.

28-30...... potters' clay.

30-34...... black clay and mud, with fragments of wood.

34-40...... soft pink clay.

40-68......white sand, white gravel (large stone).

68-78...... white gravel.

78-80......red gravel. .

80-95......yellow gravel and sand (water).

95-120......white sand and gravel.

120-123......red gravel, with 3 inches of white clay.

123-126......red gravel, with 1 or 2 inches of white clay.

126-129...... white gravel.

The water horizon is in or near the basal beds of the Earitan formation, apparently the same as that which supplies the well at 174 feet at 

Pavouia, 130 feet at Stockton, and the deep well at Gloucester.

A 6-inch well was recently bored at the Camden pumping station, 

on the Delaware Eiver, near the foot of Fulton street. It is on tide 

meadow, and considerably below the wells above described. Its record 

is given by Mr. Woolman 2 as follows:

Feet.

0-39...... black river mud.

39-49...... yellow and red mottled plastic clay.

49-72......red clay. -

'New Jersey report for 1885, p. 125.

2 New Jersey report for 1894, pp. 197-198.
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 57

Feet.

72-78....... white sand.

78-83...... large coarse gravel.

83-85...... white sand, with water, which rises to within 1-J- inches of the

surface. 

85-89...... gravel and sand.

89-90......white clay.

90-98......large gravel, with water, which rises to within 34 feet of the

surface. 

98-104...... gravel, clay, and sand.

104-112...... soft rock. *

112..... .hard rock, in which boring was discontinued.

Gape May City, Cape May County. There were seven 8-inch wells 

bored here to depths varying from 87 to 92 feet. They tap a stratum of 

fine, fresh water, and yield about 75 gallons per minute. Driven wells 

to from 25 to 30 feet yield from 7 to 10 gallons per minute.1

Cape May Point, Cape May County. A. well at this locality found a 

fair supply of water at 320 to 360 feet, in sands containing thin beds of

clay and broken shells. The boring was deepened in 1890, and Mr. 

"Woolman found diatom remains in materials from 456 feet in this 

well.2

Another well sunk to 224 feet obtained salt water.

Cinnaminson, Burlington County. A 6-inch well bored by A. C. Wood 

a quarter of a mile east of the post-office passed through the following 

strata: 3

Feet.

0-6......earth.

6-7...... shells.

. 7-27...... yellow sand.

27-30...... fine white gravel.

30-32...... yellow clay.

32-42...... whitish sand.

42-46...... coarse white gravel.

The well yields 400 to 500 gallons per minute, and the water has a 

temperature of 52°.

The water appears to be from the basal Matawan horizon..

Clayton, Gloucester County. Three 2-inch and three 3-inch wells have 

been bored at this place. They all found water in a coarse gravel at 

80 to 105 feet from the surface, of which the elevation is about 140 feet. 

The water rises to within 21 feet of the surface, and each well has 

yielded 150 gallons per minute without being lowered. The water is 

thought to be in superficial sands and gravels, probably not far from 

Miocene (Chesapeake) clays.4 A series of four wells for the water company, reported by Mr. Woolman in 1895,5 range in depth from 86 to 93 

feet. Miocene blue clay is reported at 105 feet.

'New Jersey report for 1879, p. 144.

2New Jersey report for 1890, p. 272. IH the New Jersey report for 1894, pp. 157-158, 

Mr. Woolman gives some additional data regarding the shells and other materials 

from this well.

3New Jersey report for 1889, p. 86.

4 Woolman, New Jersey report for 1893, p. 419.

6 New Jersey report for 1895, p. 89.
r

ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Collingswood, Camden County. The record of the well at this place 

is as follows: l .

 '.'. ' ' Feet.' - -.; ...

0-8...... surface sand.

40-48...... marly clay of dark color.

48-71...... sandy clay of lighter color. .......

71-96......gray clay. " .......

96-105......greenish marly clay, with sand and gravel mixed.

105-125...... same, but lighter in color, with large white pebbles.

125-141......whitish sand, ....

' 141-143...... white clay.

'143-170......red clay. .

170-184......reddish sand. " ' ' ~

l| i 184-196......white clay. 

[ - 196....... coarse yellowish-white gravel, with large pebbles, and.^water.

The water horizon is thought to be about 200 feet above the base of 

the Earitan formation. The coarse materials at 105-125 feet appear'to 

be the basal Matawan beds, which yield water at various wells in the 

surrounding region, but no wajber was reported at this horizon in the 

Collingswood well. 

Columbus, Burlington..County. In the deep well of- the Eancocas 

stock-farm of Pierre Lorill.ard the record is as follows:

 . . Feet. ; ... . 

0-14...... yellowish loams and sands, water bearing.

14-48...... fine sand, water bearing.

48-72...... stiff black sandy clay. '

72-73.... ..fine sand, muddy, and water bearing!

73-82...... stiff black sandy clay.

82-116.... ..fine sand, water bearing'; containing scattering layers of

/ sandstone on clay or shell rock from 3 to 5 inches thick.

116-117.... ..black sandy clay.

117-124.. ....fine sand, water bearing.

124-125...... black sandy clay.'

125-128...'.!':.fine sand", water bearing.

128-178...... dark sandy clay, containing scattered layers of sandstone

. and shell rock, 3 to 5 inches-thick.

'.178-306.... ..dark sandy clay, changeable to more sandy, with scatter-

, ing layers of sandstone, shell rock, shells, and wood. 

306-314.... ..fine sand,.some gravel, sand crusts and floating brown clay

lumps, water. . 

314-338...... red and white variegated clay.

338-356...... sand and sandrock alternately, from 5 inches to 2 feet

thick, with some thin clay veins and considerable wood. 

* 356-367..-....? .

367-370...... fine sand.

370^387-... ..coarse sand with small amount of water.

387-390...... coa'rse gravel.

390-395.:.... fine sand. . . .-.

,395-400.......white clay. . ' .

400-410.... ..white clay and some coarse gravel.

410-432!... ..fine white sand.

432-440...... dark sand, full of mica; looks like rotten rock.

1 New Jersey report for 1892, p. 302.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 59

Feet. - .- ..- - .-,-,.. ' ..- ...". 

["440-451.... ..pieces of stone clay.

451-459...... coarse dark sand, mixed with red clay,

459-479...... fine white sand.

479-483...."..dark clay:

483-495...... white and red clay.

495-497......sand. . . .

497-508...... thin white clay.

508-514...... dark clay.

514-516.... ..thin white clay and a little gravel intermixed.

516-534.....,white and red clay mixed. -. 534-538...... soft'light-colored clay.

538-550...... alternations of tough red and white clay. .;'

550-575...... dark clay.

575-588......sand. '

588-600.... ..thin sand layer on coarse white sand and some.streaks of

clay. .. - 

600-603...... coarse sand and gravel.

603-619...... fine sand. ' .,.....<

619-625...... clay. ; ' """'

625-636...... clay with wood. ....

636-644......mostly dark clay. .-, ' .......

644-651......sand. .

651-664......white clay.

664-679......sand. r . . . '

679-681......white clay. ~"""

681-690...... gravel and coarse sand. - .......

690-715..;. ..red and white clay on sand. - "

A fair supply of ferruginous water was obtained at 338-356 feet, 

which rose to within 45 feet of the surface. The well was deepened to 

715 feet without finding a further supply, and was then abandoned.

In another well a slightly ferruginous water was obtained at 156 feet 

in the basal Matawan beds, which flows about 10 gallons a minute.1

The deep well was unfortunately abandoned in beds not far above the 

base of the Earitan formation, so that it did not determine whether 

the basal beds of this formation are water bearing in this region.

Delair. The well at this place has a depth of 78 feet and draws an 

excellent water supply from a gravel bed in the Earitan formation. 

The following record is given: 2

 - ;. Feet." " ' " ,',/." 

0-25.. .... not given. ;.

25-55.... .-.dry coarse sand. .....

. 55-73.... ..stiff white clay.

73-78.. ....coarse and heavy gravel. ......

Felloicship, Burlington .County. Well on the farm of. J..GL Wilson, a 

quarter of a mile north of the village, entered a layer of coarse white 

gravel at a depth of 131 feet, from which a good volume of water rose 

to within 50 feet of the surface.. XJuder the gravel a bed of marl with 

fine quicksand was driven through down to 192 feet, and then 8 feet 

of gravely-to 200 feet. The boring was continued to a depth-of-260

'New Jersey reports for 1879, pp. 137-139, and for 1892,.p. :306. 

2 L. Woolman in New Jersey report for 1895, pp. 70-71.
60 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

feet and through a bed of "kaolin" which was troublesome in pumping 

and at last closed, the pipes. The marl bed passed through at 20 feet 

below the surface is the Lower Marl, 1

The water at 131 feet is from a mid-Matawan horizon, and the gravel 

at 200 feet is probably near the base of the Matawan formation.

Fifiel$s, Great Egg Harbor Bay. This well is on Ladd's Hummocks 

in Great Egg Harbor Bay, opposite Longport. It was bored in 1891 to 

a depth of 397 feet and then abandoned. The following record is 

given:

Feet. . . 

0-40...... beachi sand.

40-50......mud, with some shells.

50-58......coarse gravel. .

58-60...... white clay.

60-66...... coarse gravel and sand.

66-70.......dark clay. .

70-84...... coarse gravel.

84.....: water.

84-160...... gray sand. ' *

160-164...... gray sand, with wood.

164-275...... gray sand.

275-294...... greenish clay.

294-346...... coarse sand and fine gravel.

346-397......greenish hlue clay; solid.

From 294 feet down, the beds are considered Chesapeake, of which 

the lower 25 to 50 feet are probably part of the great diatomaceous clay 

bed. The mud at the depth of 40 feet and the 4 feet of dark clay at 

66 to 70 feet were also noted at Atlantic City* The coarse water-bearing 

gravels from 70 to 84 feet are almost certainly the equivalent of the 

diatomaceous clay and water-bearing gravel found in the Absecon 

wells. 2

 The coarse sand and fine gravel at 294-346 feet appears to represent 

the 328-foot water horizons at Atlantic City and Ocean City, but it was 

not reported to contain water in the Fifielcl well.

 Freehold, Monmouth County. Two wells were bored in Freehold in 

1889 for the village water supply. The borings were not studied satisfactorily. The first stratum of water-bearing sand was struck at 

135 feet. At 172 feet a black clay was found, which was penetrated 

to 208 feet, but whether it extended to a greater depth is not stated. 

At 255 feet white sand with fragments of wood was found, and the 

=boring was continued to a depth of 322 feet. The water rose to within 

62 feet of the surface. The following record is given:

Feet.

40...... green sand marl. .

58...... black "marl" or clay, with sand.

96-102...... light-gray clay.

1 New Jersey report for 1879, p. 85.

S L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 281-282.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 61

root. 

102-105...... hard layer.

105-107...... green '' marl."

108-119...... black and liard material.

114...... seam of gray "marl" with small shells.. ':

120...... black deposit.

127...... layer of fine gravel or coarse sand.

136...... fine sand mixed with bJue clay.

148...... water-bearing sand.

The capacity of the well in November, 1880, with a hand pump, was 

found to be equivalent to a supply of 25 gallons per minute, or 36,000 

gallons per day. The water rose to within 26 feet of the surface, when 

the pumping was discontinued. An analysis of the water made by 

Prof. F. A. Wilber showed that it contained 8.607.grains of total solids 

per gallon, comprising:

Analysis of 'water from well at Freehold, -N. J.

Grains peigallon.

0.776

0.017

3.084

0.303

0.116

0 349

0.245

O

o O-i

^911

3

onn

8.607

5.479

The water is clear, tasteless, without odor, and neutral with reagents.

The present water supply of the village is from wells about 1£ miles 

north of the court-house, at a point 100 feet above sea level and 78 feet 

below the court-house steps. The first well was bored to 210 feet, into 

what is generally known as the second stratum of water-bearing sand, 

but no good supply of water was obtained. The second well was bored 

to 50 feet. The marl extended from the surface to 40 feet, and was 

underlain by from 8 to 10 feet of coarse sand containing much water. 

Eight more wells were bored to this horizon, and their total yield is 

about 250 gallons per .minute.1 .

The upper waters found in these wells are in the 'horizon at the base 

of the Lower Marl bed, and the " second stratum" is in the Matawan 

horizon, which yields water at Seabright, Monmouth Beach, Monmouth 

Park, Matawan, the deeper Eed Bank well, and others^

iNew Jersey report for 1889, p. 84, and for 1890, pp. 64-65.
62 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Gibbsboro, Camden County. A well 71 feet deep, at the residence of 

J. Lucas, obtains a water supply from beds between the Limesand and 

Middle Marl. The record is given by Mr. Woolman in New Jersey 

report for 1895.1 . . '

Glassboro, Gloucester County. The well .bored for .the New Jersey 

Packing Company reached a depth of 511 feet, but did not obtain a 

satisfactory water supply. The record was as follows:

Feet.

0-&......white sand with pebbles. ' .

! 72-80...... fine yellow sticky sand. 

80-90:..... black sandy clay and sand with lignite. 

90-145......dark-blue clay with Turritella cequistriata, Carditagranulata, and coccoliths. 

Upper marl. 145-190...... black sand marl-with 0. bryani, foraininifera and large

Nodosaria. 

Middle inarl. 190-240...... blue clay, lighter than overlying marl.

Red sand.( ?) 240-255...... conglomerate with ponderous shells.

Lower marl. 255-335......light-blue clay.(?)

335-380...... green and white sands intermixed. Beleuinitella and

other shells.

Matawan. 380-395......clay.with.while quartz and.greensand grains, mixed.

395-41,0........yellowishsand............. .................. :

410-511.......micaceous, marly .sandy clay.

From a study -which Mr.-Woolman made of the fragments of shells, 

and the general relations, it is"thought that'the Middle Marl was penetrated at 250 feet and the Lower.Marl at 350 feet. The Chesapeake 

was clearly recognized.2 ......... ...

The five shallow wells bored at this locality by the West Jersey Railroad Company obtain a supply of .water in a sand at from 73 to 80 feet. 

They have the folio wing record : - 

Feet. . ......... ,, . ......

0-20.......clay.

20-23......sand-and gravel. ....; 

23-70......yellow quicksand.

70-73....... yellow clay.

73-80...... sand with water.

80-86...... light, fine gravel.

86-88......black sand.

Green marly clay.

The water is in the basal portion of the Chesapeake formation.

Gloucester. Several borings.have been made at this locality to various depths. A test well was sunk to the rock at the waterworks, 

which are on Newtown Creek, directly west of the station of the New 

Jersey Eailroad. Its record was as follows:

Feet. ' ',--'- 

f 0-15......gravel and meadow muck. > -

15-35...... yellow clay. . ,

35-42...... indigo-blue clay.

42-54...... blue-gray sand, with wood.

54-75...... coarse bluish-white sand and fine gravel.

I 75-85.....'.blue and white gravel, with large pebbles. Water.

.APages 66^67.. . . ; ,. , , ~~ ~ ~^. 

8 L. Woolman, New Jersey report for 1893, ppi 407-408. "
DAETON.] - NEW JERSEY. 63'

85-113......alternations of sandy clays and water-bearing sands.

113-120......reddish clay. -- 

120-129...... white sandy clay. --- 

129-139...... coarse yellowish sand, with small pebbles. -Water.

139-155...... alternations of white sands and clays. - - 

" 155-169...... gravel. Water. - ---.

169-195......red clay.

195-226...:..clay. - -- 

226-242...... sand, slightly red. - -- 

242-276...... clay and water-be'aring sand and gravel. Water at 270 feet.

276-290......greenish micaceous rock clay, evidently decomposed rock.

290...... solid rock. ' ......

Eleven 4£-inch wells were sunk a short distance east of the New 

Jersey Railroad station. Nine of these wells have yielded from 700,000 

to 1,000,000 gallons per twenty-four hours. The water rises about a 

foot above the tide level and pulsates a few inches with each rise and 

fall of the tide.

Three of the wells are in beds from 67 to 79 feet, four of the wells are 

in beds from 83 to 96 feet, and three of the wells are in beds from 149 

to 162 feet. One well is at 270 feet.

There are six 3-iuch wells at the Gloucester Gingham Works, near 

the Delaware River, about half a mile southwest of the waterworks 

well. They have depths of 65 and 102 feet, and each well yields about 

100 gallons a minute on pumping.1

Great Sedge Island,2 Barnegat Say. This island is near to and north 

of Barnegat Inlet. The well was bored in 1892 to a depth of 320 feet 

with a 4£-inch bore. The yield is 10 gallons per minute. The record 

is as follows:

Feet. 

0-2......sedge.

2-5......blue mud.

5-36......white sand with a 1-foot hard crust in middle and shells below.

36-40...... sand and marly clay.

40-45...... marly gf eeri 'clay; very tough, with gravel.

45-50...... green marl or c lay, with small shells. ""

50-57...... white sand. 

57-58...... ginger-colored clay, with bits of wood.

58-77......gray clay.

77-80...... green clay.

80-90......gray and black sand. '

90-94...... gray clay and rotten' wood.

94-100......chocolate-colored clay. ' " ~ :

100-120......gray.and black sand. ;

120-150......brown and gray clay, with small quartz fragments. '

150-151...... hard sand crust of white sand.

151-160......white sand, coarse gravel, and rotten wood; water at rate of

1 gallon per minute at 158 feet. 

160-180......fine white sand and many flecks like mica; water, 2 gallons

per minute at 170 feet.

1 L. Woolman, New Jersey report for 1893, pp. 4"04-406. 

3 L. Woolman in New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 290-293.
64 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Feet. 

180-188......black mud, white and black sand, mica, and vermilion sand.

188-200...... fine and coarse white and black sand and mica.

200-225...... fine white and black sand and very coarse white quartz.

225-244...... coarse sands and fine gravel.

244-245...... gray clay, tough.

245-252...... coarse sand and fine gravel; water, 2 gallons per minute.

252-260...... gray clayey marl, medium gravel and quartz, and rotten stone.

260-270...... brownish-gray clay and bits of rotten wood.

270-280...... fine and coarse sands, some like opals; bits of wood.

280-290...... hard sandy brown clay.

290^293...... hard muddy brown clay.

293-320...... coarse and fine white and gray sand and some mica.

The small flows of water at 157 and 175 feet appear to represent the 

Horizons of 525-550 feet at Atlantic City, on the calculation of the dip 

at 25 feet per mile. The small flow at 252 feet probably represents 

some water-bearing sands in the lower part of the same clay bed, a 

horizon not reported at Atlantic City, but noticed at Ocean City, and 

believed to be stratigraphically the same as that supplying the wells at 

Pleasant Mills. The horizon at 300-320 feet is equivalent to that at the 

depth of 700 feet at Atlantic City, being the first water bearing sands 

fairly below and out of the diatom clay bed. On pumping this well for 

an hour it supplied 100 gallons without perceptible lowering of the 

water level. The water will rise 9 feet above the level of the bay.

Two analyses of the water have been made at a year's interval. Both 

are said to be fairly accordant as to the relative amounts of the ingredients, but the total amount of mineral matter increased from 4.633 

grains per gallon to 8.694 grains. The later analysis was made by 

Dr. Henry Leffinan, and is as follows:

Analysis of water from, well at'Great Sedge Island, New Jersey.

Total..... ....................................................

Grains; per 

gallon.

0. 937

1. 624

0 274

0.266

 0. 207

0.168

4.633

0. 0005

. 0. 0034

Greenwich, Cumberland County. Mr. Job Bacon bored a well 690 feet 

deep at this locality, but found no water,
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. . bO

The following partial record of this boring was given by Mr. Woolman, and is based on samples preserved in the State Museum at Trenton.1

Feet.

0-360...... no sample.

360-400......sand-y clay.

400-450...... clay, containing Textularia and other foraminifera.

450-525...... micaceous, sandy clay.

525-550......greensand, with Gryphea and foraminifera.

550-600......green and white sand, with Textularia and coccoliths.

 -5 C 600-625...... greenish sand, coccoliths, Textularia, and greensand grains.

| 625-642...... greensand, with Gryphea shell.

h I 612-650......greensand.

I 650-690...... black, micaceous, sandy clay.

>3 I 690......sandy clay, somewhat lighter in color; contains coccoliths.

If the boring of this well was properly managed and no waters were 

passed by oversight, it probably demonstrates the absence of the Ked 

bank and Lower Marl water horizons in western Cumberland County.

Harrisonville, Gloucester County. This well is a small boring on the 

farm of Mr. Joseph Cheeseman, a mile east of the village, at an elevation of 120 feet. Mr. Woolman gives the following record:

Feet. 

' 0-18...... superficial gravel, with streaks of yellow clay at bottom.

18-55...... bluish, clay.

55-80...... "bluish green, muddy, marly clay."

80-90?.... - .white quartzose sand, with greensand grains.

90-118......alternations of lime sand and lime rock, composed largely of

bryozoans and foraminifera. 

118-122...... quartzose sand, with water.

The beds from 37 to 80 feet are regarded as Chesapeake. The waterbearing sand is in the middle of the Eancocas formation, between the 

lime sands and the Middle Marl bed.2

Harrisiaf Burlington County. A well was sunk at this place in 1866 

to a depth of 306 feet, with a bore of 6 inches. Gravel and blue and 

gray clay were passed through to 180 feet, where mud, sand, and wha,t 

appeared to be decayed wood were encountered. Farther down a gravel 

bed was penetrated and water flowed to a level 8 feet above the surface. 

The well was unfortunately deepened to 375 feet, where, without increase 

in volume, the water became strongly ferruginous and the well was 

abandoned.

The record of this well is as follows:

Feet. 

0-77...... surface sand.

77-85......sand.

85-98......blue mud.

98-108...... clay, with pyrite. ,

108-124...... marly mud.

1 New Jersey report for 1894, p. 131.

2 Loc. cit., pp. 195-196.

3 L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 288-289. 

Bull. 138 5
66 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BOLL. 138.

Feet. 

124-131...... strata with old wood.

131-146...... mud and shells.

146-196...... hard rock layer.

196-231...... saucl and water.

231-245...... dark slushy sand.

245-261...... yellow sand.

261-306...... coarse red sand.

306-318...... dark sand.

318-331...... white clay.

331-368...... green marl, ferruginous water.

'368-375...... slate stone. (?)

The beds from 85 to 146 feet are regarded by Mr. Woolman as the 

representatives of the great Chesapeake diatom clays. Those from 146 

to 231 feet are regarded as the base of the diatomaceous series, and the 

nOndiatomaceous beds below are correlated with the water horizon 

of 700 to 720 feet at Atlantic City. The beds from 231 to 375 are thought 

to represent the Perna marl, brown sands, chocolate clay, and green 

Shiloh marl of the Atlantic City wells. The record is considered similar to that of the Winslow well, and it is suggested that if drilling had 

been continued through the marl or marly clay to an additional distance 

of 75 to 80 feet there would have been found the same water horizon 

that supplies the deep well at Winslow, and which is probably the 

equivalent of that at 960 feet at Atlantic City. This would indicate a 

dip of 25 feet per mile. Some large oyster shells were taken out of this 

well, but the species were not identified. 1

Hartford* Burlington County. The well is on the farm of S. C. 

Koberts, about 1£ miles north of Hartford, at an elevation of 70 feet 

above tide. Water was found at 161-167 feet, which rose nearly to 

the surface, but it was filled with fine sand. The well was deepened 

to 187 feet, but was abandoned just above the wa,ter horizon that occurs 

at the base of the Matawan formation. The record is as follows:

Feet.

0-39...... yellow sand. Laminated sands.

39-46...... micaceous, sandy clay; light chocolate color.

46-100...... black mud, or clay marl.

100-117...... green marl.

Clay marls. < 117-157...... clay marl.

157-163...... sandy clay.

163-168......sand; fine, whitish gray.

168-175...... sand; darker gray.

Lower sands of I175-181..... .coarse white sand and gravel, with some mica.

clay marls. ( 181-187..... .slightly coarser sand, bluish gray in color.

Hightstown, Mercer County. The record of the well at this place was 

supplied by Messrs. I. S. Cassin & Son, of Philadelphia, who bored it:

Feet.

0-4......top soil.

4-39...... black-clay mud.

39-66......fine white sand (yielding 30gallons a minute).

1 Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 288-289. 

3 Loc. cit., pp. '304-305.
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 67

Feet.

66-75...... blue clay.

75-172...... coarse white sand with iron water.

172-180...... white clay.

180-201...... coarse white sand lying on white clay.

The well yields 70 gallons per minute of very satisfactory water. 

Dr. Henry Leffman has kindly sent the information that it contains 

three parts per million of iron, a small amount of carbonate of lime, 

and very little chlorides.

According to Mr. Woolman1 there are three wells at the Peddie Institute. One of these has a depth of 76 feet, the others which were bored 

in 1894 have a depth of 428 and 500 feet, respectively. The deeper 

boring reached crystalline rocks at a depth of about 482 feet, and the 

428-foot well found a water supply in coarse gravels and sands in the 

basal beds of the Raritan formation. It is stated that some coarse 

saiid and gravel were found at a depth of about 2QO feet near the 

base of the Matawan formation and between the depth of 240 and 255 

feet, and still coarser gravel and sand from 385 to 435 feet. Lignite is 

reported at 175 feet. The crystalline rock yielded much white quartz, 

some mica, and a few small garnets. Four additional 6-inch wells have 

recently been sunk to depths averaging 200 feet.

Holmdel, Monmoutli County. The well on the Gideau & Daly stock 

farm is 601 feet deep, and obtains about 12 gallons a minute from a 

horizon low in the Earitan formation, probably the same as the Keyport and Atlantic Highlands wells.

Jamesburg, Middlesex County. At the State Reform School a well 

has been bored to a depth of 481 feet. For the first 285 feet the diameter was 8 inches, the remainder 6 inches. The record is as follows:

Feet.

0-9...... yellow sand.

9-13...... yellow sand and gravel.

13-43...... black clay, containing very little sand.

43-52...... dark sand, containing a little clay; 6 inches of sand rock at

base. 

52-64...... dark and greenish sand, containing a little clay.

64-65*....-black clay.

65£-70&. ....dark and greenish sand, containing some clay, rock, and thin

sand crnsts; 6-inch layer of sandstone at base. 

70J-92-J-. ....black clay, with a few thin, sandy layers.

92f-93£.....hard dry whitish clay.

93£-108£. ....black clay, with thin layers of white sand.

108^-110...... stiff black sand.

110-133J.... .fine beach sand.

133£-134£.....black clay.

134^-147...... fine sand.

147-150^.... .black sandy clay, with thin layers.

150£-164...... fine sand.

164-183...... brown clay; very compact and solid above, more sandy below.

183-19H-....fine sand.

1 New Jersey report for 1894, pp. 200-201.
68 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Feet.

1914-192...... dark clay.

192-203......coarse sand, with 3 inches of bluish clay at base.

203-204...... sharp sand; water.

204-204|.... .fine bluish clay.

204f-217i.... .sharp clean sand; water-bearing; has 3 inches of wood at

base. 

217J-218J.... .coarse sand and fine gravel, with lumps of white clay.

218J-224.... ..sharp sand, Avith lumps of bluish clay and a streak of iron

pyrites crust. 

224-231...... fine beach sand.

231-233^.... .sharp sand; coarser, with 3 inches whitish clay at base.

233£-236.... ..sharp sand, with scattering, whitish clay lumps.

236-237.... ..coarse sand and fine gravel, with white clay lumps.

237-238...... fine lively sand.

238-240...... coarse sand and fine gravel, with white clay lumps and 3

inches of whitish clay at bottom.

240-241.... ..sharp sand, with 3 inches of whitish clay below.

241-251...... fine beach sand.

251-256...... course sand.

256-316...... dark-blue clay.

316-333...... sandstone.

333-341...... dark-blue clay

341-345...... quicksand.

345-365......very fine sand.

365-383...... sand not so fine as the last.

383-395...... quicksand.

395-401......blue clay.

401-405...... coarse sand and wood.

405-409.... ..blue clay and pyrites.

409-424...... coarse sand.

424-428...... very coarse sand.

428-431...... fine sand.

431-435......blue clay.

435-438...... quicksand.

438-443...... red clay, sand, and pyrites.

443-448...... quicksand.

448-452...... fine sand and wood.

452-455...... fine, white sand.

455-456...... white clay.

456-462...... coarse sand.

462-466......white sand.

466-472...... coarse sand and gravel.

472-481...... coarse sand, white clay, and gravel.

Owing to an accident, the well was bored no farther, and as the water 

which it contained was somewhat ferruginous it was abandoned. 1 The 

first 60 feet are in the lower portion of the Matawan formation, and 

the remainder is in the Earitan formation. Probably within the next 

100 feet the basal Karitau beds would have been reached and possibly 

a supply of water found in them.

Key East, Monmouth County. Just north of Shark Biver are two 

artesian wells, both of which yield an abundant supply of pure water,

'.New Jersey report for 1880, pp, 166-168,
DAHTON.] NEW JERSEY. 69

The one at the Avon Hotel flows into the building and is distributed 

by pipes. It has a 3-inch bore, and was found to yield 52 gallons per 

minute.1

Keyport, Monmouth County. In this well water was found at 242 

feet. The record was as follows: z

Feet. 

0-16...... sand, and gravel.

Matawau...... 16-21...... blue clay.

21-27...... fine sand.

27-44...... white clay.

44-64...... gray quicksand.

64-86.....-white clay.

Raritan... < 86-101......fine sand.

101-138...... blue and white claya.

138-153......fine sand.

153-190..., ..red and white clay. 

. 190-242...... eancl aud water.

The water in the well is at a horizon about the middle of the Earitan 

formation, apparently the same as the one which furnishes water to the 

489-foot boring at Atlantic Highlands.

Lake Como. Two or more wells have been bored at this place. One 

has a depth of 535 feet and obtains a water supply from below the 

Lower Marl bed. It is stated that the Miocene clay or "rotten stone" 

extends from 40 to 120 feet.3

Lalcewood, Ocean County. The well for the Laurel Hotel was bored 

to a depth of 475 feet. The mouth is 50 feet above tide level, and the 

water rises about 17 feet above the surface. The flow was 3£ gallons 

per minute, and by pumping, 12 gallons per minute have been obtained. 

The water is clear and sparkling and free from organic matter.4

Analysis of water in well at Lakewood, N. J.*

Silica. ..............................................................

Total.........................................................

Grains per 

gallon.

0.478

0.068

0.624

0.898

3.446

0.915

1.499

0.046

3

KO

1 New Jersey report for 1885, p. 130. 

S L. Woolmau, iu New Jersey report for 1893, p. 414. 

3 L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1895, p. 75. 

4 New Jersey report for 1884, p. 125.
70 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

The water horizon is apparently at the base of the Lower Marl bed, 

and the same as that of Spring Lake, Asbury Park (at 383 feet), 

Ocean Beach, Ocean Grove, Red Bank (at 80-90 feet), and others.

Longport. The well at Longport was sunk in 1895. Its depth is 803 

feet, diameter 6 inches, and flow 180 gallons per minute. The water 

horizon is the one which occurs at about the same depth at Atlantic 

City, where it supplies many wells. The record is given by Mr. Woolman in the New Jersey report for 1895.1

Magnolia Station, Camden County. This place is 8 miles east of Camden on the Reading route to Atlantic City. The following record was 

reported by Mr. Woolman: 2

Feet. 

0-4......yellow clay and sand4-36...... blue marl.

36-41...... coarse, white sand, with water.

41-56......coarse, white gravel, with water.

56-59..... .hard stratum with shells.

59-74...... black sand with marl grains.

74-84......gray sand and shells cemented together.

84-91...... very dark gray sand with plenty of water.

The horizon is thought to be Lower Marl.

MantoloJcing, Ocean County. The first well at this place obtained a 

fair supply of water at 175 feet, which rose 35 feet above the surface. 

The horizon is at the base of the great diatom bed of the Chesapeake 

formation, and probably the same as that at 700 feet at Atlantic City 

(see section 5, PI. III). A deeper boring was made to 790 feet, which 

reaches the Lower Marl Horizon, and another boring to a depth of 922 

feet obtains a supply from sands in the Matawan formation. No definite 

data have been obtained regarding the results of the deeper borings, 

but I have understood that they are satisfactory.

Maple Shade, Burlington County. This place is 2f miles south of 

west from Moorestown Station on the Burlington County Railroad. 

Water was found at about 95,125, 280, and 370 feet. The following 

record is given: 3 "~

Feet. 

0-5...... surface gravel.

5-13...... yellow clay.

13-17...... ferriferous clay and ironstone crust.

17-20...... black sand, containingammonites, scaphites, baculites, etc.

20-64......black clay.

64-97...... gray sands, fine above, coarse and pebbly at bottom; water.

97-103...... greensand marl.

103-130...... fine gray sand and coarse gravel; water.

1 Pages 83-85.

8 New Jersey report for 1894, p. 197.

3 L. Woolman in New Jersey report for 1893, pp. 410-411.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 71

Feet.

130-230......white clay.

230-240......red clay.

240-260......alternations of sand and clay, in part reddish.

260-300...... white sand; water.

300-315......white sand, fine, with streaks of clay.

315-330......\vhite sand, coarse.

330-350......white sand, medium coarse.

350-370...... white gravel, coarser below.

370-375...... white gravel, very coarse, with large pebbles and bowlders.

This well has thrown., important light on the water horizons for the 

western corner of Burlington County. The waters are in the midMatawan beds at 80 feet, in the basal Matawan beds at 125 feet, in the 

mid-Potomac beds at 280 feet, and apparently in the basal Potomac 

beds at 370 feet. Excepting the deepest, these waters are also found 

in the Moorestown well, and they also occur in the other wells, as shown 

in section 2, PI. III.

Marlton region, Burlington County. There are many wells in the 

vicinity of Marlton, and the greater number of them draw an abundant 

water supply from the Eedbank horizon. They are described in considerable detail in the New Jersey reports, and especially by Mr. Woolman in the report for 1894, where their relations are also shown in a 

detailed cross section. The following notes are condensed from these 

reports:

A bored well at the house of Mr. Joseph Evans, 1£ miles south of 

Marlton, has a depth of 155 feet and yields 20 gallons per minute. 

The water rises to within 40 feet of the surface and is of good quality, 

and from the fossils found it is judged to come from the sand bed 

underlying the Lower Marl bed. The well was first sunk to a depth of 

380 feet without getting water, as it was driven through this sand layer 

without proper testing and into beds of upper Matawan clay marls, 

which have usually failed to yield a supply of good water. 1

A well was bored in 1884 in Marlton for C. B. Chew. Its depth is 86 

feet and its diameter 5f inches. It is sunk through the Middle Marl 

bed into a sandy layer of the Eedbank formation. The following record 

is given:

Feet. 

0-20...... loam and gravel.

20-26......black marl.

26^6...... greeusand marl.

46-59......chocolate marl, with a thin, strong crust near its middle and at

its base. 

59-83...... hard black sand, which gradually becomes white below.

83-86...... hard rock or bowlder.

The water rose to within 24 feet of the surface. Quality is good. 

Temperature, 52£°. 1

Two miles west of Marlton, on the farm of Mr. Ellwood Evans, there 

are several wells with depths of about 30 feet, which obtain water supplies from the Eedbank sands.

1 New Jersey report for 1888, p. 77.
72 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATTANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

At the residence of Mr. Henry Brick there is a well 86 feet deep, and 

at the residence of Mr. Samuel Lippencott one 105 feet deep, which 

reach the Eedbank sands.

On the farm of S. J. Eves, three-fourths of a mile south of Marlton, 

water was obtained at a depth of 114 feet: on the farm of J. W. Barr, 

2 miles east of Marlton, at G8 feet; on the farm of Josiah Ballenger, 3 

miles east-northeast of Marlton, at 76 feet: on the farm of Amos Evans, 

near Marlton, at 83 feet; on the farm of W. J. Evans, at 121 feet; at 

the residence of B. S. Lippencott, at 105 feet^ at Levi Ballenger's, at 

82 feet; on the farm of Joseph Evans, 2 miles east southeast of Marlton, at 98 feet; and on the Davis Kogers farm, 3 miles east of Marlton, 

at 102 feet.

On the farm of Mr. Benjamin Cooper, 2 miles east of Marlton, there 

is a \rell which yields a large supply of "exceptionally good water." 

The following record is given:

Feet. 

0-28......top soil.

28-31...... ironstone.

31-32...... greensand marl.

32-33.. ....ironstone.

33-52. .... greensaud raarl, black and chocolate marl.

52-66......clean black sand, with white specks.

66-70......open coarse sand, with belemnites.

The well is 6 inches in diameter. The water rose to within 5 feet 7 

inches of the surface; after pumping, it rose to 3 feet 10 inches from 

the surface. The temperature is 540. 1

It was suggested that this water was from over the Middle Marl, but 

it is much more probable that it is from the Eedbank horizon, Avhich 

furnishes water to other wells in the region.

A well 3 miles southwest of Marlton, on property of Mrs. John Wilkins, lias a depth of 316 feet, and yields a satisfactory supply of water

on pumping.2

A well bored in 1895 at the residence of H. B. Duuphey, in Marlton, 

is reported to have the following record: 3

Feet.

0-18...... soil, yellow loam and gravel.

18-32......black marl.

32-41...... green marl.

41-70..... .chocolate marl, with probable Gryphea.

70-82...... gray sand, irony water.

82-122...... black sand.

122-194...... black clay.

194-200...... fine white sand, with good water to within 28 feet of surface.

The horizon is low in the Matawan formation. The irony water 

horizon at 82 feet is just below the Lower Marl, which supplies several 

wells in the neighborhood.

1 New Jersey report for 1884, pp. 126-127.

2 New Jersey report for 1885, p. 133, and for 1894, pp. 207-208.. 

3 L- Woolman in New Jersey report for 1895,. p. 69_
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 73

Matawan, Monmouth County. A boring at this place passed through 

about 100 feet of bluish clay with marl grains, and then into fine sand 

with an abundance of water. Unfortunately, this water carried too 

much fine sand in suspension and was not available. The boring was 

continued in the sand to 264 feet without finding gravel or sand 

coarse enough to keep the lower end of the pipe clean, and the work 

was suspended. 1

The water at 100 feet is in the mid-Matawan horizon, which is satisfactory in wells at Redbank, Monmouth Park, Monmouth Beach, Seabright, etc. With proper treatment, this well could no doubt have been 

made a success at 100 feet, or it could have been deepened to the niidRaritan or basal Raritan horizons with good prospects for finding other 

water-bearing beds.

Mays Landing, Atlantic County. Two wells here furnished a moderate 

supply of water through a 2£-inch tube. They are at an elevation of 

about 8 feet above high water. The record was as follows:

Feet. 

0-20...... coarse gravel.

20-60...... quicksand.

60-90...... beach sand, with clay layers, perhaps 1 foot thick.

90-96...... fine black or blue tongh clay underlain by some water.

96-136...... glass sand and uo clay.

1361-150...... Sand, with no increase in water.

The supply from the first well was 12 gallons per minute at first, but 

it finally decreased to 7 gallons. The second well was sunk to 130 feet, 

and yields 3 to 4 gallons per minute. The temperature of the water is! 

57°. The solid matter in the water at 110° was 7.69 grains. It contains only a trace of iron and is slightly alkaline.2

A 6-inch well was sunk in 1891 to a depth of 176 feet which yielded 

25 gallons per minute. The temperature of the water was 56°.

The section, according to Mr. Woolman, is as follows:

Peet. 

0-22...... gray sand, granular.

22-54...... gray sand, finer.

54-72......bluish-gray, clayey sand, considerable wood.

72-98.-....bluish clay, diatomaceous.

98-112...... clayey sand, diatomaceous.

112-116...... sand, bluish when wet.

116-125...... alternations of sand and diatomaceous clay.

125-132...... sand, water.

132-142......sandy clay, diatomaceous.

142-149...... bluish clay, diatomaceous.

149-151....... sand, water.

151-165...... alternations of sand and diatomaceous clay.

165-172..... .blue clay, richly diatomaceoua.

172-176...... sand, water bearing.

The clays belo.w 100. feet contain Miocene diatoms. The water horizon of t'tie 130-foot and! 176>foo,i wells at this place is-, identicalwith that

Jersey report .for 1885, p. 124. 

2-New Jersey report for-1884, p.p..130-131.
74 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

at Weymouth at a depth of 40 feet. The distance between the two 

places is 5 miles, which is nearly directly across the line of strike. 

This horizon is thought to be the same as that in the Atlantic City 

wells at 525 feet, in the central portion of the diatom clays. 1

Mechesatarikin Creek, Atlantic County. A well bored for 0. G. Rockwood about 4 miles from Atsion and 5 or 6 miles northwest of Pleasant 

Mills passed through 158 feet of sandy clays and sand but did not obtain 

a satisfactory supply of water.2

Medford, Burlington County. A boring to 70 feet yielded 20 gallons 

a minute on pumping. It was deepened to 183 feet in 1892. The following record is given:

Feet. 

0-15...... sand and earth.

15-45...... niarl.

60-64...... shelly layer.

64-70...... coarse, gray sand.

70-85...... green marl.

85-110...... black quicksand.

110-122...... marl.

122-157...... quicksand.

157-170...... marl.

170-175...... sand, some cl ay.

175-177...... sand, some clay, and good water.

177-183......sand.

The water is stated to be first class and to rise within 17 feet of the 

surface, which is 78 feet above tide level. 3

A well on the farm of Mr. J. S. Mills, about If miles northeast of 

Medford Station, had the following record:

Feet. 

0-2...... soil.

2-5...... clay, yellow sand.

5-15......fine gray sand with greensaud grains.

15-23......coarse gray sand with greensand grains.

30...... olive-colored marl.

35...... dark-green marl, thought to be bottom of Upper Marl bed.

50..... -limesand with Foraminifera, Bryozoa, etc.

70..... .greensand marl with Gryphea and Terebratnla, Middle Marl bed'

76...... pure greensand, dark color.

80......pure greensand, light color.

91...... pure greensand, dark color.

104......pure greensand, chocolate color.

120...'...pure greeusand, dark green.

124......gray sand with greensand grains, Exogyra, and Belemnites.

126...... gray sand and water.

The elevation of the boring is 63 feet. From a comparison of the 

records it appears that the 70-foot horizon in the first well is the same 

as that at 126 feet in the other 4 or in the Eedbank beds. The water 

at a depth of 183 feet in the well at Medford is probably in the horizon 

at the base of the Lower Marl bed.

1 New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 287-288.

2 New Jersey report for 1885, p. 138.

3 New Jersey reports for 1889, p. 89, and for 1892, p. 302.

4 Woolmau, in New Jersey report for 1893, pp. 417-418.
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 75

Millville, Cumberland County. The well at this place is at an elevation of 10 feet above tide, and the water flows from it. The following 

record is given:

Feet.

0-120......sand, more or less coarse, but always sharp.

120-150......thick blue clay, very hard to penetrate.

150-160......fine white sand.

This water is regarded by Mr. Woohnan as equivalent to the 525-foofc 

horizon at Atlantic City.1

A well in Medford, at the residence of Joseph Hinchman, obtains 

water from a depth of 140 feet. The following record is given: 2

Feet. 

0-12...... soil and gravel.

12-17...... clay (Miocene ?).

17-52.....:marl (Upper Marl).

52-57...... blue clay.

. 57-73...... lime sand.

73-150.... ..alternations of sands, marls, gravels, etc., with Belemnites near

Water was found at 17, 90, and 140 feet.

Monmouth Beach, Monmouth County. Nothing further was learned 

regarding the well at this place than its depth (380 feet) and that it 

was satisfactory. The horizon from, which the water is obtained is in 

the Matawan formation, in beds about 100 feet above its base, the same 

as that at Monmouth Park, the deeper wells at Kedbauk and Seabright, and the 108-foot well at Atlantic Highlands.

Monmouth Parlcj Monmouth County. The three wells here are 385 

feet deep and 4 inches in diameter. The water flows 4 feet above the 

surface, which is 10 feet above tide level, and yields 75 gallons a minute 

on pumping. The horizon is the same as that in the Monmouth Beach 

well. It is reported that a trial boring was made to a depth of 900 feet 

to rock which was thought to be the granite or u bed rock."

Moorestown, Burlington County. The well at this place is on the 

Pensauken, 1£ miles south of the village, and at an elevation of 10 

feet above tide. It was bored for the Moorestown Water Company, 

and has a depth of 457 feet. Water that flowed above the surface in 

considerable quantity was found at 118, 136, 320, and 338 feet. The 

record was as follows:

Feet.

0-6...... mud and muck.

6-12...... white quicksand.

12-93......blue clay or black mud.

93-118...... coarse sand, almost gravel, blue gray in color. Water.

118-121...... white clay.

121-129...... sand, some water.

129-131...... white clay.

131-162... ....coarse sand and flinty gravel, blue gray in color. Water.

J New Jersey report for 1890, pp. 267,273. 

2 Ne\v Jersey report for 1894, p. 218.
76 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138..

.Feet. 

' 162-212...... white and red. clays.

212-250...... fine white sand and large gravel, yellowish in color. Water.

250-310...... sand, coarse gravel, and clay mixed.

310-320......white clay.

320-344...... sand and gravel, blue gray in color. Water.

344-350......blue clay.

350-358...... white clay.

358-418......red clay.

418-451...... red clay and quicksand.

451-457...... red clay and cobblestone. No water.

The tubing was withdrawn to 136 feet and the well finished at 150 

feet in the gravels of the base of the Matawan formation. This Avater 

was also noted in the Maple Shade and other wells. It is suggested 

that if the boring had been continued a short distance farther the 

water-bearing coarse beds at the base of the Raritan formation would 

have been reached and a further supply of water found in them.1

Mount Ephraim, Camden County. A well was bored near this place 

for Mr. Joseph Warrington to a depth of 130 feet. The following 

record is given:

Feet. 

0-10......clay.

10-110..... .inarl or bine mud.

110-130......clay, gravel, and sand mixed.

Sharks' teeth were found at from 116 to 129 feet, and magnolia roots 

at 130 feet.

Three-fourths of a mile from this well there is another, which furnishes water from a depth of 80 feet.2

The water in the Warrington well is apparently from the basal 

Matawan beds which supply water at Woodbury, Wenonah, Sewell, 

and other places, as shown on section 4, PI. III.

Mount Holly, Burlington County. The- well at the Dunlap Carpet 

Works was bored to a depth of 675 feet, and although several horizons 

of water were found, none were of sufficient purity for use in dyeing 

yarns. The record was as follows : :i

Feet. 

0-43...... dark muck.

( 43-46...... sand and gravel, with small flow of water.

46-107...... dark m u ck.

107-111......fine sand.

111-245...... dark muck or clay.

245-250...... sand, gray.

1250-262...... dark sandy clay.

g [262-273......red clay.

£ <^ 273-274...... white clay.

^ [ 274-294...... brown sandy clay.

1 Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1893, pp. 413-414.

2 New Jersey report for 1879, p. 148.

3 New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 303-304.
DAKTON.] NEW JERSEY. 77

Feet. 

294-296......white clay.

296-365...... light sandy clay.

365-367......reel clay.

367-410.'.... .light sandy clay.

410-412......red clay.

412-430......brown (?) clay.

430-436......red clay.

436-442...... light sandy clay.

442-457...... fine sand, gray ; small flow of water.

457-509......light sand and clay and sand.

509-546......light sandy clay.

546-560......red clay.

560-608...... sandy clay and fine saiid.

608-611...... yellow clay.

611-620...... brown clay.

620-660......red clay.

660-667......fillo saud. and a little brown clay mixed; a small How of

water. 

667-675...... fine and coarse sand and some gravel.

As this well penetrated over 400 feet of the Baritan formation, it 

was no doubt near the basal beds when boring was discontinued. It 

is probable that these basal beds would have furnished a water supply, but until a well is sunk to the bed rock in this region no definite 

prediction can be made.

Mullica Hill, Gloucester County. The well is on the Borton farm, 

If miles due southwest of Mullica Hill, at an elevation of 100 feet. 

The depth is 102 feet and the diameter 1£ inches. The water rises to 

within 35 feet of the top. It is irony, and in ample supply for farm 

use. The water is in a gray sand, which is thought by Mr. Woolman 

to be the equivalent of the red sand below the middle marl, the same 

horizon as at Quinton and at Woodstown.

 Ocean Beach, Monmouth County. The well is on the property of Mr, 

E. C. Jayne, at the corner of Ocean and Sixth avenues, about 400 feet 

from the ocean. It has a depth of 485 feet and a bore of 3 inches. 

The flow at the surface was 25 gallons per minute, or 36,000 gallons per 

day. The water rises to 34 feet above the ground, or about 50 feet 

above low-tide level. It is clear and colorless, but is a little hard and 

contains a trace of iron. The record was similar to the records of 

Ocean Grove and Asbury Park, and the water is found in a sandy layer 

under the Lower Marl bed. 1

A second well at Ocean Beach, between Second and Third avenues, 

and one block from the ocean, only a few hundred feet from the first 

well, was bored in 1885. It is 480 feet deep, 3 inches in bore, and flows 

50 gallons per minute at the surface.2

Ocean City, Cape May County. In the summer of 1892 a well was'

. . ' New Jersey report for 1884, pp. 123-124. 

2 New Jersey report for 1885, p. 131,
78 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL, m

bored to a depth of 760 feet for the Ocean City waterworks. The 

following record is by Mr. L. Woolman:

Feet. 

0-30......beach sands, with recent shells at the base.

30-115......sand.

115-175...... sand, with thin clay seams.

175-185...... sandy clay.

185-278...... fine gravel and sand, with streaks of clay.

278-318...... bluish, sandy clay, solid.

318-334...... sand, with water.

334-366...... bluish, sandy clay, with small shells.

366-371...... sand, with water.

371-400...... gray sand, with small shells.

400-512...... bluish, sandy clay, diatomaceous.

512-528......gray sand, with water.

528-600......bluish, sandy clay, diatomaceous.

600-655......brownish, sandy clay, hard, with shells and diatoms.

655-660...... brownish clay, with crusts.

660-680...... gray sand, with many small shells in considerable variety, borne

diatoms. * 

680-685...... clayey sands, with diatoms.

685-690:.....sand, with wood, shells, and water.

690-700......coarse gravel, sand, shell, and thin clay seams.

From 400 to 685 feet is the great diatomaceous clay bed, which occurs 

at from 380 to 680 feet at Atlantic City, but it is here somewhat more 

sandy. The beds from 278 to 371 feet in the Ocean City well contain 

more clay than at Atlantic City, where the corresponding interval 

shows mostly sand. The gravels which terminate at 278 feet terminate 

at 265 feet at Atlantic City. As at Atlantic City, the beds here from 

695 to 760 feet are nondiatomaceous. The following comparison of the 

water horizons is given:

Atlantic City, Ocean City.

In sands above the diatomaceous clays.. 

In central sands of diatomaceous clays. 

In lower sands of diatomaceous clays... 

In sands below diatomaceous clays......

Feet. 

270-328 

525

Not known. 

700-720

Feet.

334 and 366

512 and 528

685

720

Although this well is 10£ miles from Atlantic City, it is only about 

one-half mile southeast of the line of strike of the beds; hence the close 

correspondence of the records. The water from the Ocean City well 

was taken at 720 feet. 1

Another well was bored in 1893 to a depth of 800 feet, where, in a 

coarse brown sand, water was found which rises in the casing 15 feet 

above the surface and flows 140 gallons a minute. It is the same horizon as that at the Knickerbocker Ice Works in Atlantic City.

*L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 279-281.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 79 

Additional data for the record are as follows:

Feet. 

700-716......fine gravel, sand, shell, and thin clay seams.

716-736......alternations of clay, gravel, sand, and shell, and thin clay

seams. Water at 720 feet, 25 gallons per minute. 

736-755......brownish saudwith wood.

755-800...... coarse brown sand and water. 2

Ocean Grove, Monmoutli County. The first well was 6 inches in diameter and yielded a supply of 60,000 or 70,000 gallons daily of sparkling, 

pure, and wholesome water. The following beds were penetrated :

Feet,

18...... sand and gravelly earth.

30......black clay for 12 feet.

69......black clay and grains of greensand, 10 feet; black clay, 34 feet.

82...... lighter colored clay and grains of greensand.

92......light-colored clay, 4 feet, and pure greensand grains.

102..... .light-colored clay, 2 feet, and fine-grained stone, light colored.

110...... clay, light colored and plastic.

132......clay, ash colored and flaky.

146...... clay, ash colored with fragments of light-colored stone.

155..... .light ash-colored clay.

177...... darker ash-colored clay.

185...... black clay, coarse and free from mica.

195...... black clay, micaceous.

210...... black clay, micaceous, fine.

229......black clay, micaceous, fine.

241......black clay, micaceous, coarse and rough.

268...... sand, compact and greenish.

280...... broken shells and fragments of Terebratiila harlani= Middle Marl.

300...... grains of greensand and few shells.

303...... dark greenish clay, compact.

322...... dark greenish clay, sandy.

337...... dark greenish clay, sandy.

360...... green sand and calcareous earth.

382......greensand grains, open sand, and Belemnitella mucronata.

397..... .petrified stratum, 1 foot thick.

404...... clay for the last 6 feet.

420...... open sand for the last 16 feet.

But little water was found until a depth of 382 feet was attained, 

when the water rose to a height of 18 or 20 feet above the surface. At 

this depth a 4-inch pipe was placed in the well so as to hinder loss by 

leakage and to shut out surface water, which might otherwise find its 

way down the outside of the pipe. Then the drilling was resumed and 

the well deepened 38 feet. The flow was increased in quantity and the 

water rose to a height of 28 feet above the surface. The temperature 

of the water was 60°. It is clear and colorless, and contains 8.5 cubic 

inches of carbonic acid to the gallon. An analysis.of the water made

2 L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1893, pp. 398-399.
80 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

by Prof. F. A. Wilber shows it to contain 8.19 grains of solid matter 

to the gallon, of which the following are the component parts:

Analysis of water of artesian ivell at Ocean Grove, N. J.

Sodium............................................................ 0.274

Potassium......................................................... .51Q

Calcium ........................................................... 1.520

Magnesium........................................................ . 286

Silica.............................................................. .682

Alumina and oxide of iron ....................................... .402

Chlorine........................................................... .449

Sulphuric acid (S03 )............................................... . 1.540

Oxygen in calcium sulphate ....................................... . 205

Oxygen in calcium carbonate...................................... .404

Oxygen in magnesium carbonate .................................. . 186

Oxygen in potassium sulphate..................................... . 104

Carbonic acid in calcium carbonate................................. 1.115

Carbonic acid in magnesium carbonate ............................ . 512

Total solids found ...............................'............ . 8.189

These constituents are probably combined as 

Sodium chloride ................................................... . 706

Potassi um sulphate................................................. 1.138

Sulphate of lime. ...<............................................... 1.728

Carbonate of lime ................................................. 2. 530

Carbonate of magnesia ............................................ . 976

Magnesium chloride............................................... . 029

Silica.............................................................. .682

Alumina and sesquioxide of iron.................................. .402

Grains per 

gallon.

No organic matter was found.

The Belemnitella mucronata is characteristic of the Lower Marl bed 

and the Terebratula harlani iu the Middle Mad bed. The dip indicated by the Lower Marl bed in this well is 36.6 feet per mile from Middletown, and by the Middle Marl bed 37 feet from Big or Crawfords 

Hill. 1

Other wells have been sunk which add to the supply. The water is 

from the basal beds of the Lower Marl, the same as at Asbury Park 

(at 383 feet),°Spring Lake, and many other wells, as shown on the righthand end of sections 1 and 5, PI. III.

In 1894 a well was bored at Ocean City to a depth x>f 1,134 feet. 

A heavy bed of coarse white gravel and sand was found at 1,083 to 

1,130 feet, which yields a large water supply. The horizon is low in 

the Matawan formation, as in the deep wells at Asbury Park. A record 

from 0 to 553 feet is given by Mr. Woolman in New Jersey report for 

1895.2

1 New Jersey report for 1883, pp. 17-19. 

2Page'74.
BARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 81

Pavonia, Camden County. At the shops of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company there are three wells which have yielded a supply of 

water for years. The wells are 67, 60, and 82 feet deep. They are a 

short distance from the wells of the Stockton Water Company, but on 

somewhat higher ground. Several years ago an attempt was made to 

obtain Avater from a greater depth and the record of this deeper well is 

as follows:

Feet. 

0-6......gravel. .

6-16...... white clay.

16-35...... sand.

35-58...... gravel, water-bearing.

58-80...... tine sand.

80-85......red clay.

85-95...... fine sand.

95-115......yellow clay.

115-126...... yellow sand.

126-132...... coarse saud.

132-164...... gravel.

164-174...... large pebbles.

A large amount of water was found, but the higher horizon appears 

to have been preferred. The supply is 275 gallons per minute. The 

water is very pure. It is thought that the water from the 67 to 82-foot 

wells represents the 64 to 78 foot horizon which supplies one of the 

Stockton wells. The abandoned well had probably reached the 121-foot 

horizon of the Stockton wells, and is probably the same as is drawn 

from by the wells in the southern part of Philadelphia and by a well 

at the Cooper Hospital at Camden at a depth of 129 feet. 1

Perth Amboy, Middlesex County. A well bored for the Easton and 

Amboy Eailroad was sunk through Cretaceous clays to a depth of 130 

feet, but no water was obtained. Water was found in abundance at a 

depth of about 24 feet.

A 12-inch boring was made at this place which found no water. The 

following record is given: 2

Feet.

0-55...... black clay.

55-61..... .red and white clay, a little kaolin, and 1 inch of white sand.

61-70...... red shale and sandstone.

70-85...... soft granite or gneissic rock.

85-470......hard granite or gueissic rock.

Pitman Grove,.Gloucester County. There are at this place eight"wells, 

ranging from 60 to 80 feet in depth, all above the marl, and each one 

yielding from 1,000 to 2,000 gallons per hour.

The marl was found at 96 feet and was prospected to a depth of 130 

feet to conglomerate, when the work was stopped and the water was

1 New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 308-309. 

3 New Jersey report for 1885, p. 111. 

Bull. 138 -6
82 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE, ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

/

taken from the stratum above the marl. 1 This marl is regarded by Mr. 

Woolman as Miocene (Chesapeake) in age.2

Pleasant Mills, Atlantic County. Between. 1873 and 1885,14 wells 

were sunk at this locality which yield a large supply of very pure 

water. The record was as follows:

Feet. 

0-40......yellow and white sand and pebbles.

40-48...... tough, hard, dry blue arid blue-black clay.

Below the clay was the water-bearing stratum, from which the water 

rose. 13 feet above the level of the grouud. The yield from the first 

eight wells was 300 gallons per minute. The water contains 28.41 

grains of solid matter per gallon. Its temperature was 55°.3

A well at Barge's cranberry bog, about one-half mile west of Pleasant Mills, is at an elevation of 20 feet. It reached a depth of 201 feet, 

but was not deemed successful because it did not overflow. A flow of 

water reported at 57 feet is thought by Mr. Woolman to be the Pleasant Mills water stratum, which belongs to the lower part of the great 

diatom clay bed, a horizon which yields water at ,658 feet at Ocean City. 

He regards the water in the bottom of the well as the representative of 

the 760-foot horizon in the Atlantic City wells.4

A well at Eockwood's bog, 5£ miles northwest of Pleasant Mills, is at 

an elevation of 45 feet. It was sunk to a depth of 158 feet, but yielded 

no satisfactory supply of water. The following record is given:

Feet. 

0-13...... sands.

13-21......sand.

21-30...... sand and clay, milky water.

30-48...... quicksand.

48-57...... quicksand and clay.

57-66....... black clay.

66-98...... coarse gravel full of iron.

98-115...... mud or muck.

115-158...... sand, gravel, and more iron.

It is suggested by Mr. Woolman that the lower portion of this boring 

must have entered the clays and marls met with at 844 feet at Atlantic 

City, and that they are the same unsatisfactory beds in which the 

boring at Harrisia was discontinued. Had the boring been continued 

it would probably have reached the horizon tapped by the well at 

Winslow at a depth of 335 feet, and which is probably equivalent to 

the 950-foot horizon at Atlantic City.5

Point Pleasant, Ocean County. The artesian well is at the Hotel

1 New Jersey report for 1891, p.. 220. 

2 New Jersey report for 1893, p. 409-. 

3 New Jersey report for 188'4, pp. 127-129. 

* 4 New Jersey report for 1892, p. 296. 

6 Loc. cit., p. 297.
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. OO

Stratford, on the beach. Its depth is about 800 feet and the yield is 

30 gallons a minute. It is said to rise 35 feet above the surface. The 

water horizon is probably in the Matawan formation, the same as at 

Monmouth Beach, Monmouth Park, Seabright at 258 feet, Atlantic 

Highlands at 108 feet, Asbury Park at 550 feet, Mantoloking at 922 

feet, and other wells.

Port Monmouth, Monmouth County. There is said to be a flowing 

well at this place, near the terminus of the Few Jersey Southern Kailway. It is over 100 feet in depth and yields a small supply of good 

water, which probably comes from the beds'in the Matawan formation.

Port Norris, Cumberland County. The principal well has a depth of 

78 feet, and was bored through sand and clay. The water flows about 

1 gallon a minute, and is 'of good quality, with a slightly ferruginous 

taste. There is also a flowing well, which has a depth of 37 feet. Mr. 

Woolinan suggests that the water at 78 feet may be in sands which 

yield water at Atlantic City at a depth of 328 feet.1

There are also two wells at Bivalve, one on either side of the Maurice 

Eiver. The following record is from the memory of the driller:

Feet. 

0-20......salt mud.

20-70......white quicksand, like glass sand. 

70-76......blue clay.

76-200......alternations of sand and blue clay, with 18-inch layer of shells

at bottom.

Mr. Woolinan found diatoms in materials near the bottom, and 

regards the water horizon as equivalent to the one in the upper diatom 

clay at 406 and 430 feet in Atlantic City wells, which would indicate a 

dip of 25 feet per inile in that direction.2

Port Republic, Atlantic County. In the spring of 1892 a 2£-inch well 

was bored for E. W. French at Port Kepublic. Water was obtained at 

a depth of 114-feet, at the base of black sand 33 feet thick, but it was 

cased off and the boring continued. Farther down 13 feet of bluish 

clay were penetrated*, and water was found in a bed of coarse gravel at 

151 feet.3 The blue clay is thought by Mr. Woolman to represent the 

great diatomaceous clay bed, and the water horizon at-151 feet to be 

the probable equivalent of the water which occurs in the upper part of 

that clay bed at 406 feet at Atlantic City. It is suggested that the 

water at 114 feet may possibly belong in the sands above the diatom 

clays and represent the group of water horizons, one of which occurs at 

the depth of 328 feet at Atlantic City.

Quinton, Salem County. A 6-inch well was bored at this place in 

1892 for the Salem Water Company. Nine more 6-inch wells have since 

been bored. The elevation is 10 feet above tide and the water rises to

1 New Jersey report for 1891, p. 222.

3 New Jersey report for 1890, p. 262, and for 1892, p. 286,.

8 New Jersey report for 1892, p. 28o.
84 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

within a foot of the surface. The yield is stated to be 55 gallons a 

minute. .The following record is given:

Feet. 

0-4...... surface soil and gravel. Becent.

4-30...... clay with shells of several Miocene species.

30-38...... green and white sandy, clayey marl. Lower layer of Upper Marl.

38-146...... alternations of lime sand and lime rock. Lime sand.

146-148......clay.

148-162...... greensand marl and shells. Middle Marl.

162-166......clay.

166-248...... gray q.uartzose sand with water. Eedbank.

The 108 feet of limy beds from 38 to 146 feet reveaLan unexpected 

thickness of the upper member of the Middle Marl, which is only 25 

feet thick in its outcrop. The Middle Marl is quite definitely recognized from 148 to 162 feet. The lower beds correspond with those in 

the Woodstown well, and the water in both wells is from 80 feet of pure 

clean sand, which is regarded as the Kedbank horizon. 1 This horizon 

has also been opened in the well near Mullica Hill and at other places.

Rancocas. A well at A. Hansell's, a mile and a half west of Rancocas, 

had the following record: 2

Feet. 

0-3...... loam. -

3-13...... reddish gravel.

13-15......red clay.

15-121.'.....black clay.

121-124...... white sand.

The horizon is at or near the base of the Matawan formation.

Bed Bank, Monmouth County. Water was found here at a depth of 

between 80 and 90 feet, at the base of the Lower Marl. The first well 

was 8 inches in diameter, and on pumping was found to yield about 

40,000 gallons a day. The water rose to within 6 to 8 feet of the surface, but did not overflow. Another well, 6 inches in diameter, reached 

water at the same depth., Later an excavation was made 15 feet in 

diameter to within 10 feet of the water, and five 3-'foot pipes were sunk 

within this to th'e water. Marl was found at 29 feet; at 40 feet 'and at 

intervals to 48 feet large lumps of hard marl were encountered; and 

from 48 to 52 feet the excavation was through a hard seamy marl, closely 

compacted with shells. The water supply from the well is about 250,000 

gallons per day, and the water rises to within 12 feet of the surface.

The water is free from any organic matter, and three different samples afforded in solid matter per gallon 6.8, 6.9, and 5.6 grains respectively. It contains a mere trace of iron, and the solid matter is mainly 

carbonate and sulphate of lime.3

An additional water supply has since been discovered in a sand bed 

230 feet below the surface and 160 feet below that from which the first

1 L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1893, pp. 415-416, 

1 S L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1895, p. 70, 

3 New Jersey report for 1884, pp. 122-124.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 85

supply was obtained. The stratum is a fine white sand in which there 

are embedded logs of wood. Three pipes were sunk at intervals of 

300 or 400 feet, and the water rose in each to within iO feet of the 

surface. The water is pure and delicious. The well is thought to 

prove the existence of water-bearing layers in the Matawan marls.1 

The horizon is about 100 feet above the base of the formation, and is 

the same that yields water in the Monmouth Beach, Moumouth Park, 

deeper Seabright, and several other wells.

Richwood, Gloucester County. This well is 65 feet deep, and was sunk 

for the public school. The water is in red gravel, and the well furnished 

2,500 gallons per hour. According to Mr. Woolmau the Miocene (Chesapeake) marl was found at 7.8 feet in a test boring at this place.2

Riverside, Burlington County. The water company at this place has 

8 wells, from 40 .to 45 feet deep, which yield about 40 gallons each a 

minute, The materials penetrated were sands, containing a bed of clay 

extending from 10 to 23 feet. In a test boring made to a depth of 90 

feet the bed rock was found at 50 feet. The following analysis of the 

water has been furnished:

Partial analysis of water from well at Riverside, N. J,

Total solids............................................ ............

Parts per 

1,000,000.

54.50

10.00

38.46

11.40

5.93

0.12

0.09

At the Philadelphia Watch Case Company's works a well was sunk 

to a depth of 200 feet, of which 80 feet were into the "mica rock." A 

flow of water, amounting to 50 gallons a minute, was found at 40 feet, 

but it contained considerable fine sand in suspension. Only 18 to 20 

gallons of water per minute were found in the mica rock. The following analysis of the water from this well was kiudly furnished by the 

superintendent of the works:

Parts per 

100,000.

5.6

4.8

10.4

Or the small amount of 6.06 grains to a gallon.

"New Jersey report for 1889, p. 85.

"New Jersey report for 1891, p. 220, and for 1893, p. 409.
86 v ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

There are considerable carbonates, some sulphates, and but very little chlorides, 

associated-with lime, magnesia, soda, arid potash, combined, as indicated by the analysis, in the form of lime carbonate, magnesia carbonate, soda sulphate, soda carbonate, potash sulphate, soda chloride (slight). There were also some iron oxide, a little 

siliceous and aluminous matter, and a trace of ammonia. The water was somewhat 

alkaline. Scale matter is mostly lime and magnesia carbonate, with some iron oxide 

and silica and a little aluminous matter, which exists largely as clay in suspension 

in the water.

Riverton, Burlington County. I have no further data for this well 

than are given in the table, page 46.

Bumson Neclc, 1 Monmouth County. The well bored in 1890 on Eumson Keck is near the corner of the Eidge road and Bellevue avenue. 

The beds penetrated are as follows:

Feet. 

0-31...... top earth.

31-86...... marl.

86-92...... shells and sand.

92-95......hard stratum.

95-100.... 1. gray sand.

100-150..... .marl or clay.

150-190......sand. 

190-210.... ..clay, with thin sand seams.

Beds from 31 to 95 feet are glauconitic.

The water is from a sand bed in the Matawan series, probably the 

same horizon as in the deeper Seabright and Eedbank wells. The 

pumping capacity of the well is GO gallons a minute.

Sayreville, Middlesex County. At Sayre & Fisher's brickyards two 

wells, 2£ inches in diameter and 80 feet deep, furnish an abundant supply 

of water. They are in clay to near the bottom, where sand and gravel 

were found. The water is soft'and does not corrode steam boilers. It 

is slightly ferruginous.2 The water horizon is in basal beds of the 

Earitan formation.

A deep boring has also been made at this locality to a depth of 976 

feet, in which the gneiss was entered at 70 feet. No water was found 

in this well except at 300 to 350 feet, where about 7 gallons a minute 

was obtained.

Seabright, Monmoutli County. Mne wells are reported, of which 6 

are down 125 feet, and yield on pumping 35 gallons each per minute, 

the water rising 10 or .12 inches above the surface. All are 3 inches in 

diameter except one, which is 6 inches, but yields no more water than 

the others. Three others have been sunk to 258 feet, and stopped in 

fine white sand which yields fresh water of good quality. From each 

of these three wells there is a flow of about 40 gallons per minute at 

5£ feet above the surface. It is thought that this yield could be

1 New Jersey report for 1891, p. 219.

2 New Jersey report for 1885, p. 124.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 87

increased by pumping, to 100 gallons per minute. The upper beds 

penetrated are as follows:

Feet. 

0-18......sand.

18-24...... yellow clay.

24-70...... m arl. Lower marl bed.

70-110...... black clay.

At 258 feet is the thick bed of fine white sand containing water. 1

At the Normandy Hotel near Seabright there are wells from which 

the water is good, but hard. The water-bearing sand is 120 feet below 

the lower marl bed, and is 40 feet thick. It is very fine, and is underlain by a black clay. The pipe is bored with five-eighth inch holes and 

sheathed with wire gauze for the 40 feet of its length in the fine sand. 

The flow of water is at the rate of 55 gallons per minute.2

The water horizon at Seabright is at the base of the Lower Marl, or 

the same that supplies the shallow .wells at Bed Bank, and the Asbury 

Park (383 feet), Ocean Grove, Ocean Beach, Spring Lake, Lakewood, 

and many other wells. The lower waters are from the Matawan beds, 

which yield water to the deeper Eedbauk,Monmouth Beach, Moiiinouth 

Park, deep Atlantic Highlands, and other wells.

Sea Girt. Early in 1885 a well was completed at the Beach House, 

which reached a depth of 755 feet. A flow of 50 gallons per minute was 

obtained, and the water rises to 13 feet above the surface, or 24 feet 

above tide level. The beds penetrated are reported in detail by Mr. 

Woolmau in the New Jersey report for 1895.3

The Lower Marl was passed through at 489 to 570 feet and waterbearing sands were reported at 570 to 620, 694 to 720, and 735 to 755 

feet, with intervening clays. These waters represent the Lower Marl, 

Matawan, and probably the basal Matawan horizons.

Sea Island City, Cape May County. A well bored to a depth of 380 

feet furnishes a moderate supply of water through a 4-inch pipe. It is 

reported that the water rises to within 11 feet of the surface, and yields 

30 gallons per minute. The following beds were penetrated:

Feet. 

0-16.......sand.

16-25...... black mud.

25-35......sand.

35-45...... mud.

45-53......Band.

53-63...... coarse gravel and shells.

63-98...... clay.

98-125...... coarse sand and gravel in layers.

125-137......clay.

137-150...... coarse sand and gravel.

150-173......fine sand.

173-200...... coarse sand.

200-217...... fine dark sand.

1 New Jersey report for 1888, p. 73. 3 Pages 75-76.

2 New Jersey report for 1889, p. 87,
88 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Feet. 

217-232......clay. '

232-308...... coarse sand.

308-380...... fine dark sand and water. :

The well at the electric-light works obtains water from the same 

beds. Its record has been reported as follows: 2

Feet.

0-6...... beach sand.

6-8...... marsh clay.

8-50...... fine white sand, with one or two thin streaks of clay.

50^-60...... coarse gravels, with cobbles, some as large as hens' eggs.

60-250...... whitish sand with a few clay streaks.

250-256.....: dark-blue or drab clay.

256-300...... whitish sand, coarser than the other.

300-350......bine clay.

350-390...... very fine quicksand, dark blue gray in color, with white shells.

390-464...... green or gray marl.

The water horizons appear to be the same as the horizon at 328 feet 

at Ocean City and Atlantic .City.

Seven Islands, in Great Bay, Burlington County. The well was bored 

on the eastern side of the most northerly of the islands by Joseph 

Wharton. It is 408 feet deep 188 feet of 6-inch pipe, 147 feet of 

4^-inch pipe, and 69 feet of 3-inch pipe. The record is as follows:

Feet.

0-279...... sand with salt water.

279-284...... tough clay.

284-285...... white pebbly sand.

285-335...... clay with seams of sand.

335-380...... dark-blue clay.

380-395...... sand and gravel.

395-408...... compact dark-brown clay.

Sand and fresh, pure Avater.

The water flows at the rate of 70 gallons a minute and rises to a 

height of 15 feet above the surrounding tide meadows. Analysis 

showed the water to contain only 6.88 grains of solid matter to the 

gallon. Its temperature was 60°, The analysis, by Austin and Wilbur, 

is as follows:

Analysis of icater from well at Seven Islands, N. J.

Soda...........................................-..............:....

Pnfoali

Grains per 

gallon.

1.557

370

991

. 908

.157

.408

.408

4.238

1 New Jersey report for 1888, p. 77. 

2 New Jersey report for 1890, pp. 268, 269.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY, 89-

Permanent hardness,, equivalent to grains of calcium carbonate, 

1.394; temporary hardness, trace; organic matter, very small amount. 

The water is perfectly clear and odorless. 1

A well was bored in 1893 on Crab Island of this group to a depth of 

535 feet. It is one-half mile southwest of the first well! It yields 60 

gallons per minute and the water rises 22 feet above tide level. The 

record is as follows:

Feet.

0-58...... mud and large gravel.

58-133...... white and yellow sand.

133-135...... hard crust.

135-172...... dark bluish-green clay, hard.

172-272......sand.

272-380...... marly clay and wood.

380-392...... coarse sand, small flow of water.

392-510.... ..lighter-colored, soft bluish clay.

510-535...... coarse saud and gravel with water from 510-535 feet.

The water at 380 to 392 feet is thought to be the horizon at 525 feet at 

Atlantic City and at 425 feet at Beach Haven. The water at 510-535 

feet belongs to the 700-foot stratum at Atlantic City, and 543-575 feet 

at Beach Haven.2

Sewell, Camden County. The well here was bored for F. J. Anspach 

on Chew's Hill, east of the Mantua road. A good supply of water was 

obtained at 72 feet at the horizon in the Bedbank underlying the Lower 

Marl bed. The water was found to be ferruginous and the well was 

deepened to 420 feet, where an abundant supply of pure, fresh, soft 

water was obtained. The bore is 3 inches and the yield is stated to be 

1,500 gallons per hour. The record is'as follows:

Feet. 

0-17......yellow gravel, yellowish sand, and yellow ochery sandy clay.

17-24...... green marl.

24-30...... very dark green marl.

30-43...... reddish-yellow sand rock with casts of shells.

43-56......yellowish sand with greensand grains.

56-72.... ..yellowish sand, lighter in color, with greensand grains.

72-104......water-bearing sand continued.

104-284......tough, fine, blue clays and blue sandy clays. Exogyra at 180

feet. Layer of sand at 264 feet. Very sandy clay with large 

pebbles at 276 feet. 

284-335...... greenish sand with streaks of clay at base.

335-342......fine, clean, gray sand.

' 342-351...... coarse sandy gravel, angular grains. Yielded a little water

351-352...... stiff white clay.

352-375.... ..fine gray sand with streaks of clay and considerable lignite.

375-381......layers of white sand and white clay.

381-395.... ..white angular gravel, coarse and gritty. Great abundance of

good water. 

395-405.... ..white angular gravel, extra coarse.

405-408.... ..fine white sand.

408-415...... fine sand and coarse gravel, mixed.

415-420.... ..very coarse angular gravel with bowlders and cobbles. 3

1 New Jersey report for 1886, pp. 212-213. =

2 L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1893, pp. 396-397.

3 New Jersey report for 1891, pp. 230-231.
90 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

The water horizon is in the basal Matawan beds, which yield water in 

the Woodbur-y, Wenonah, and other wells. The water at 381-395 feet is in 

the mid-Matawan horizon, which is widespread in southern New Jersey.

Shrewsbury, Monmouth County. A well at the residence of Dr. Van 

Buren was bored through several strata of the marl formation to a 

depth of 200 feet, but no water was found. 1

As this well penetrated to and below the base of the lower marl, it 

is difficult to understand why it did not obtain the water which is found 

at that horizon in many wells in the surrounding region.

South Amboy, Middlesex County. A well recently sunk by the Pennsylvania Eailroad is reported to have.the following record: 2

Feet. 

0-2......dark sand.

2-7...... yellow gravel.

7-16.. ....red sand.

16-22.... ..blue clay.

22-49....... red, firm sand.

49-105...... black clay.

South Beach Haven, on Long Beach, Ocean County.3 A well was bored 

at this locality for James Holgate in 1886. An 8-inch pipe was sunk 

to a depth of 318 feet, of which the lower 8 feet were in clay; a 6-inch 

pipe was then sunk 107 feet farther, and a flow of excellent water was 

- obtained. The quantity flowing was said to be 500 barrels a day, which 

is about 10 gallons a minute. It rises in a tube to a height of 14 feet 

above the surface. The horizon is doubtless the same as that from 

which the water is obtained at Seven Islands at 403 feet, and at Atlantic City at about 525 feet.

Spring Lalce, Monmouth County. The well has a depth of 405 feet, 

and taps the horizon at the base of the lower marl bed which supplies 

Ocean Beach, Ocean Grove, Asbury Park (at 383 feet), Seabright, Bedbank, and many other places.

StocTcton, Camden County. There are seven wells at this locality for 

the Stockton Water Company. Some of their features are as follows:

, '

WeU.

,

1... ................. .....................................

9

3.........................................................

f...... ...................................................

5.........................................................

fi...... ...................................................

7.........................................................

Depth.

Feet.

68

116

11Q

124

130

121

117

Distance

beneath

surface to 

which

water rises.

Inches.

12

18

ia

«8J

a 13

18

18

a Feet.

1 New Jersey report for 1879, p. 139.

2 L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1894, p. 201.

3 New Jersey report for 1886, pp. 211-212,
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 91

Excepting No. 1, they all draw from tlie same water stratum, reached 

at the same level, the differences in depths being due to differences in 

altitude of the wells. The record is as follows:

Peel 

0-5......sand. *

5-13...... marsh mud.

13-16......white clay.

16-25......red clay.

25-45...... white satfd.

45-64...... white clay.

64-78...... white sand, water horizon of well No. 1.

78-94...... yellow clay.

94-121...... coarse sand and gravel, water horizon of wells Nos. 2-7.

The total yield from the seven wells averages about 875 gallons per 

minute. The water is excellent, pure, and soft.1 The deeper wells 

appear to draw from basal Earitan beds, and the shallower ones from

the mid-Raritan horizon. .

Straight Creelc, Cumberland County. The well in tide meadows 

near False Egg Island Point is about 100 feet deep. It is a flowing 

well of good water.2 The horizon is probably in the lower portion 

of the Chesapeake series, but no definite correlation is now practicable.

Trenton. Two large wells have been sunk at the wire works of 

Eoebling's Sons' Company. One near the corner of South Clinton 

and Mott streets was dug through 60 feet of gravel and sand to the 

clay. It is 20 feet in diameter and yields a large .supply of water. 

A boring in its bottom passed through 68 feet of clay, then through 

gravelly clay and seams of clay to the bedrock at 160 feet below the 

surface.3

Vineland, Cumberland County.4 A well 4 inches in diameter has been 

bored at this locality to a depth of 205 feet, which supplies 20 gallons 

per minute. A portion of the borings were obtained by Mr, Lewis 

Woolman, who reports on them as follows:

Poet. 

52 or 57...... black clay.

116-126...... white and blue clay in layers and containing considerable wood.

197...... greenish clay from the base of the bed.

197-205...... brownish and reddish-brown sand in which the water was found.

The water rises to within 17£ feet of the surface. This well is thought 

not to have reached the Chesapeake formation, 4 but I am inclined to 

believe that it has, and I have so represented it on section 4, PI. III.

Waretoivn, Ocean County. In 1891 a 4-inch well was bored at this 

place which yields a flow of about 20 gallons of water a minute from, a

1 New Jersey report 1892, pp. 309-310. 

a New Jersey report for 1891, p. 222. 

a New Jersey report for 1890, p. 264. 

4 New Jersey report for 1892, p. 294.
92 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BCLL-ISS.

depth of 280 feet. It is located OIL a bank facing- Barnegat Bay, at 

about 10 feet above tide level. The record was as follows: °

Feet.

0-10...... gravel and sand.

10-30...... brownish clay. '

30-70...... blue clay.

70-280......alternations of black mud and black sand, changing near the

bottom to gravel and white sand.

At 70 feet there was a small flow of water which rose 6 or 8 feet 

above the surface, and at 137 feet there was another small flow which 

rose but 2 feet above the surface. An examination of the sands by 

Mr. Woolman revealed the presence of diatoms of the great diatom 

clay bed, aud this bed is thought by Mr. Woolman 1 to comprise the 

strata from 10 or certainly from 30 feet to 255 feet in this well, a 

thickness of over 200 feet. The lower 25 feet are thought to represent 

the water-bearing stratum found below the great diatom bed -at 700 feet 

at Atlantic City.

Wenonah, Gloucester County. A well at the hotel at this place obtains 

a supply of 40 gallons a minute from between 320 and 341 feet. The 

following section is given:

Feet. 

0-32...... loam.

32-52...... gravel.

52-245...... black clay, with Exogyra costata at 115 feet.

245-280...... gravel in streaks.

280-318......lighter-colored clay.

318-341.....'. coarse sand and gravel with water.

0

The horizon is thought to be the same as the oue at Sewell at 395 to. 

420 feet, or at the base of the Matawan formation. The dip indicated 

is 38 feet per mile.2

Two wells were bored in 1894 to supply the waterworks at Wenonah.3 

They are located about one-half mile northwest of the hotel well and 

oil ground elevated only about 10 feet above tide level. Their depth is 

196 feet aud they obtain water from a bluish-gray coarse sarid which 

is thought to be the equivalent of the gravel in streaks reported at 

from 245 to 280 feet in the hotel well.

West Creek, Cape May County. A well for Kirby & Smith is situated 

on the marsh within 300 feet of the bay shore. The following record 

is given:

Feet. 

0-18...... salt mud.

18-21......blue clay.

21-24...... yellow clay.

24-27...... pink clay.

27-72...... quicksand.

72-99...... sand and clay in layers about 6 inches apart.

1 New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 293, 294.

S L. Woolmau, in New Jersey report for 1893, pp. 406, 407.

3 L. Woolman, in New Jersey report for 1894, pp. 196, 197.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 93

Water is good and in large supply. The water flow rises nearly to 

the top of the well. The bore is 3 inches. The horizon can not be 

definitely correlated, but is probably a bed above the great Chesapeake diatom bed.

Weymouth, Atlantic County. The first well wris bored in 1877 and 

was altogether successful. It is 4 inches in diameter and 42 feet deep. 

It flows at the surface and yields 70 gallons per minute.

A second well, at the old mill, was 5 inches in diameter and has a 

uniform flow of 52 gallons per minute. The water has sufficient pressure to rise 8 or 10 feet above the surface. The record is as follows:

Feet.

0-2...... old cinders.

2-5...... yellow sand.

5-8...... coarse quicksand with a stony crust at its base.

8-16...... coarse sand and a little gravel.

16-18...... clay.

18-30......sand.

30-36...... clay.

36-45..... : sand lying on. clay. ^

The water-bearing horizon is thought to be the same as at Mays 

Landing, and the difference in depth is due to the dip to the southeast. 

The rate indicated is 16 feet per mile on the assumption that the Weymouth well is 25 feet above tide. 1

At Horuer's cranberry bog, 4 miles north of Weymouth, at an elevation of 50 feet, two wells were bored to 96 and 106 feet, respectively 

The records were as follows:

Feet. 

0-4...... white sand.

4-6...... yellow hardpan.

6-12...... white clay.

12-77...... quicksand and gravel.

77-95...... blue clay and pebbles.

95-106...... white gravel.

The water rose to within about 2 feet of the surface. It is thought by 

Mr. Woolman that this well was in the great Chesapeake diatom bed, 

and that the water was in the horizon which occurs in the lower part 

of this bed u a horizon not recognized at Atlantic City, but probably 

the one passed in a boring at Ocean City at a depth of 685 feet" and 

the same as the one at the Pleasant Mills wells.2

At the Atlantic Company's cranberry bogs, 2 miles north of Weymouth, two wells were bored at an elevation of 40 feet, but as they 

did not overflow so as to afford a supply for flooding the bogs they were 

abandoned. The record was as follows:

Feet. 

0-6...... white clay.

6-14...... iron crust.

14-45...... diatomaceous sandy clay.

1 New Jersey report for 1884, pp. 131-132. 

2New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 295-208.
94 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BDLL.138.

The water-bearing stratum is regarded by Mr. Woolman as the same 

as that at Weymouth and Mays Landing, and at 525 feet in the 

Atlantic City wells.1

Wildwood, Cape May County. The first well at this place was bored 

to a depth of 215 fegt, but the water was unsatisfactory. Another 

well was bored in 1894 to a depth of 1,244 feet, which obtains a satisfactory water supply at a depth of 887 to 931 feet. Mr. WoolmauJias 

made an extended report 2 on the geology and paleontology of the well, 

and the following statements are condensed from that report.

Small flows of water, some fresh and others salt, were found at various depths, but the principal water-bearing sand extends from 887 to 

931 feet. The water from this bed flows over the surface and will rise 

above it 7 feet. A strong overflow of salty water was met with at 1,185 

feet. The great Chesapeake diatom bed was found to extend from 370 

to 793 feet, and a series of glauconitic sands extends from 1,104 to 1,244 

feet, which is regarded as probably Pamuukey (Eocene) in age. The 

following section is given:

Feet.

0-3...... black mud.

3-29...... beach sand.

29-46...... bluish, muddy, sandy clay.

46-78...... beach sand, fine' on top, coarser below; water at 75 feet.

78-102......bluish clay.

102-106...... sand, with salt water.

106-135......blue clay.

135-145...... gray sand.

145-179...... bluish, clayey sand.

179-181...... black mud.

181-215...... white sand and gravel, with salt water.

215-294...... whitish sand..

294-309...... bluish clay.

309-328...... coarse sand and fine gravel, mixed.

328-389.... ..dark-bluish clay, with seams of fine sand; shell 370 to 389

feet; diatoms from 370 to 389 feet. 

389-655.... ..dark-blue, dia^omaceous clay, with four thin rock strata,

some shells, thin sand streaks, and small flow of water just 

f above 625 feet. 

655-705...... dark- brown clay.

705-713...... gray sand.

713-744...... dark-brown clay, with shells. '

744-750.... .-gray sand, with small flow of water.

750-793...... dark-bluish clay; base of great diatomaceous bed.

 793-799...... rock stratum.

799-887...... dark, sandy clay, with sand and gravel 820-832 feet and rock

from 832-837 feet; small flow of water at 843; shells plenty. 

887-931...... gray sand, water bearing. \

931-1,030.... ..dark-colored, sticky clay, with two thin rock strata near

bottom. 

1,030-1,098.. ....dark-colored, tough clay, with lower Chesapeake diatoms

1,040-1,060 feet. 

1,098-1,104...... rock stratum.

1,104-1,244.... ..dark olive-green, clayey sand, containing much glauconite,

a few feet of sand at about 1,185 feet yielded a strong flow 

of saltwater; age Pamunkey(?).

J New Jersey report for 1892, p. 295. 2 New Jersey report for 1894, pp. 159-180, PI. V.
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 95

In a third well, sunk in 1895, a good supply of fresh water is obtained 

in beds from 580 to 655 feet, a horizon which was not fully tested by the 

deep well. Details of beds penetrated are given by Mr. Woolman in 

New Jersey report for 1895. l

Winslow, Camden County. A well bored many years ago for water 

for the gas works had the following record: 2

Feet. 

0-15...... surface earth.

15-30......blue and black clay.

30-125...... glass sand, described as quicksand.

125-160......Miocene clay, described as hard black clay.

160-267...... Micaceou s sand.

267-310......brown clay; a gum log 1 foot in diameter found here.

310-330.... ..greensand marl, with white shells, teeth, etc.

330-345.... ..pure greensand; no fossils.

Water rose from the bottom of the greensand. The following analysis is given: 3

Analysis of water from well at Winslow, N< J.

Grains per 

gallon.

0.816

.012

.157

3.030

.175

1.177

.460

.583

3.230

0. 640

This water has much excess of carbonic acid, which keeps in solution 

the alkaline earths as bicarbpnates. The well was bored to obtain a 

supply of water which would not corrode a steam boiler, and the result 

was entirely satisfactory. *

In 1881 two more wells were bored at this place, one at the hotel, 

to a depth of 145 feet, and the other for Mr. George Cochran, to a 

depth of about 130 feet. The following record is given:

Feet.

0-2...... surface soil.

2-12......fine clay.

12-30......fine sand.

30-38......yellow clay.

38-45...... saud.

45-125...... sand, with water.

125-135...... black clay, Miocene (Chesapeake).

135-138.... ..blue sand, Miocene.

138-141...... blue clay, Miocene.

141-145...... red gravel, Miocene.

1 Pages 86-88. »Geology of New Jersey, 1868, p. 706.

2 Now Jersey report for 1879, p. 140.
96 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

The water rises to within 40 feet of the surface, which is 130 feet 

above tide, and yields about 20 gallons a minute. The black and blue 

clays and sands are recognized by Mr. Woolmau to be of Miocene age 

(Chesapeake formation) and to occupy a position near the base of that 

formation. The water horizon is thought to be that at 760 feet at 

Atlantic City^ The well to 335 feet at Wiiislow, bored in about the 

year 1853, is thought to reach the water horizon of the 950-foot level at 

Atlantic City. 1

Woodbury, Gloucester County. Well of G. G. Green, on. Main street? 

about 300 feet from Woodbury Creek, supplies good soft water from a 

depth of 80 feet. The first 10 feet were yellow clay; next, 65 feet of 

green or bluish colored clay, oily and very tough; the balance, gravel.

Well at G. G. Green's residence is 163 feet deep and cased with 

4£-inch pipe. The following beds were penetrated:

Feet. 

0-14...... yellow clay and sand.

14-104......blue and greenish colored clay.

104-163...... coarse sand or gravel containing water, but not in large supply.

Another well, situated 600 feet away, is 132 feet deep and of the same 

bore. It supplies about 3,000 gallons of water per day.

There is a well 120 feet in depth about 2 miles south of Woodbury. 

The first 15 feet were clay and the 105 feet below are in marl.

Alien & Madane had a well bored in 1875 to a depth of 113 feet 

which yields a satisfactory water supply from a 2^-inch pipe. Water 

rises to within 19 feet of the surface. Eecord is as follows:

Feet. 

0-10...... sand and clay.

10-50...... blue niud or marl.

50-100...... coarse sand containing shells.

100-113...... sand and gravel intermixed; hard crust at bottorfi 1 foot thick.

L. M. Green has a well at his residence on Main street. Its depth

is 142 feet, and the water rises to within 50 feet of the surface. It is 

expected to^furnish 500 gallons per hour. The record is as follows: .

Feet. 

0-12...... yellow clay.

12-120...... blue and green marl.

120-134...... sand and gravel.

134-138......loose sand, with two logs.

138-142...... hard clay and sand mixed with shells.

A well at the home of Mrs. Deborah Cooper, about 1 mile north of 

Woodbury, on the Eedbank road, is 68 feet deep. The record is as 

follows:

Feet.

0-10...... san d and clay.

10-60...... blue mud or marl.

60-68...... gravel and sand.

Jersey report for 1892, p. 298.
DAKTON.] NEW JERSEY. '97

The water Comes to within 10'feet of the surface, and 500 gallons per 

hour have been pumped from the well. 1

The well at the skating park obtains water in a gravel bed at a depth 

of 130 to 136 feet. The record is as follows : 2

Feet. 

0-30......sand.

30...... thin blue clay.

30-118...... black clay inarl.

118-130......sand. .

130-136...... gravel.

The Matawan horizon furnishes the water for these wells. Those in 

Woodbury at from 130 to 163 feet are from the basal Matawan beds, and 

those at 80 and 113 feet are from the higher Matawan horizon. TliS" 

well 2 miles south of Woodbury at 120 feet is probably also in this 

higher Matawan horizon. The well a inilo north of Woodbury probably reaches the basal Matawan beds, for they rise quite rapidly to the 

north.

Woodstown, Salem County. A. well was bored at this place in December, 1891. The site is 011 low ground near the creek, where the surface 

is about 30 feet above tide level and near the outcropping Middle Marl 

ibed. The record of the boring is as follows:

Teet. 

0-4...... meadow earth.

4-16...... gravel and limestone.

16-56...... greensand marl, with shells near bottom.

56-126...... gray coarse sand, no water.

126-186...... quicksand, with flakes of mica.

186-24'e...... black sand marl.

246-276...... black muddy quicksan d. 

276-296...... blue clay, hard and tough.

296-340......white sand, with lignite, wa'ter bearing, underlain by white

clay and red clay in succession.

The limestone at 16 feet belongs to the Middle Marl bed. The coarse, 

gray sands and quicksands are identified as the Eedbank san'd bed, 

though of increased thickness. The micaceous quicksand corresponds 

to the clay, which occurs over the lower marl bed at many localities. 

The black sand marl, 60 feet thick, also appears to be abnormally thick 

if it be the L6wer Marl bed, but it is probable that the lower part of 

this' black sand marl and the black muddy quicksand represent the 

Matawan clay marls which underlie the marl bed. The white sand corresponds to the Laminated sand. At the bottom the red clay is recognized as the top of the Earitan series. 3

In the first well at this place no water was found in the sand bed 

from 61 to 131 feet, but subsequent borings have developed a large supply from that depth. The wells are six in number and 6 inches in

1 The preceding is condensed from the New Jersey report for 1879, pp. 146,147. , 

2 L. Woolman, New Jersey report for 1895, p. 68. ... ' 

-3 Condensed from New Jersey report for 1891, pp. 221,222. 

Bull. 138 7
98 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

diameter, ranging iu depth from 136 to 149 feet. The following record 

is given:

Feet, 

f 0-8......muck.

Middle marl. 8-16......1imesand.

16-50......greeii marl, with shells.

[ 50-54...... cemented liinesand and shell.

Eedbank sand 80-134...... tine gray sand and water. 

The water rises to about 1 foot above the surface, which is about 20 

feet above tide. The average flow of each well is 60 gallons per minute 

and the temperature is 58°.

The results of some prospecting in the old well is reported by Mr. 

Woolman. The boring continued through alternations of sands and 

white and red clays to a depth of 776 feet, where water was found, 

which rose to within 18 feet of the surface.1

This well and the one at Quinton indicate that the Eedbank formation in the lower part of the State is a clear gray, medium coarse sand, 

80 feet thick, with abundance of good water. It is just below the 

Middle Marl, from which it is separated by a few feet of impervious

strata. 

i

WATER-BEARING HORIZONS IN SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY. !

There are in southern New Jersey twelve well-defined water-bearing 

horizons which underlie extensive areas. There are also several horizons which have been recognized in restricted areas.

The lowest horizon is on the floor of crystalline rocks, which rises to 

the surface along a line passing through or near Wilmington, Chester, 

Philadelphia, Trenton, and New Brunswick. It dips quite steeply to 

the east-southeast and is probably at least 2,000 feet below the surface 

along the Atlantic coast, southward. It underlies all of southern New 

Jersey, and may contain water throughout the area. It has, however, 

been reached only by wells in or .near the Delaware Valley, but to all 

of these it has yielded a large amount of excellent water. The other 

higher horizons pass beneath the surface in regular succession to the 

southeastward and occur at vertical intervals varying from 300 to 60 

feet. They incline gently southeastward at various low angles, the 

lower beds, as a rule, having the greater degree of inclination. They 

are not fully explored as yet, and the deeper horizons are not reached 

by the more eastern and southern wells. For the purpose of reviewing 

them it will be more convenient to discuss these horizons in groups 

which are entitled the Lower Cretaceous, the Upper Cretaceous, and 

the Chesapeake.

LOWER CRETACEOUS HORIZONS.

There are four horizons comprised under this heading, namely:

1. In the Matawan beds.

2. At the base of the Matawan formation.

 ^ : * 

1 New Jersey report for 1892, p. 302, 303.
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 99

3. In the Earitan beds.

4. At the base of the Earitan formation.

Basal Earitan. The water horizon at the base of the Earitan formation is in the coarse sands, gravels, etc., which lie on the east-sloping 

floor of crystalline rocks. These coarse materials appear to be a general feature over wide areas, and they are always water bearing. In 

some areas clays, either pure or including sand and gravel in an impervious matrix, lie directly on the crystalline rocks, but this feature is 

probably local. It is to be expected that to the eastward, out under 

central-southern New Jersey, the Earitan basal sediments gradually 

become finer grained and finally become too impervious to carry water 

supplies, but they are known to be coarse and to contain water over a 

wide belt parallel to the Delaware Eiver and a line from Trenton to 

New Brunswick and Woodbridge. The area of this belt is indicated 

by a distinctive pattern in PI. I, on which wells to the basal Earitan 

beds have the letters BE in red after the figures indicating the depth 

in feet.

The horizon is reached by the following wells at the depths indicated:

Locality. * Depth.

Feet. 

87

129

90-98

174

270

776

50

37 f;

120

160

IQ'i

9>M

80

61

105

onn

Kemarks.

The many wells in the southern portion of the city of Philadelphia 

obtain a large supply of water from this horizon at depths averaging 

130 feet. The well at Moorestown, which ended at 457 feet in red clay 

and cobbles, with no water, was probably not far above the basal beds, 

and if it had been continued into them would no doubt have obtained 

a supply of water. The same is the case with the deep wells at Mount 

Holly, Jamesburg, and Columbus, and wells to more moderate depths 

at various points. The greater number of the wells obtained water 

from higher horizons, and there is, perhaps, no need for deepening them, 

but the Mount Holly and Jamesburg wells would have to.be deepened 

to the basal beds of the Earitan formation to obtain water, The
100 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

absence of water in the Moumouth Park deep well probably indicates 

that no water exists in basal Earitan beds in that immediate region.

The rate of dip of the basal beds is difficult to establish definitely 

over a wide area, because the wells which reach them are mainly along 

the strike of the formation and near its western: margin. In the sections on PI. Ill all available data on the subject are presented, and in 

the discussion of prospects in the various counties, on pages 108-115, 

some estimates are made for depths to the beds in the various regions.

Beds in the Raritan formation (higher than basal beds). The Earitan 

formation is, as before explained, somewhat heterogeneous in composition, and no general subdivision of its components has been made. 

Alternating strata of fine sands and clays predominate, and some beds 

contain deposits of coarse sands and gravel which are water bearing. 

Whether these beds are widespread and at the same horizon or horizons is not known, but it is probable that they are not. Some wells 

in the middle and upper Earitan beds have yielded waters and others 

have not been successful. My judgment would be that the occurrence of individual water-bearing beds is irregular and .restricted, but 

throughout the area there is a fair chance for finding water at one 

depth or another in the Earitan formation. .As the thickness of the 

formation is not great, the safest plan will always be to prepare to sink 

to the basal beds, but if water is found above, further sinking may not 

be necessary. The following wells appear to obtain water from middle 

and upper Earitan beds:

Locality.

Burlington :

Depth.

Feet. 

67-82

08

80-95

67

195

78

50

40

260-300

| 2.12-250

i 320-344 

149-162

253

135

( 442-457

( . 660

OA1

338-356

601

264

1, 045-1, 120

473-481

Eemarks.

1 Do.
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 101

Although the occurrences of water in these wells are not thought to 

be at uniform horizons, the Stocktou and Pavonia, and probably also 

the Camden wells, all appear to draw from the same bed, but these 

wells are relatively near together. The bed consists of coarse sand 

and gravel, sometimes with bowlders, and it contains a fairly large supply of water. The failure of the mid-Earitau horizon to furnish a satisfactory water supply at Mount Holly, Columbus, and Jamesburg appears 

to indicate the existence of an area in which the deposits are too fine 

to carry much water or are completely inclosed by fine materials. If 

these wells had been bored to the crystalline rock, a short distance 

below the depth at which they were abandoned, there is some chance 

that plenty of good water would have been found in the basal Earitan 

beds. The Keyport well clearly obtains its water from beds considerably above the base of the formation and indicates the presence of a 

water-bearing stratum at about the same horizon as that in the region 

near Gamden. The same horizon, or one near to it, furnishes a water 

supply at 601 feet at Holmdel, and at 480 feet at Atlantic Highlands. 

Its absence in the boring to 264 feet at Matawan would seem to indicate 

that the horizon was of very restricted extent in the Keyport region, 

unless by mishap it was "passed" in the Matawan well. As I do not 

know precisely the relative altitudes of the two wells and the dip of 

the beds, it seems also possible that the well at Matawan did not 

penetrate sufficiently deep to reach the horizon of the Keyport 

water.

No attempt has been made to represent separately on the map the 

area underlain by the waters in the Earitan formation, for it is practically the same as that underlain by the water in the basal beds. Some 

of the relations of the Earitan waters are shown on the cross sections 

on PI. Ill, and the wells which obtain water from the horizon have an 

E after them on the map, PI. I.

Base of the Matawan formation, In the region east and south of Philadelphia there are many wells which supply a large amount of fine water 

from this horizon. In that region there appears to be a nearly general 

sheet of coarse gray sands and pebbly beds lying on the surface of, or 

constituting a transition series into, the Earitan formation, which may 

be relied upon for water over a wide area. The following wells have 

penetrated to the horizon:

Locality.

Sewell................... ....................................

Depth to 

horizon.

Feet. 

46

68

104-163

320 341

420

340

64-102

Remarks.

1 3 wells ; large soDDly.
102 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Locality. Depth to 

horizon.

Feet. 

136

105

130

21

262

755?

fin

156

76

124

Remarks.

Do.

ginoua water.

These records indicate the general presence of this important water 

horizon over a wide area east and south of Oamden, and that it appears 

to die out to the northeastward. In the Mount Holly, Jamesburg, and 

Columbus areas there are no signs of the coarse sands and gravel and 

no water was found in the wells, excepting a small amount of ferruginous water at Columbus. In Delaware and Maryland the Matawan 

formation is represented by the lower portion of the Severn formation, 

which is separated from the Earitan and Potomac beds by a general 

unconformity. It is suggested that this unconformity extends into 

New Jersey to beyond the latitude of Philadelphia and is marked 

by the presence of coarse deposits in the basal beds of the Matawau. According to Dr. W. B. Clark, no unconformity appears to 

exist in the area which he studied in Monmouth County, so in that 

region there probably are beds of passage from Matawan to Earitan 

formations.

The known distribution and probable extension of the water-bearing 

beds at the base of the Matawan formation are represented on the 

map, PI. I, and in some measure also in the sections 2, 3, and 4 

of PI. III. The rate of dip to the east averages about 35 feet per 

mile east of Philadelphia, but there are some local variations of small 

amount.

Beds in the Matawan formation (higher than basal beds). A number 

of wells derive a moderately large amount of water from certain coarse 

beds some distance above the base of the Matawan formation. It is 

possible that the coarse beds are not at the same horizon throughout; 

and at present the evidence as to this is not complete. This horizon 

is about 160 to 200 feet below the top of the formation, varying slightly 

in different sections, and in the Aobury Park region, where the formation thickens, there are several other horizons down to depths over 

1,100 feet.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 103 

The following wells have reached the horizon at the depths indicated:

Locality.

PortMonmouth(?) ..........................................

Keel Bank........... .........................................

Sea Girt............... ......................................

Depth.

Feet. 

448-1, 083

ina 119

131

322

210

511

161-167

100

100

230

210

64 97

258

190?

380

694

800

922

80

120

316?

200

342-351

196

Remarks.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Flows.

Do.

Water to 28 feet.

So water at these horizons was reported in wells at Woodstown, 

Marltou, Mount Holly, Columbus, and Holmdel.

The region from Matawan to Asbury Park, and probably to Mount 

Pleasant, appears to be underlain by a continuous stratum of the 

upper water-bearing horizon containing a good supply of water, with 

the possible exception, of the Holmdel area. In the Asbury Park 

region and southward there are also several lower horizons.

In the region east and southeast of Camden the upper horizon was 

found to yield some water, notably at Woodbury, and possibly in the 

well 3 miles southwest of Marlton; but basal Matawan and deeper 

beds furnish, a more satisfactory supply. In the Hartford well there 

was plenty of water at this horizon, but it was mixed with much fine 

sand. The Eedbank and Seabright wells are the greatest producers 

from the upper horizon, and the Asbury Park and Ocean Grove wells 

obtain large supplies from lower horizons. The areas known to be 

underlain by these waters and that of the basal Matawan horizon are 

represented by one pattern on the map, PI. II, and some of the relations are shown in the cross sections in PI. III.

UPPER CRETACEOUS HORIZONS.

These are mainly in the Lower Marl and Eedbank formations. A 

well at Harrisonville and another at Gibbsboro draws from a bed of 

sand in the Raucocas formation.
ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Under the lower marl or in the base of the Navesink formation. Many 

of the most satisfactory wells in southern New Jersey are at this horizon, and only a few wells which have penetrated it have failed to obtain 

water. Many of the wells flow above the surface. It is particularly 

well adapted for the supply of the Monmouth County ocean resorts. 

As it is underlain, probably throughout, by lower water horizons, there 

are several chances for finding water at successive depths within its 

area. The wells which have penetrated the Lower Marl are as follows:

Locality.

Do.......................................................

Depth.

Feet. 

on QA

480

485

383

210.2

420

w»

Kf7l\

790

710

465

148-172

sft

475

690

91

183

155

125

200

Kemarks.

Do.

No water was found, or at least reported, from this horizon at Glassboro, Sewdl, and Wenpnah. The failure of the wells at Glassboro 

may indicate that the water-bearing conditions at this horizon do not 

extend in that direction, or possibly the water may have been passed. 

The Lower Marl fossils are reported from (550 and the boring extended 

to 690 feet. It is also possible that the water horizon is here ,a few feet 

farther below the marl than usual, and would have been found a short 

distance below the point at which boring was discontinued. . The areas 

underlain by this water horizon are shown in the map, PI. II, and in 

sections on PI. III. The rate of dip is indicated in the sections.

In ReVmnk formation. This formation has proved to be a water 

bearer over a considerabJe area, south of the latitude of Philadelphia,, 

which is indicated on the map, PI. II. Possibly it may continue for 

some distance to the northeastward, but no explorations have been 

made between Medfprd and Lakewpod which would throw light pn this 

question. Its relations m ,the Medfprfl to Marltpn region have b.een 

discussed in detail by Mr. TVoolman, who has ascertained thajt,it has_a
DARTON.] NEW JERSEY. 105

dip of 37 feet per mile to the southeast.1 The following wells appear 

to derive water from the Eedbank horizon at the depths stated:

Locality. Depth.

Feet. 

139-149

1 fifi_ *)A fi

72

109

fid 70

126

86-105

70

80-150

llemarks.

Do.

<

No water was reported from this horizon in the wells at Glassboro 

and Greenwich, but there is the usual possibility, or even a probability, 

that the borings at these points passed the Eedbank waters without 

revealing them, particularly in the case of the Glassboro well. Further 

explorations should be made for this water throughout the area shown 

on the map (PI. II) to be probably underlain by it, and also in the 

region to the east and southeast for at least several miles. A small 

overflow from this horizon was reported in the new deep well at Asbury 

Park at a depth of 280 feet.

The materials in which the Eedbank waters occur are moderately 

coarse gray sands, and as they are quite thick the amount of water 

they contain is large.

CHESAPEAKE HORIZONS.

The water-bearing horizons in the Chesapeake formation are at least 

eight or nine in number, and they underlie nearly all of the southeastern portion of " South Jersey." They have been studied with special 

care by Mr. Lewis Woolman, who has been able to identify the various 

New Jersey members of the Chesapeake formation in many of the wells. 

He gives the following table of the Chesapeake water horizons which 

are represented in the wells at Atlantic City or Ocean City:

Horizon.

2)

61

8J

Depth 

at Atlantic 

City.

Feet, 

i 328 

\ 406, 430' 

525-560

700-720 

( 760 

I 800 

I a 950

Depth 

at Ocean

City.

Feet. 

334, 366

512, 528 

685 

720

I 800

a About.

'New Jersey report for 1894, pp. 203-218, and cross section, PI. X.
106 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

The principal horizons at Atlantic City are those near 525, 700, and 

800 feet, and these I have designated in the table and on the maps and 

sections by the letters C, E, and G, respectively. They are widespread, clearly denned in relations, and yield large amounts of waters 

to many wells. The deposits consist of coarse sands intercalated 

between beds of clay, and their stratigraphic relations and intervals 

appear to be fairly constant over a wide area.

In the following table there is given a list of the wells which have 

penetrated the Chesapeake beds, with indications of their equivalence 

with Atlantic City horizons:

. Locality.

Do...................................

Do...................................

DO..................:................

Do.. .............. .....'..'...'....'...'..

Millville....... ..........................

Depth.

Feet.

175

470

320

120

575

.425

COA

408

535

306

151

50

201

158

85

135

14^

345

45

96, 106

45

176

130

205 

130

160

Depth to Atlantic 

City horizons.

Feet.

........ 93 ....

........ 175? .....

........ ..... 470?

157 320 .....

m oon

120 .... .....

425 575 .....

425 ..... .....

con

408 ..... .....

392 535 .....

396'

151? ..... .....

........ 50 .....

oe 7

45 ..... .....

45 ..... .....

176 ..... .....

130 ..... .....

....... 160 . ....

Kemarks.

waters also at 157, 175, and 

252 feet.

amount at 137 feet.

Do.

Do.

amount at 392 feet.

306 feet.

some at 114 feet. 

300 gallons from 8 wells.

201 feet.

Do.

Do.

no water.

water.

Satisfactory sumdv.
DABTON.] NEW JERSEY. 107

Locality.

Fifields.. .......... ......................

Do...................................

Depth.

Feet.

7Q9

<W»7

800

760

800

380

1,244

456+

224

99

78

200

100

Depth to Atlantic 

City horizons.

Feet.

ri7 «7A 7QQ

........ ..... 803

512,528 720 .....

580 ..... 887

........ 200? .....

........ 100? .....

Remarks.

300 gallons at 580 to 655 feet.

"Water at 360 feet.

The 685-foot horizon in the Ocean City well is not represented in the 

wells at Atlantic City. Mr. Woolinan suggests that it supplies the water 

in one of the deepest Weymouth wells and in the Pleasant Mills well, 

and. as this seems reasonable, I have so shown it on section 3, PI. III. 

The two upper horizons at Atlantic City are not known to be extensive 

in area. It has been suggested by Mr. Woolman that the well at 

Bivalve is in the 406-foot Atlantic City horizon at a depth of 200 feet, 

on the evidence of the occurrence of diatoms, and that the well to 78 

feet at Port Norris, near by, is in the 328-foot horizon, but the evidence 

is not conclusive. The waters at 114 feet and 151 feet in the well at Port 

Republic are also thought by Mr. Woolman to be possibly from the 

328-foot and the 406-foot horizons at Atlantic City. The water horizon 

at Cape May at 320 to 360 feet and at Sea Isle City can not be definitely correlated from data now on hand, but there is a fair degree of 

possibility that it is the 334-foot Ocean City horizon. In regard to the 

areal extensions of horizons deeper than the " E," or 700-foot Atlantic 

City water, w.e have relatively little reliable information. The "G-," or 

800-foot water, was also found in large supply at Ocean City, Longport, 

and Brigautine, and the well at Wildwood found a good water supply at 

931 feet, undoubtedly from this horizon. The well to 470 feet at 

Berkeley Arms may possibly be in this horizon, but as it is far below 

the great diatom bed, there is greater probability that it is deeper than 

the 960-foot Atlantic City horizon. The water at 175 feet at Mantolokiug is clearly higher than the Berkeley Arms water, and as it is just 

below the great diatom bed, it is probably equivalent to the 700-foot 

horizon of Atlantic City, found at 320 feet at Great Sedge Island, near 

Barnegat Inlet. The Harrisia well found water in fair amount at 190 

feet, in all probability at the " E," or 700-foot horizon, as suggested by 

Mr. Woolman, but when it was depeened did not go to a sufficient depth 

to reach the deeper waters which no doubt underlie the region and are 

reached by the deepest well at Winslow.
ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

The well at the glass works at Winslow, which, was sunk to a depth 

of 345 feet, is thought by Mr. Woolman to have reached water of the 

950-foot horizon at Atlantic City, which would indicate a wide extension of that horizon and a dip of 23 feet per mile.

POST-CHESAPEAKE HORIZONS.

There are a number of bored wells in southern New Jersey which 

yield satisfactory water supplies from beds more recent in age than the 

Chesapeake formation. They are relatively shallow, and their waters 

are in some degree liable to surface contamination. Owing to our lack 

of knowledge of the relations of the younger formations in southern 

New Jersey, it has not always been possible to determine the age of 

some of the shallower water-bearing beds.

WELL PROSPECTS IN THE VARIOUS COUNTIES OF SOUTHERN NEW

JERSEY.

ATLANTIC COUNTY.

The many wells in this county and the wide range in their depths 

afford very satisfactory data as to the prospects for additional wells. 

The entire county is underlain by water-bearing beds of the Chesapeake 

formation, which increase in number to eight in the eastern end of the 

county. I believe that a clear idea of the relations of these beds will 

be obtained from sections 3 and 5 in PI. III. There is considerable 

probability, also, that the waters of the Cretaceous beds extend to the 

western edge of the county, as suggested in the map, PI. II, but as 

there are other waters at higher horizons it may never be necessary to 

go to the deeper ones for water supply.

The principal water horizons in the county are those which occur at, 

about 525, 700, and 800 feet at Atlantic City, and at approximately the. 

same^deptlis at Ocean City. The 525-foot horizon is only 50 feet below 

the surface about Weymouth, and it probably outcrops under the 

superficial deposits along the western border of the county. It is 

thought that the 950-foot horizon of the Atlantic City wells furnishes 

water at Winslow at a depth of 335 feet, and if this is the case, three 

horizons of water may be expected throughout the western portion 

of the county between the depths of 50 and 400 feet in the vicinity of 

Weymouth, Eichlaud, Elwood, and Pleasant Mills. They dip almost 

due southeast at the rate of 22 feet per mile. In the eastern portion 

of the county the waters found in the wells at Atlantic City and Ocean 

City may be expected at depths which diminish at the rate of 22 feet 

to the mile to the northwest.

CAPE MAY COUNTY.

The experience of the Ocean City well indicates that the great water 

horizons of Atlantic City may be expected to extend at' least for some 

distance under Cape May County, and it is probable'that' some of them'
DAKTON.] NEW JERSEY. 109

will be found to underlie the enibire county. This expectation has been 

realized in the deeper wells at Wildwood, which found an abundant 

supply at 887 to 931 feet, probably from either the 800-foot or the 950-foot 

Atlantic City horizons, and a very great flow of water at 580 to 655 feet 

in the middle of the great Chesapeake diatom bed. The water at 320 

feet at Cape May, at 99 feet at West Creek, and at 380 feet at Sea Isle 

City appear to indicate a southward extension of the water horizons 

which occur just above the diatom bed at Ocean City and Atlantic 

City. The water at 215 feet at Wildwood indicates a still higher 

horizon, possibly the one which yielded salt water at 224 feet at Cape 

May City.

EASTERN CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

There is a sufficient number of wells in this section to indicate a 

general extension of waters in Chesapeake beds at moderate depths. 

The Millville well found the 700-foot Atlantic City horizon at 160 feet, 

and there is a fair degree of probability that this water will be found 

to the east and southeast. - Its relations are quite fully suggested on 

the map, PI. II, and in section 4 in PI. III. The wells at Bivalve and 

Port Norris are in higher horizons, of which the relations and extent 

are not as yet fully determined, but they give assurance that waterbearing beds underlie the southeastern corner of the county at moderate 

depths.

EASTERN BURLINGTON COUNTY.

There have been relatively few wells sunk in this section, and their 

results were not altogether satisfactory. The well at Harrisia obtained 

a fair prospect of water at 190 feet, apparently from the horizon which 

is at a depth of 700-feet at Atlantic City, but when it was deepened to 

306 feet it was not quite deep enough to reach the 800-foot or the 960-foot 

horizons, which may be expected to underlie the region. South of Har; 

risia there should be-found the waters which occur in the Port Eepublic 

wells at 114 and 151 feet, and also the waters found at Beach Haven 

and Seven Islands. For the region north of Harrisia to 3 miles beyond 

the New Jersey Southern Eailroad no definite predictions can be made. 

There is fair possibility of finding waters in the lowest Chesapeake 

beds, and other chances in the Eedbank sands a short distance below. 

A well to the depth of 500 feet at Atsion, Harris, or Shainong would 

pass through the lower .Chesapeake beds in the first 300 feet and reach 

this lower horizon. Whether it would prove to be water-bearing can 

not now be safely predicted.

. SOUTHERN AND EASTERN OCEAN COUNTY.

»' The wells in -this county are along or near the ocean shore, and they 

are at such frequent intervals that the water horizons are located with 

a fair degree of definiteness. In section 5, PI. Ill, these water horizons 

ftre represented, and their .relations ancj. bearings are quite apparent,
110 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

From Mantoloking, Waretown, and Seven Islands southward the 525- 

foot and 700-foot horizons of the Atlantic City wells have been tapped, 

and at Berkeley Arms the deeper-seated waters have been found. These 

deeper waters probably extend southward, but the wells between Berkeley and Atlantic City have not reached them. The water at 790 feet at 

Mantoloking is from the beds at the base of the Lower Marl, and as 

no waters were reported between 175 and 790 feet in this well, it would 

appear that other upper Cretaceous waters do not extend under that 

portion of the county. The water at 922 feet in the deepest well at 

Mantoloking indicates the presence of the Matawan waters. The 

southern extension of the Mantoloking waters and of the water of lower 

horizons has not been determined.

MONMOUTH COUNTY.

This county appears to be underlain by several water horizons which 

furnish water to many wells at various depths. The horizon which has 

been best explored is in the basal sands of the Lower Marl bed, and 

the evidence is so satisfactory that I feel confident that there is a continuous sheet of water in this bed in the portion of the county which 

it underlies. This comprises nearly the entire county, for the Lower 

Marl outcrop lies only about 2 miles east of the western boundary line 

for the greater part of its course. The depths to this water horizon 

are 383 feet at Asbury Park, 420 feet at Ocean Grove, 475 feet at Lakewood, 135 feet at Freehold (village), 80 feet at Bed Bank, 480 feet at 

Ocean Beach, 125 feet at Seabright, 465 feet at Spring Lake, 535 feet 

at Lake Como, and 570 feet at Sea Girt, but not there utilized. The 

dip is to the southeast, at a rate of 25 feet to the mile in the northeastern corner of the county and about 28 feet per mile in the Spring 

Lake region. From these data it will be very easy to calculate the 

position of the Lower Marl water horizon for any point, taking care 

in every case to make due allowance for differences in elevation above 

tide level. The water in the various wells which draw from this horizon is of excellent quality and of sufficient amount to rise, with pressure enough, considerably above tide level. The only boring of which 

I have learned that did not find water at the base of the Lower Marl 

was at Shrewsbury, but as there are successful wells in the surrounding 

region, I am of the opinion that the Shrewsbury boring passed the water 

by oversight. It was not reported at Point Pleasant.

From 150 to 200 feet below the Lower Marl horizon there is another 

water-bearing bed in the Matawan formation, which has proved to be 

very widespread and may underlie the entire area of the county. It 

has not, however, been as thoroughly explored as the higher horizons. 

At Eed Bank it is 160 feet bow the Lower Marl, and is a large waten 

producer. At Port Monmouth and at Matawan it is 100 feet below the 

surface; at Seabright it is 190 feet below the Lower Marl, or 258 feet 

below the surface; at Monmouth Beach and at Monmouth Park it is
DAKTON.] NEW* JERSEY. Ill

380 feet below the surface, at Asbury Park 550 feet below the surface, 

at Point Pleasant 922 feet. A,t Freehold it is 165 feet below the Lower 

Marl; but here the water does not appear to be satisfactory. The

» dip of this water-bearing bed is about the same as that of the Lower 

Marl bed, or 25 to 28 feet per mile, and the direction of maximum 

slope appears to be nearly due southeast. 

Waters have been found in the Baritan beds in the northern part of

f the county, but there are very few data as to their extent. They sink

very rapidly to the southeast. The deep boririg at Momnouth Park, it

is claimed, reached the crystalline rocks and found no water below the

Matawan horizon. The well at Keyport obtains water from a midEaritan horizon at a depth of 242 feet, and the deeper boring (480 feet

I deep) at Atlantic Highlands and the well to 601 feet at Holmdel prob-

/ ably are to the same bed of water-bearing sands. The deeper wells at

/ Sea Girt, Asbury Park, and Ocean Grove are thought to be in middle 

and lower beds of the Matawan formation which thicken to the southward and carry several water horizons. The basal Matawan horizon, 

which is so important to the northward, probably extends across the 

southwestern corner of the-county, and even along its southern margin, 

but, as indicated by the well at Asbury Park, it rapidly increases in 

depth.

EASTERN MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

This county lies across the border of the Coastal Plain region, to the 

west of which rise the red sandstones and shales of the Newark formation. Near the junction line of the Coastal Plain deposits and the 

Newark formation the crystalline rocks extend near to the surface in 

( a narrow underground ridge, which reaches the surface at Trenton 

\ and Staten Island. This feature is shown in section 1 on PL III. In 

the basal beds of the Earitan series there are water-bearing materials 

in some areas, but their distribution is irregular. Their extent has 

not been very fully explored. One of the wells at Sayreville obtains a 

good supply of water from this horizon; but as this is one of the very 

few wells that meet with success, I can not base a very far-reaching 

prediction on it. The Perth Amboy wells obtained no water in the 

beds lying on the crystalline rocks, but found a good supply in superficial beds above. A recent boring at South Amboy found water at 

105 feet in beds low in the Earitan formation. . The unsuccessful 

Jamesburg well was no doubt bored near to the basal beds of the Earitan formation, but as the underlying rocks were not reached, the 

test is not conclusive. In the eastern part of Madison Township 

there is good prospect for water in the beds which furnish water at 

Matawan and Keyport in the adjoining county. The relations of these 

beds are shown in section 1, PI. III.

EASTERN MERCER COUNTY.

The geologic relations in this county are similar to those in Middlesex County, as described above. The only wells in the central portion
112 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

of-the county of which I have learned, are in TfeiitOu, and the geologic 

data are not sufficiently definite for water prediction outside of the 

vicinity of these wells. The success of the wells at Hightstown indicates that water may be expected in the basal and higher Earitan 

beds and at the base of the Matawau at some, localities, if not throughout the region. The waters in the Trenton wells appear to be in part 

from the base of the Earitau formation, but probably in part also from 

the superficial Trenton and Columbia gravels. They afford a large 

supply of water, and nd doubt.the area of the, water-bearing beds is 

considerable in the Trenton region.

WESTEKN BURLINGTON COUNTY.

i This region has been quite extensively explored for water, and there 

are several wells which yield a largejsupply. The basal Earitau waters 

have been found in the Maple Shade well at, a depth of 375 feet,1 in 

the deeper well at Bordentown at a depth of 195 feet, and possibly also 

in the Eiverton well at a depth of 50 feet. The Eiverside well passed 

through the horizon into the crystalline rocks and reported no water 

in the basal Earitan beds, although an abundant supply was found in 

higher beds at a depth of 45 feet.

The well at Burlington, which obtained no water down to the depth 

of 200 feet, did not reach the basal beds, nor did the deep well at Mount 

Holly. The Columbus well, at a depth of 715 feet, and the Moorestown 

well, at 457 feet, were probably very near the basal beds, but evidently 

not in them. From this evidence it is not possible to make a prediction as to the general extension of the basal Earitan waters in the 

western portion of the county, but I believe that they will be found to 

be widespread. The waters at 260 to 300 feet in the Maple Shade well, 

at 253 feet in the well east of Burlington, at 212 to 250 and at 320 

and 344 feet at Moorestown, at 45 feet at Biverside, at 442 to 457 feet 

at Mouut Holly, at 128 feet 1£ miles south of Burlington, and at 338 to 

356 feet at Columbus, indicate a wide extension of horizons within the 

Earitau formation above its base. The waters in the Mount Holly 

and Columbus wells were, however, only in small amount, and they 

were ferruginous. The supplies from the other wells are reported not 

to be large.

The basal Matawan water horizon appears to extend only a short 

distance into the southwestern corner of the county; It has proved 

very satisfactory at a depth of 130 feet at Moorestown, 124 feet near 

Eancocas, 46 feet at Cinnaminson, and probably at 316 feet near Marlton, and was noted at 136 feet in the Maple Shade well. At Fellowship 

it promised to yield a supply at 200 feet, but this was not utilized. At 

Columbus, at 156 feet, it yields a fair supply of ferruginous water, but 

at Mount Holly no water was reported. In the Collingwood well the 

gravel was reported at 125 feet, but no water was obtained from it. 

The Hartford well stopped in dry beds about 50 feet above the horizon. I am quite confident that this water may be expected throughout
CARTON.] , NEW JERSEY. 113

the region south of Eancocas Creek, east of the line of the Burlington 

and Cam den turnpike. Its relations, dip, etc., are shown in the western end of section 2, PL III.

In the Maple Shade well at 64-97 feet, in the Fellowship well at 131 

feet, in the Marlton well at 200 feet, and in the Hartford well at 161- 

167 feet was found the water of the horizon in the lower half of the 

Matawan beds, but it does not appear to have been utilized. It was 

not reported in the other wells which were bored into the basal Matawan or the Earitan beds. The water in the base of the Lower Marl, 

bed was found in the wells at Medford at 183 feet, at the well 1£ miles 

south of Marlton at 155 feet, and probably at the well 4 or 5 miles 

southeast of Marlton at 316 feet. As the supply is large I am confident that the horizon extends far to the eastward of the Lower Marl 

outcrop, as shown on the map, PI. II, and in section 2, PI. III.

The extent of the Eedbank water horizon in the county is not yet 

fully determined, and it may be found to be widespread, The wells in

the Medford region at depths of 70-150 feet found in it a supply of 

200 gallons per minute, and a large supply was found in the wells at 

Marlton at a depth of 86 feet, at the well If miles northeast of Medford 

at 125 feet, at 70 feet in the well 2 miles east of Marlton, and others. 

These are the only wells that I have heard of which touch the horizon, 

and I shall await with great interest to hear that wells have been sunk 

to the southeast and east where the water horizon may be expected to 

extend, at least under the area shown on the map, PI. II, and with the 

relations shown in section 2, PI. III. The general occurrence of this 

water in wells in the counties to the southwest gives much encouragement that it may be expected to extend at least some distance to the 

northeast.

WESTERN CAMDEN COUNTY.

Only the lower water horizons have been tested in this region so far 

as I know, and they have proved entirely satisfactory in all cases. The 

waters at the base of the lower marl bed and the Eedbank horizons 

have not been reached, but there is every reason for believing that 

they extend across the county, as shown in map, PI. II, and in section 

3, PI. III.

The basal Earitan waters are at depths from 62 to 129 feet in wells 

in Camden, the depth increasing quite rapidly to the east, to 174 feet at 

Pavonia and 270 feet at Gloucester. A higher Earitan horizon has been 

found to be very satisfactory at a depth of 149-162 feet at Gloucester, 

at 67-82 feet at Pavouia, and at 196 feet at Colliugwood. The Gloucester wells at 65-102 feet obtain a large supply of water in the basal 

Matawan beds, according to Mr. Woolnian, and this same horizon is 

tapped at 130 feet at Mount Ephrairn, and also, probably, at 80 feet, 

three-fourths of a mile from Mount Ephraim. The relations of these 

waters and their extent are indicated on the map, PI. I, and in section 

3, PI. III.

Bull. 138 8
114 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

GLOUCESTER COUNTY.

" The many wells sunk along the line of the West Jersey Bailroad 

have thrown much light on the distribution of underground waters 

in this county, and they produce a large supply of fine water. The 

relations of all these wells and their water horizons are shown on the 

western end of section 4, PI. Ill, so that there is no need for an 

extended discussion of them. The Mullica Hill well, which is some distance off the line of the section, has been projected on to it. This well 

clearly draws its water supply from the Eeclbank horizon. The failure 

to obtain water from the Bedbank horizon in the well at Glassboro 

probably indicates that the water does not extend that far to the east- 

 tfard, but it is possible that the water was passed. The basal Matawan water has been found in. every well which has been sunk to the 

requisite depth to reach the beds, and no doubt they would have Keen 

found at Glassboro in the next 150 feet. The water in beds about 60 

feet above the base of the Matawan formation made a good showing at 

Sewell at 380 feet, and in some of the shallower Woodbury wells. It 

was not reported at Wenonah. The basal Baritan and mid-Baritan 

water horizons have not been explored east of Gloucester, but there is 

every reason to believe that they may yield water to at least as far east 

as Sewell, possibly much farther. The Pitman Grove, Olayton, and 

shallower Glassboro wells appear to obtain their waters from the base 

of the superficial capping of post-Chesapeake formations. The water 

horizons found in the wells along the main line of the West Jersey 

Bailroad undoubtedly extend to the west and southwest in Gloucester County, with practically the same relations as shown on section 4, 

PL III, and on the map, PI. II.

SALEM COUNTY.

The waters above described in Gloucester County appear to underlie 

Salem County with about the same relations. They have not been 

extensively explored, but the wells at Woodstown and Quinton give 

much confirmatory evidence. The Bedbank horizon has proved to be 

very satisfactory at Quinton, where it was found at a depth of 170 feet, 

and at Woodstown it yields an enormous supply at a depth of 140 

feet. A well at Woodstown also found water in the basal beds of the 

Matawan formation at a depth of 340 feet, and in beds low down in the 

Baritau formation at a depth of 776 feet.

WESTERN CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

There are less reliable data for this locality than for any other in the 

region, and no predictions can be offered with any degree of confidence 

until further well boring has been done. The failure of the deep well 

to 690 feet at Greenwich to obtain water would appear to indicate that 

the Bedbank horizon, which yields so much water to the west and north, 

does not extend so far as we might expect, but it should be borne in
DAETON.] NEW JERSEY PENNSYLVANIA. 115

mind that this water horizon may have been carelessly passed in boring, 

an occurrence, I may repeat, which is by no means rare.

The unsuccessful attempts to obtain water at Bayside and at Bridgeton add confirmatory evidence that no waters may be expected in the 

higher horizons in the western part of the county. To the eastward 

the prospect is more encouraging, for the Yineland, Millville, Port 

Norris, Bivalve, West Creek, and Straight Creek wells all obtain good 

supplies of excellent water at depths from about 80 to 200 feet. The 

horizons of these waters are not definitely known, but they appear in 

the mam to be those in the Chesapeake beds which occur at intervals of 

from 334 to 700 feet at Atlantic City. Some of the relations of these 

beds are shown in section 4, PL III.

PENNSYLVANIA. 

PHILADELPHIA REGION.

The eastern portion of this city is underlain by Coastal Plain formations, consisting of the lower beds of the Earitan-Potomac deposits. 

These beds are water bearers and have been tapped by a number of 

wells in the city. Besides these wells quite a number of others have 

been sunk in the crystalline rocks which rise from beneath the Earitan 

Potomac beds in the center of the city and to the westward. Mr. 

Thomas B. Harper, of Jenkintown, has bored many of these wells, and 

he has given some data regarding their depth and yield.

List of wells in the Philadelphia region.

Location.

Brewery, 1707 North Twelfth street.......................................

Wall paper, 2228 North Tenth street. ..................................'...

Dye works, 4520 Worth street, Frankford. ...............................

» Flowing wells., & "VYater not good in boilers, cL

Depth.

Feet. 

300 

252 

495 

2,031 

350 

452 

340 

350 

' 1, 000 

250 

210 

500 

272 

200 

335 

240 

250 

4.84 

525 

205 

line and ir

Size. '

Inches. 

8 

8 

6 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

10 

8 

8 

8 

0 

6 

6 

8 

5 

8 

8 

8 

on wate

Capacity 

j>er 

minute.

Oallons. 

120 

« 60 

60 

&50 

100 

150 

75 

a75 

100 

300 

100 

100 

30 

50 

250 

40 

c40 

60 

70 

110
116 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.

List of icells in the Philadetyhia region Continued.

[BULL. 138.

Location.

Do....................................................................

Do............:...:.............-.....................................

Do....................................................................

Depth.

Feet. 

100

t^nn

322

252

364

252

30

500

150

GOO

376

310

200

200

Size.

Inches. 

6

fi

6

6

8

8

5

6

6

G

G

6

6

6

Capacity 

per 

minute.

Gallons. 

200

500

500

500

a 60

a 60

100

250

a500

120

350

350

40

1,000

a Flowing wells. 

NOTES ON SOME WELLS IN PHILADELPHIA.

South from Christian street, near the Delaware, there are many wells 

for sugar refineries, salt works, and ice factories. They penetrate the 

red, white, yellow, and other clays of the Potomac-Raritan clay series, 

to the basal gravels. Seven wells were bored for one sugar refinery at 

Morris and Otsego streets. The record from the memory of the well 

borer, according to Mr. Woolman,1 is as follows:

Feet. 

0-25...... alluvium on fine yellow sand.

25-65......mottled red and white clay.

65-75...... white potter's clay mixed with gravel.

75-90...... fine sand of light-gray color.

90-94......fine white clay, no gravel.

94-109......white coarse sand.

 109-125......coarse white gravel, with pebbles and small cobbles, containing water in large amount.

One boring was made through to the rock at 140 feet.

N. & G. Taylor's well, in the southeastern part of the city, is 12 

inches in diameter. Water found in heavy gravel at 130 feet was cased 

off. The first water obtained in the rock was at 400 feet, but the boring was continued to 670 feet. The yield is 250 gallons a minute. The 

record is as follows: 2

Feet. 

0-27. 

27-44.

44-45.

45-75.

.black muck (river alluvium). 

. coarse gravel. 

. yellow clay, 

.red clay.

1 New Jersey report for 1891, 2 New Jersey report for 1892, pp. 307, 308,
DAftTOK.] PENNSYLVANIA DELAWARE. 117

Feot.

75-93...... yellow clay.

93-103...... blue clay mixed with yellow clay."

103-130...... coarse sand and gravel, with some clay and a few large cobbles,

containing plenty of water. 

130-136...... yellow clay.

136-165...... soft mica rock.

165-670...... hard rock.

Several wells in the southern part of the city draw water from the 

103-130-foot horizon.

A well bored at the corner of Laurel and Beach streets is reported 

to have had the following record: 1

Feet. 

0-58...... coarse gravel and sand.

58-74......red clay.

74-78...... gravel.

78-80......rock clay (disintegrated rock).

80-308...... solid rock.

DELAWARE.

GEOLOGIC RELATIONS.

This State lies almost entirely on the Coastal Plain, across which, 

it extends diagonally to the Atlantic Ocean. The crystalline rocks 

emerge at the surface in the extreme northern portion of the State, 

but are deeply buried under the Coastal Plain deposits to the southeast. The general structure is shown in section 1, PI. VI. The topography of the State is relatively simple, consisting of a general terrace 

plain averaging about 50 feet in altitude and a small area of higher 

rolling hills north and west of Wilmington. The principal knowledge 

of the geology of the State is derived from the studies of Booth over 

a half century ago and the more recent observations by Prof. F. JD. 

Chester.2 The geologic formations are as follows:

Formation. Characteristics. Age.

Pleistocene

Do.

Do.

Do.

'New Jersey report for 1894, p. 198. 

2Preliininary notes on the geology of Delaware, 

adelphia, Proceedings for 1884, pp. 237-259, map.

Academy Nat. Sciences of Phil-
118 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FORMATIONS.' 

RARITAN AND POTOMAC.

The basal members of the Coastal Plain series in Delaware comprise 

the upper portion of the Potomac formation below and more or less of 

the southward extension of the Earitan beds above, but they appear 

not to be clearly separable. The deposits consist of clays and sands 

interbedded and intermingled in various relations. According to 

Chester, red clays predomiDate above and fire clays and sands below. 

The basal beds appear to consist largely of coarse sands, which lie on 

the steeply east-dipping floor of crystalline rocks and contain water 

available for wells. It is probable that this basal series was penetrated 

in the well at Middletown, in which rock was reported at a depth of 

552 feet. The Earitan beds are overlain by white and buff sands with 

more or less clay and marl intermixture to the eastward, which are 

probably the representatives of the Magothy formation of Maryland, 

but a careful study of this question has not yet been made.

CRETACEOUS MARL SERIES.

The middle and lower marl beds of New Jersey and their associated 

beds extend across Delaware in a belt averaging about 8 miles wide, of 

which the greater part lies between Middletown and Delaware City. 

They are extensively exhibited along the Delaware and Chesapeake 

Canal. In the vicinity of this canal they dip south 30° east at a rate 

of 45 feet per mile, according to Chester, but the rate decreases southward. The following beds are recognized by Chester:

Formation.

Kedbank.........

Division.

|shell layer...... ......

( Indurated greensand .

| Shell layer..........'..

Material.

Lumpy, dark-colored rich marl, with some clay. . . .

Thickness.

Feet.

3-10

}.......

a 32

3

a About.

These subdivisions present notable differences from the New Jersey 

marl series, particularly in the case of the Eedbank, which changes 

from a coarse water-bearing sand to a marl bed above and a fine yellowish sand below. This change continues southward into Maryland, 

where the subdivisions are not so strikingly marked and the formations 

have been consolidated into one, known as the Severn formation.

L,
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN N?I38 PL.V

so'

I.EGEND

I____| Probably underlain by waters in Chesapeake formation f various horizons,)

alsobywtiiers oi* lower formations)

\^ I Underlain by waters iiilowevmulBasalPainunkey beds (These waters atsn _ 

underlie aportion of ihere^ion eastward of the areas shown) "" r" -"'

xxxxxxx Line alon^whichMa^olhvibrnuuioupassesbelow tide level

|\"S\v-l Underlain in greater partby waters inPotomacfbrinatioii 

^^^^^ (Doubtful area indicated by broken lines) v * -

9IBH Crystalline rooks

* Successful wells o Unsuccessful wells

Figures in red indicate depths of wells inteet,and letters iudicato 

Uonzons as follows; 

C Chesapeake i 

PS.LowerandBasal Pamunkey , M Magotty ' , \

50'

THE COASTAL PLAIN REGION OF MARYLAND AND DELAWARE , SHOWING 

RELATIONS OF UNDERGROUND WATERS.

BY IN. H. DART ON

JULIUS BIEN A CO.N.Y.
DAKTON.] DELAWARE. 119

PAMUNKEY FORMATION.

The weathered brown sands of this formation, a few feet in thickness, extend only a short distance into the western side of the State,. 

but it is probable that the formation thickens to the south and east 

under the Chesapeake beds, for it outcrops over a wide area in the 

adjacent Maryland region.

CHESAPEAKE FORMATION.

All of central and southern Delaware is underlain by this formation, 

of which the edge extends to within about 2 miles south of Middletown. On the southern border of the. State the formation probably 

has a thickness of about 1,200 feet. It consists mainly of clays and 

flue sands of the same character as those in southern New Jersey. 

The great diatomaceous clay bed, which is over 300 feet thick in the 

Atlantic City, Ocean City, and Wildwood wells, continues southward 

across Delaware, apparently with slightly increased thickness. It 

appears to be associated with similar water-bearing sands, but as few 

wells have been sunk in Delaware these sands have not been so definitely located as in New Jersey.

- COLUMBIA FORMATION.

This formation covers all of the State south of the Baltimore and 

Ohio Eailroad. It is a mantle of gravels, sands, and loams which caps 

the terrace plain to a thickness of from 10 to 30 feet, the amount increasing somewhat southward.

DEEP WELLS IN DELAWARE.

There are only a few deep wells in the State, but they are all successful and nearly all furnish large supplies of water. In the following list 

are given all those of which 1 was able to learn. Their location and 

horizons are indicated on the map, PI. Y:

List of deep wells in Delaware.

Locality.

Do...:...........-.

Do.................

Depth.

Feet. 

196

35

60

85

165

110

400

206

535

Diameter.

Inches. 

10

6

H

0

10-8

Capacity per 

minute.

Gallons. 

/ Flows 35\

 30

15

330

Height to 

which water 

rises.

Feet. 

+ 6

+20

_ 21

 50

Remarks.

rock at 211 feet.

water also at 475 and 540 

feet.
120 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138. 

List of deep ivells in Delaware Continued.

Locality.

Milford................

Do.................

Do.................

Brewery).

Brewery) .

Bros.).

Depth.

Feet. 

90

160

150

34

400

1,077

200

Diameter.

Inches. 

(?)

4

4

4

8

6

Capacity per 

minute.

Gallons. 

(?)

60

60

50

15-18

10

7C

Height to 

 which water 

rises.

Feet. 

(?)

+ a

+ 3

 25

Remarks.

In granite, 96-1,077 feet.

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES ON WELLS IN DELAWARE.

For the notes on the wells at Dover, Milford, Kitts Hummock, Mahon 

Biver, Lewes, and Claytoii I am indebted to Mr. Lewis Woolman, of 

Philadelphia, 1 who has carefully studied the records and has correlated 

the waters with water horizons in New Jersey. The very important 

data for the wells at Middletown and Farnhurst were furnished by Mr. 

J. H. K. Shannahan, of Easton, the borer, and the information regarding the wells in Wilmington was given by their owners. The general 

structural relations of all these wells are shown in section 1, PI. VI.

Mlddletown, Newcastle County. The well recently sunk at this place 

has proved to be a great success. Its depth is 535 feet and it furnishes 

240 gallons a minute. A somewhat larger amount was obtained on a 

special trial with a more powerful pump. The following partial record 

was furnished by the driller:

Feet.

0-76...... sand with streaks of gravel and ironstone; water.

76-96......hard green clay with black, rounded sand grains in some beds.

425-475...... tough red clay.

475-497.... ..fine white sand yielding 40 gallons of water per minute.

497-516......red clay.

516-535...... fine sand filled with large supply of water.

535-537.... ..white clay.

537-552...... sand with large supply of water.

552...... pretty hard rock.

The boring was begun on the middle marl bed, but as no record was 

saved of the beds from 96 to 425 feet, the well furnishes no new 

light on the thickness of the various members of the marl series. It is 

probable that the rock at 552 is " granite" or bed rock, as suggested in 

section 1, PI. VI, and if this is the case the waters are in basal sands 

of the Potomac formation. These sands are reported to have a thickness 

of 36 feet and to include a 2-foot bed of white clay near their middle, 

which divides the water into two horizons.

1 Peport of geologist qf New Jersey for \89lt p.. 227 j for 1893, pp. 401-404,
DABTON.] DELAWARE. .

Farnkurst, Newcastle County. This well draws its waters from coarse 

gravel and sand at a depth of 165 feet, but additional supplies are also 

obtained at 55 to 63 feet and at 40 feet. The following partial record 

was furnished:

Feet.

85......yellow clay.

95...... mottled red clay.

99...... thin bed of ironstone with some gravel below.

99-140......red clay.

165...... coarse sand with pebbles up to one-half inch in diameter.

211......bed rock.

The boring was entirely in the Potomac formation, and the water at 

165 feet is in the basal member.

Dover.1 A 12-inch well for the Dover waterworks was bored in 1893 

to a depth of 196 feet. The water rises to about 12 feet above tide 

level, or 6 feet above the surface, and the natural flow is 35| gallons a 

minute; 218 gallons per minute have been pumped from it. A 4-inch 

well previously bored found water at 157 feet, but this horizon was cased 

off in the later well. The two horizons are thought by Mr. Wool man 

to represent the 720-foot and 760-foot horizons at Atlantic City, and it 

is predicted that the 60-foot bed of coarse, water-bearing sands of the 

800-foot horizon at Atlantic City and Ocean City would be found at 

Dover at about 50 to 75 feet below the bottom of the 196-foot well, but 

from the structural evidence presented in section 1, PI. VI, a higher 

horizon is indicated.

The record of the Dover well is as follows:

Feet.

0-7...... yellow gravel.

11...... deep orange-colored sand and clay.

26...... medium orange-colored sand; coarse.

42...... light orange-colored sand; finer.

54. i.... sandy clay, with a few marine diatoms.

62...... sand and marly clay.

71......sand.

83...... brownish clay and sand, with marine diatoms.

90......sand arid comminuted shell, with marine diatoms and sponge

spicules. 

94...... sand.

100...... sand and broken shell.

109...... "marl."

117...... micaceous marly sand; some reddish sand grains.

120......sand, with bad water; comminuted shells, diatoms, and coccoliths. 

128...... sandy clay, with diatoms. 

147...... clay, with diatoms.

150...... sand, shell, and diatoms.

155...... clay, with a few diatoms.

157.... ..sand, with good water.

157-167...... clay, with pyrite-covered diatoms.

167-196...... dark sand, some grains large as peas; .good water.

i Report of geologist of New Jersey for 1893,.pp. 402-403,
122 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BOLL. 138.

Clayton, Kent County. Water is obtained here in large supply from 

wells to 35, 60, and 85 feet in the Chesapeake formation, probably at 

the same horizon as at Dover and Mahon Eiver. The diatom bed below 

was penetrated to a depth of 150 feet in a trial boring, which was abandoned at that depth.

Milford, Kent County. Three 6-inch wells were bored at this place in 

1891, near tide level. One at 160 feet furnishes 4,000 gallons an hour, 

and the water rises 2 feet above the surface; another furnishes the 

same amount from 150 feet, with slightly greater pressure; and the 

third furnishes 3,000 gallons an hour from a depth of 34 feet. The 

record given by Mr. Wbolman is as follows: :

Feet. 

0-11.... ..gravel.

11-25...... blue-gray gravel.

25-44...... fine gray sand, "with water at 34 feet, which rises to the surface.

44-60...... blue-gray clay.

60-68......fine gray sand, with wood fragments at 65 feet.

68-73......blue clay..

73-90......fine gray sand, with gravel and shells.at 85 feet.

90-118...... fine gray sand, containing shells.

118-121......blue clay.

121-137...... fine gray sand.

137-140...... greenish clay.

140-160...... fine blue-gray sand.

Area, Astarte, Natica, and two forms of Turritella were recognized 

by Mr. Woolman among the shell fragments. The water horizon is 

thought to be somewhat above the 300-foot diatomaceous clay bed.

Mahon River, Kent County. This well was sunk in 1893. It is on the 

meadow at the landing just north of Mahon Eiver light and 6 miles 

east of Dover. The following record is given:

Feet. 

0-35...... blue marl and mud;

35-75...... blue sand and mud.

75-110...... blue sand.

110-113...... hard blue sand rock.

113-148...... blue sand and chalk.

148-154...... fine white hard sand.

154-193.... ..white-sand mixed with a substance resembling magnesia.

193-198......very fine white sand mixed with fine black sand.

198-206......coarse white sand mixed with gravel, and yielding an abundance of cool, fresh water.

The water horizon appears to be the same as that at Dover at 196 

feet,

Kitts Hummock, Kent County. This well is 7 miles south of the 

Mahon Eiver well. It is 110 feet in depth, has a diameter of 1£ inches, 

and the water rises to within 2£ feet of the surface. The water is from 

a coarse gravel which appears to be in the great Chesapeake diatom 

bed, possibly at the 525-foot horizon at Atlantic City.

1 Report of geologist of New Jersey for 1891, pp. 227-229.
US. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN N?I38 PL.VI.

1 SECTION 1.

Horizontal Scale.

5 10 2O MILES.

SECTIONS, MARYLAND AND DELAWARE.
DARTON.] ' DELAWARE. 123

Lewes, Sussex County. This well was bored in 1892 at the quarantine station, at an elevation of about 7 feet. Its bore is 6 inches and 

its depth 400 feet. The water rises to about the surface. In one day 

22,000 gallons were pumped, lowering the water level 55 feet, but it 

soon rose again when the pump was stopped. The following record is 

given:

Feet. 

0-90...... ordinary beach sand.

90-100.... ..yellowish gravel, medium coarse.

100-300.... ..gray sands and sandy clays, with a fragment of cedar at 200

feet. 

300-330......blue tenacious clay, mixed with about 30 per cent of pebbles.

330-392...... similar blue clay and alternations of sand.

392-400..... .sand and water lying on rock.

The beds are Chesapeake below the yellowish gravel, and are thought 

to be above the great diatomaceous bed.1 It is probable that the horizon is the same as that at Milford at 150 and 160 feet, as suggested in 

section 1, PI. VI.

Wilminyton. The deep wells in Wilmingtqii are bored in the crystalline rocks, and the water supplies appear to be satisfactory.

WATER HORIZONS IN DELAWARE.

As relatively few deep wells have been bored in Delaware, the water 

horizons have not been fully explored over a very wide area. The well 

at Middletown has obtained a fine supply of water from the Potomac 

formation, apparently in the basal beds, and it is probable that this 

water sheet will be found to extend from Wilmington past Middletown 

far to the. southward. At Farnhurst it yields a moderate supply. The 

dip of the horizon to the south-southeast is about 30 feet to the mile, 

which carries it from the tide level at Wilmington to a depth of 165 feet 

at Farnhurst and 535 feet at Middletown. Water horizons above the 

lower beds of the Potomac formation and in the Matawan, Eedbank, 

and Lower Marl that occur in New Jersey were not reported in the 

Middletown well, which probably indicates that these waters do not 

extend into Delaware. The principal Chesapeake horizons appear to 

be represented in Delaware, although the evidence in regard to their 

correlation is not conclusive. The basal Chesapeake water, so important in Maryland, has not been reached by the wells. The water from 

sands in the great diatom bed (the 523-foot horizon at Atlantic City) 

probably supplies the Dover and Mahon Biver wells with their large 

yields, while Milford and Lewes apparently obtain their waters from 

just above the diatom bed. As the Kitts Hummock well draws from a 

bed about 125 feet above the Dover and Mahon waters, its horizon can 

not be definitely correlated with any of those at Atlantic City. The 

Ocean City well in Maryland is a high Chesapeake horizon which probably extends into the southern edge of Delaware, but no wells have yet 

been sunk to it in that State.

'Woolman, report of geologist of New Jersey for 1893, p. 404.
124 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

WELL PROSPECTS IN DELAWARE.

From the evidence of wells now yielding water supplies, it appears 

probable that the entire Coastal Plain area of Delaware is underlain by 

waters, and in the map, PI. Y, it is so represented. About Middletown 

and northward the Potoinac waters are to be expected at depths which 

decrease at the rate of 30 feet per mile nearly to Wilmington, where the 

Potomac beds come to the surface. These waters may extend down the 

dip south from Middletown for many miles, but as no wells have been 

bored to them in that direction no positive prediction can now be made. 

At Dover they should be expected at about 1,000 feet below the surface, 

of the dip continues south at a uniform rate.

The Chesapeake waters begin a couple of miles north of Clayton and 

extend to the southern border of the State. The basal Chesapeake 

waters, which are important sources of supply in Maryland and southward, have not been tested by any wells in Delaware, but I should 

expect them to extend over a wide area. The Clayton boring to 150 

feet nearly reached this horizon, and it lies about 450 feet below the 

surface at Dover. The Dover waters no doubt are widespread, for they 

are probably the same as those found at 234 feet at Federalsburg. The 

water horizon which appears to extend from Milford to Lewes probably 

also underlies all of eastern Sussex County, but it is not reported in 

any of the Maryland wells. In both Kent and Sussex counties there 

are almost certain prospects for Chesapeake waters at one horizon or 

another within 500 feet of the surface. The sections 1 and 2, PL YI, 

show the conditions so far as there are any data to present concerning 

them.

MARYLAKD.

GEOLOGIC RELATIONS.

The Coastal Plain region in Eastern Maryland presents the usual 

general structural relations, but certain local features are conspicuous. 

The Earitan formation merges down into the Potomac formation; the 

upper marl of the marine Cretaceous thins and changes to more clayey 

beds, and only the middle and lower members continue southward, 

where they have been designated the Severn formation; thePamunkey 

greensand marls come in, and the plateau areas capped by the Lafayette formation become characteristic features. The general structural 

relations are shown in sections 2 and 3, PI. YII. The" formations are 

as follows:

Formation. Characteristics. Age.

6 . \

 +* <D I

.2 fl < Columbia. Loams, sands, and gravels on terraces. s tt l 

 e f Lafayette. Gravels, sands, and loams. Pliocene? 

£ <o I Chesapeake. Sands, clays, infusorial earth, and marl. Miocene.
DARTON.] MARYLAND. 125

Formation. Characteristics. Age.

. <o f .S g < Painunkey. Glauconitic marls and sands. Eocene.

^ ^ f Severn. Black argillaceous, carbonaceous sands. Cretaceous.

"WON Magothy. White sands and brown sandstones. Cretaceous.

O § I Potomac. Clay, sands, and gravels. Early Cretaceous.

THE POTOMAC FORMATION.

This, the great basal member of the Coastal Plain series, lies directly 

on the floor of crystalline rocks. In Maryland it consists mainly of 

clay with interbedded fine sands, but it also contains beds of waterbearing coarse sands-and gravels, especially toward its base and lying 

on the crystalline rocks. Some features and relations of these basal 

' beds are shown in PI. IX. The thickness of the formation is about 600 

feet east of Washington and of Baltimore. Its thickness and components out under the later Cretaceous and Tertiary deposits are not 

known, for it does not appear to have been pierced by any of the eastern wells. The gravels and sands of the Potomac formation, notably 

those lying on or near the surface of the crystalline rocks, contain a 

large supply of water, and a number of wells in and near Baltimore 

and Washington draw from this horizon. I have great confidence in 

the extension of this water stratum eastward, but it has been explored 

by wells in only a relatively narrow belt.

MAGOTHY FORMATION.

This is a thin series of coarse white sands with sandstone streaks 

which overlie the Potomac formation in eastern Maryland. It is a 

water bearer. In PI. X are exhibited its relations to the Severn formation.

SEVERN FORMATION.

This overlies the Magothy formation in Maryland. It is the southern 

extension of the middle and lower beds of the great greensanct marl 

series of New Jersey, and terminates at the surface near Washington. 

D. C. It consists of dark, carbonaceous, sandy clay below, merging 

into fine gray and brown sands above. The thickness in Maryland is 

150 feet on the eastern shore, 80 feet near Annapolis, and-from 3 to 8 feet 

east of Washington. The formation does not appear to be a water 

bearer in Maryland.

PAMUNKEY FORMATION.

This overlies the Severn deposits in Maryland. It outcrops in a considerable area southeast of Baltimore and east of Washington. It 

consists mainly of glauconitic sands and marls, which are in greater 

part fine grained. It usually contains less water than the Chesapeake 

sands, but it furnishes a moderate supply to certain wells. The formation, which attains a thickness of about 150 feet in surface outcrops, 

appears to thicken gradually to the east and south, but its precise thick: 

ness in those directions is not known. Some of'. its relations are shown 

in the two lower sections of PI, YII.
126 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC, COAST. [BULL. 138.

CHESAPEAKE FORMATION.

This is a conspicuous member of the Coastal Plain series iii Maryland, 

although it is overlain in greater part by thin sheets of Columbia or 

Lafayette deposits. Its western edge extends to the crystalline rocks 

at a few points, and the formation thickens rapidly eastward to over 

1,000 feet at the coast line. It consists of a series of beds of sand and 

clay which dip gently eastward at a rate of about 15 feet per mile in 

Maryland and Delaware. These beds rise to the surface in succession 

on the dip, and outcrop diagonally across the Coastal Plain with a 

northeast-southwest strike. Clays predominate, and the sands are in 

greater part of impalpably fine grain. The lower clay members contain a large proportion of diatom remains, and this diatomaceous series 

is a characteristic member of the formation over nearly its entire area. 

Interbedded with the clay and fine sands there are, at various horizons, beds of coarser water-bearing sands, some of which underlie wide 

areas and contain much water. At the base of the Chesapeake formation there usually are gravelly sands, of greater or less thickness, underlying the diatomaceous clays. These basal beds are generally water 

bearing.

LAFAYETTE FORMATION.

This is a thin sheet of gravels and loams which covers the plateau 

region of the "ridges" of the southern counties of the Western shore. 

It has been widely removed north of the latitude of Washington and 

from the area of the Eastern shore. It generally has water-bearing 

gravels at its base, and this water supplies all the shallow wells in the 

higher lands of St. Mary, Calvert, Charles, and southern Prince George 

counties. The water, however, is similar to that of the Columbia 

formation in being subject to surface contamination.

. COLUMBIA FORMATION.

This occupies terraces along the tidal estuaries and the entire area 

of the region east of the Chesapeake Bay which is known as the 

"Eastern Shore." It is in greater part a thin sheet of loam merging 

downward into a gravel bed, and its total thickness rarely exceeds 25 

feet. The basal gravel contains water in moderate amount, and is the 

general source of supply for dug wells in the lower lands of the region. 

The water is usually of good quality, but in thickly settled districts 

and where surface drainage is defective it is subject to contamination. 

It is probable, also, that it is not sufficiently protected from surface 

water ever to be free from malarial germs.

WELLS IN MARYLAND.

Except in Baltimore, where there are many wells, the wells in Maryland are relatively few in number and mainly in widely scattered 

groups. They have been generally successful in obtaining large water
CARTON.] MARYLAND. 127

supplies, although in some instances the quality of the water has not 

been satisfactory. In these instances I find fchat purer waters could 

probably be obtained from greater depths, for nearly every portion of 

the Coastal Plain region in the State is underlain by several horizons 

of water, and usually only the one nearest the surface has been drawn on.

Data for wells in Maryland have been obtained largely from Mr. J. 

H. K. Shannahan, of Easton, who has sunk many of the wells. Mr. 

L. Eude, of Sharps Wharf, Va., has sunk wells in St. Mary and Calvert 

counties and supplied the information regarding them. Data for the 

Baltimore wells have been obtained mainly by personal canvass, and 

my information regarding them has been derived from many persons.

The locations of wells in Maryland are shown on PI. V, and some of 

the relations are shown in sections 2 and 3 of PI. Yl and section 1 

of PI. XII. The following is a list of the wells, excepting those in 

Baltimore, which are given on page 137:

List of deep icells in Maryland.

Locality.

Agricultural Collego.

Cambridge, 6 wells .

Chapel Point ...... 

Claiborne, 1 well. . . 

Claiborne, 3 wells. . 

Cornfield Harbor, 

at wharf.

Do.............

Crisneld, Ice Co ... 

Do.............

Do.............

Easton, 6 wells ....

Easton, Barber 

well. 

Easton, south of 

waterworks. 

Federalsburg ......

Le Compt's store . .

Depth.

Feet. 

150

201 

470

384 

287 

370

237 

440 

100 

360

240 

370 

1,018 

1,033 

1,090 

359 

98-102

366 

600

234 

463J 

148*

358

Diameter.

Inches. 

4

6-4J

2 

8-3

3 

6

1J

3

6 

3 

4

3

3 

6

a +, feet a

Capacity 

per minute.

Gallons. 

5

20 

None.

Flow 250 to 

160 each.

Many. 

Many.

200, flows 40 

Flows 130

30 

75 each.

None. 

None.

Flows 20 

11 J 

10 

4 

bove surface;

Height 

to which 

water 

rises. a

Feet.

Flows. 

-20

+15

 6 

 10 

 5.

+ 7

 4 

+10

+16 

+10 

-80

-, feet be

Horizon.

Basal Potomac....

Mid-Potoinac .....

In Potomac. ...... 

Lo w in Pam unkey . 

Basal Chesapeake.

Basal Pamunkey . .

InPamunkey..... 

Basal Chesapeake.

Basal Chasapeake. 

>Magothy .........

Low in Chesapeake. 

Into Pamunkey. . .

Low in Severn ? . . . 

In Chesapeake. . . .

Basal Potoraac.... 

Basal Chesapeake, 

ovv surface.

Remarks.

Ferruginous water.

SulphuroiiSjirony 

water. 

Unfinished.

Alk. water at 380.

Unfin. June, 1895.

No water below 

100 feet.
128 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

List of deep ivells in Maryland Continued.

Locality.

Miles Eiver Neck 

"Anchorage." 

Miles Eiver Neck, 

Long Point. 

Miles Eiver (see 

Tunis Mills).

ing).

B. & 0. R. R.

ent.

County. 

St. George Island, 

25 wells. 

St. Iiiigoes, 10 wells .

Solomons Island, 

2 wells. 

Do.............

Do.............

Sotterly ...........

wells. 

Tunis Mills, on 

Miles Eiver Neck.

Depth.

Feet. 

300

222

265 

195

175

305

256

152

270

240

254

270

300 

305

101

18-75

252 

258

OKfj

400

430

Diameter.

Inches. 

11

6

3 

3

H

6

6

11

1*

H 

1*

6

6

H

1*

4

2i

Capacity 

per minute.

Gallons.

25

15 

5

T?l/vwna 1

20

5?

2-5 each.

2 each. 

1

Mows 350

200 in all.

150 each.

10

Flows 6 and 

pumps 100

Height 

to which 

water 

rises. a

Feet. 

+20

+13

To surface. 

To surface.

+24

+ 6

J-19

_l Q

'+24

+12

+12 

34

 2

+ 4

-L 9

+ 2

Horizon.

In Pamunkey. .... 

Basal Chesapeake .

peake.

.....do ............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do ............ 

.....do ............

peake.

Basal Chesapeake. 

.....do .............

.....do..-......--.

.....do............

....do.......'.....

Remarks.

feet. 

Water at 215 feet.

factory.

Stronglyalkaline.

a +, feet above surface; , feet helow surface. 

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES ON WELLS.

Crisfield, Somerset County. This place is in the southern corner of 

the Eastern Shore. Two deep wells have been sunk to 1,018 and 1,033 

feet, and a third is now in progress, which had reached a depth of 1,090 

feet on June 15, 1895. The principal water supply now utilized is at 

1,018-1,033 feet, from which the flow was 130 gallons a minute and the 

water pressure 20 pounds to the square inch. The wells throw most 

important light on the geology and water prospects of the region, and 

fortunately, through the kindness of J. H. Buxton, former president of 

the water company at Orisfield, I was supplied with samples of borings at frequent intervals down to the depth of 950 feet. Some deeper
DARTON.] MARYLAND. 129

samples were subsequently obtained down to the depth of 1,052 feet. 

The principal features in the record are as follows:

Feet. 

0-13.... ..sands and loams with gravels at base.

13-100.... ..buff and gray sandy clays with shell fragments.

100-110.... ..dark-gray sandy clay; few shell fragments and small

pebbles. 

120.... ..gray clay.

130...... gray clay; many shells.

135...... clay, light greenish gray.

140...... clay; shells and siliceous concretions.

147...... sand, very fine grained; greenish gray; glauconitic.

150.... ..tough clay, light greenish gray.

160.... ..sandy clay, greenish gray.

170...... clay, lead gray.

177.... ..glauconitic sands, loose, greenish; shell fragments.

185...... glauconitic sands, loose, greenish; fragments of Perna.

190......glauconitic sands, moderately coarse; shells.

230......shells in sand.

235...... sand, dark greenish gray; shell fragments.

240...... argillaceous sand, gray.

240-268......clay, greenish gray; with siliceous concretions and lignite

fragments. 

268-270...... siliceous concretion.

280...... clay, dark gray.

285...... clay, tough, greenish gray; shells.

290...... clay, light greenish, with siliceous concretions.

310......clay, dark olive; lignite, ferruginous crusts, and shell

fragments.

340...... clay, light greenish.

345...... sand with shell fragments.

350-360......argillaceous sand, light green, with fragments of Pecten

madisonius.

370......fine sand, greenish gray; fragments of Pecten jeffersonius.

380-385...... clay, greenish gray; sandy below.

390-420...... sand, light greenish gray, moderately fine.

420-430...... clay, light greenish gray.

460......clay, very sandy, light greenish gray; shell fragments.

465...... sand, very fine, dark greenish gray, micaceous.

466-467......sandy clay, dark greenish gray.

469...... clay, dark greenish gray; shell fragments.

473-480...... clay, sandy, greenish gray, lighter below.

485...... clay, bright greenish gray.

490...... sand, fine, greenish gray.

495-510...... clay, light greenish.

515...... clay, very light greenish tint; very diatoinaceous.

520-530...... similar to 495-510.

535......clay, light greenish; diatomaceous.

545...... clay, dark gray.

555...... clay, greenish gray; diatomaceous.

565...... sand, argillaceous; shell fragments, Turritella plebia.

575...... sandy clay, greenish gray.

585-595...... clay, brownish gray.

600-605...... clay, light gray; diatomaceous; Anomia.

610...... sand, fine, greenish gray; shell fragments; glauconite.

Bull. 138 9
130 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

, Fee..

620...... Band, fine, greenish gray.

630...... clay, sandy; shell fragments.

640-650...... clay, light gray; diatomaceous.

660...... clay, light brownish gray; diatomaceous; Anomia.

670...... clay, very sandy, dark greenish gray.

675-690...... clay, light greenish gray; diatomaceous.

700...... clay, gray, sandy.

710...... clay, light gray; diatomaceous.

720...... sand, fine, greenish gray; large glauconite grains.

740...... diatomaceous clay, dark buff. \

750...... diatomaceous clay, light gray.

760...... diatomaceous clay, darker.

770...... sand, fine, greenish gray; some glauconite.

771-775...... rock, with large grains of glauconite.

' 780-850......argillaceous sand, dark olive green, with large proportion

of glauconite; coarser grained at 820; finer at 800; few 

small quartz pebbles and a shell fragment (oyster) at 810. 

855-950...... clay, very light greenish gray; shell (sp ?) at 932.

955.......clay, slightly micaceous.

960...... clay, more sandy, more micaceous.

961-963...... clay, brownish gray, sandy, micaceous, with plant fragments of Severn aspect. 

965...... sand, fine, gray, some mica.

970...... clay, black, with pyrite fragments.

971-972...... clay, very compact, light gray.

974-1, 005...... sand, fine, micaceous, coarser below; lignite at 990.

1,005-1,015.... ..clay, brownish gray, tough.

1,015-1, 025...... sand, fine, gray.

1,025...... sand, moderately fine,, gray, micaceous.

1,033-1,040...... clay, bluish gray, with reddish streaks.

1, 042-1, 052...... sand, moderately coarse, gray, with some mica; water.

1,05~'-1, 064...... clay and sands, gray, sandy, with reddish streaks.

1, 064...... clay, light gray, very compact.

The upper members in this record are typical Chesapeake deposits, 

but the lower members are not clearly identified. Dr. Wm. H. Dall 

examined the shell fragments, and states that from 60 to 230 feet the 

St. Mary's fauna of the Chesapeake formation is well characterized. 

The diatomaceous beds begin at about 380 feet below the surface and 

extend to 760 feet. The rock at 771-775 feet appears to be at the base 

of the Chesapeake formation, as it occurs in wells and outcrops to the 

north and west, and the highly glaucouitic sands or marls below are 

probably Pamunkey in age. The shell at 932 feet was a worn fragment 

of which the species could not be determined by Mr. T. W. Stantou, 

who kindly studied it for me. I received a large mass of clay from 

961 to 963 feet, brought up in the valve space of the sand bucket, and 

as it showed fragments of plant remains I requested Mr. L. F. Ward, of 

the Geological Survey, to examine it. He found the organic materials 

too fragmentary for identification, and could give no opinion as to its 

age. From the aspect of the clay I am strongly inclined to refer it to 

the Severn formation, of which also the black pyritiferous clay at 970 

feet would be quite characteristic. The water-bearing sands which 

extend from 974 to 1,033 feet are thought to be the Magothy formation.
DARTON.J MARYLAND. 131

The sands and clays below would then be of Potomac age. It is greatly 

to be regretted that the evidence is not more definite in regard to the 

formations in this well.1

A chemical analysis of the water from a depth of 957 feet, by H. J. 

Patterson, is as follows:

Analysis of water from artesian well at Crisfield, Md,

Silica........................................................

Oxide of iron and alumina...................................

Calcium carbonate...........................................

Magnesium sulphate.................. ......................

Sodium and potassium, carbonates, chlorides, and sulphates. 

Total chlorine...............................................

Total sulphuric acid as ^3 ..................................

Nitrogen in ammonia compounds..................... v .....

Nitrogen in albuminoid compounds..........................

Oxygen-consuming power...................................

Eeaction, alkaline (100 c. c. = 18.8 c. c. & H2S04 ) ............

Total solids at 100° C........................................

Parts per 

million.

6.00

.1.50 

10.50

5.50

1, 434. 00

97.40

70.00

0.20 

Trace.

1.00

1,457.5

Salisbury, Wicomico County. The water supply for this place is 

derived from a gang of 15 driven 6-inch wells to depths of from 18 to 75 

feet. They yield in all about 200 gallons a minute.

A deeper boring was made to 101 feet for lower waters, but the result 

was not satisfactory, because the water was strongly impregnated with 

mineral matters. The following analyses are given of the water from 

this well and of the water from the shallower wells which afford the 

present supply. The analyses were made at the Maryland Agricultural College:

Partial analysis of waters from wells at Salisbury, Md.

Parts per million.

City supply.

171. 0000 

126. 0000 

.0074 

8. 4000 

.0092 

24. 0000

101-foot 

well.

88. 000 

65. 000 

.045 

.000 

.029 

5.000 

7.000

1 Mr. L. Woolman has recently published some additional data regarding the diatoms and other organic remains from the Crisfield wells in New Jersey report for 1894, 

pp. 181-189, PL VII. He states that from 930 to 933 feet there is a glauconitic bed 

containing a Nodosaria identical with the form occurring in strata immediately over 

the Middle Marl (Middle Cretaceous or Severn) of New Jersey.
132 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL.m

The 101-foot well flowed about 300 gallons a minute, but carried 

much fine sand. The following condensed record is given:

Feet. 

1-65...... sand and gravel.

65-86.. ....sticky blue clay. 

86-101...... fine, water-bearing sand.

Cambridge, Dorchester County. This place is on Choptank Biver, 

about 40 miles north-northeast of Crisfteld. There are six flowing 

wells reaching a depth of 366 feet and furnishing a large supply of 

water of excellent quality. The water occurs in sands underlying 100 

feet of the diatomaceous clays of the Chesapeake formation, and probably near or at the base of this formation. Bock strata are reported 

from 75-82 and from 342-344 feet, and one 22 inches thick occurs at 

366 feet, just above the water-bearing sand. Sixteen feet of sands 

above this 22-inch rock stratum are reported to also contain a water 

supply. At Le Compt's store, 6 miles west of Cambridge, water is 

obtained from the Cambridge horizon at a depth of 358 feet;

Federalsburg, Caroline County. This place is 20 miles northeast of 

Cambridge, in the central-southern portion of the Eastern shore and 

only 14 feet above tide level. The well is 234 feet deep and the water 

rises to 30 feet above tide level. From an outlet at 15 feet above tide 

it flows 600 gallons an hour. The water-bearing stratum is a loose sand, 

containing glauconitic grains, and overlain by clays. I have not been 

able to obtain the record. The horizon is well within the Chesapeake 

formation and is probably the same as that at Lewes and Milford, Del.

Denton, Caroline County. This place is 15 miles north-northwest of 

Federalsburg and near tide level. The well is 358 feet deep, through 

green clay containing shells. The water is of excellent quality and in 

fair supply. Judging from the statement of the driller, the well is in 

green clay all the way down to water, and if this is the case the water 

horizon is probably at the base of the Chesapeake formation, or the 

same as that at Cambridge and vicinity and in St. Mary and Calvert 

counties. This would indicate an inclination of the beds of 15 feet per 

mile in this region.

Claiborne, Talbot County. This well is on the bay shore, on the western side of the peninsula, nearly opposite Annapolis. The depth is 

440 feet, and the water is good and in considerable quantity. The boring is in clay, with black sand grains, from 120 to 380 feet, then " coral 

rock" for 40 feet, with plenty of strongly alkaline water (16 grains to 

the gallon); then 10 feet of sand and a crust of sand rock, under which 

the water occurs. The horizon is probably in the Magothy formation, 

as at Crisfield. I have not seen the borings. The three wells to 100 

feet appear to be in the upper beds of the Pamunkey formation, but 

may obtain their irony water from the basal Chesapeake beds.

Ocean City, Worcester County. This is a resort on the Atlantic coast 

of Maryland a few miles south of the Delaware line. Its well, 256 feet 

deep, passes through green clays to a sand which yields 130 gallons
DABTON.] MARYLAND. 133

per minute of good water. This sand is high in the Chesapeake 

formation, and probably comes to the surface east of the other wells in 

Maryland and Delaware.

Uaston, Talbot County. There are six 4-inch wells at Easton, reaching a depth of from 98 to 102 feet, which yield about half a million gallons a day. The horizon is about the same as at Federalsburg. A 

stratum of rock is reported at 97 feet in these wells. A boring 366 feet 

deep near Easton is reported to have passed through a rock stratum at 

220 feet, which is undoubtedly the rock at the base of the Chesapeake 

formation, with which water-bearing beds are associated at Cambridge, 

Denton, and on the Western shore. In another deep-test boring, made 

some time ago just south of the water company's wells, a depth of 

600 feet was attained, but no water was found below 100 feet. The 

well ended in a mixture of bowlders and clay with ironstone streaks, 

probably not far above the horizon which yields water at Claiborne 

and Crisfield.

Miles River Neck, Talbot County. One well on the Shipley property, 

"The Anchorage," near the bridge, found water at 265 feet. The supply is 15 gallons a minute and the water rises to the surface. The 

driller reports hard rock strata at 140 and 223 feet, the latter being a foot 

thick and probably indicating the base of the Chesapeake formation. 

Another well is about a mile due west, at Long Point, on Miles Eiver. 

Its depth is 195 feet and the water-bearing sand lies on a rock stratum, 

which is probably at the base of the Chesapeake formation. The water 

rises to the surface at the rate of about 5 gallons a minute.

There is a well' at Tunis Mills which is 430 feet deep. The water 

supply is large, but the water is strongly alkaline. It is in sand which 

overlies a "coral rock" similar to that reported in the well at Claiborne. 

The horizon is apparently in the Pamunkey formation, and the well is 

the only one of which I have heard on the eastern shore which has 

found water in these beds.

Centerville, Queen Anne County. An attempt to bore a well was made 

at this place many years ago, but for some reason it was not a success. 

Nothing was learned as to its depth or record.

Bay Ridge, Anne Arundel County. The well at this place was sunk 

to 470 feet to a gravel bed which yields sulphurous and ferruginous 

water at the rate of about 20 gallons a minute.

Hawlfins Point, Anne Arundel County. A well bored in 1895 has the 

following record:

Feet. 

0-60......j>ink clay.

60-100...... pink sandy clay.

100-120...... fine buff sand.

120...... white and buff mottled clay.

136...... white and buff mottled clay.

137......water in bed of sand between clay beds.

Bowie, Prince George County. At Bowie Station, 18 miles northeast of Washington, a well is in process of boring for the Philadelphia,
134 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BOLL. 138.

Wilmington and Baltimore Eailroad Company, and I have received 

samples of the borings through the courtesy of Mr. E. T. Brooks, 

superintendent. They are as follows:

Feet.

114.......sand, light brownish-gray, fine.

120...... clay, buff and yellow, mottled.

135......clay, buff, with white streakings.

140...... clay, light buffish gray.

165...... sandy clay, pink and buff variegated and ocher-yellow.

. 202......sand, fine, loose, buff-gray.

215......clay, bright pink, with white streakings, and layer of brown

sandstone.

233...... sand, fine gray, with few buff grains.

265...... sand, pink-brown, moderately fine.

280...... sand, light gray-brown.

300...... clay, rich brown-pink tint.

314...... clay, light pinkish-buff.

333......sand, coarse gray, with some pink and yellow grains.

335-345......sandstone, red-brown, with fragment of lignite.

345-355...... sand, very fine, light reddish-brown.

35,5-384......sand, very fine, buff, containing a large pebble of quartz.

This boring is in the Potomac formation, and probably to within 

about 150 to 200 feet from the basal beds, where it is expected that 

abundant water will be found.

Maflboro, Prince George County. The Marlboro well has a depth of 

222 feet, and yields a flow of excellent water, apparently from the 

Magothy formation. The water is stated to rise 13 feet above the surface, which is elevated about 30 feet above tide-water level. At a 

depth 3 feet below the surface the well supplies 25 gallons per minute. 

The following record is based upon statements and samples furnished 

by Mr. E,. A. Baker, the well driller:

Feet.

0-185...... green sand marl with Pamunkey fossils.

185-190...... hard rock strata.

190-215...... gray micaceous clays, with Severn fossils at a depth not pre"

cisely indicated. 

215-222...... white, water-bearing sand, with fragments of lignite and silicified coarse sand.

Indian Head. At the naval proving grounds a well was sunk which 

yields a moderate but satisfactory water supply. It is near the 

Potomac River, at an altitude of about 100 feet above low-water level. 

Its depth is 463£ feet, and is cased with 459.1 feet of 6-inch iron pipe. 

The water rises to' about 10 feet above low-tide level, and has to be 

pumped to the surface of the terrace. Its yield is 11.68 gallons per 

minute. These facts and the following record and analysis were furnished by the Bureau of Ordnance, Department of the Navy:

Feet. 

0-15...... soil, with light sand.

15-18...... cobblestone and clay.

18-22...... red clay and gravel.

22-27...... sand and gravel.
DAHTON.] MARYLAND. 135

Feet.

27-34...... red clay, with water.

34-42.......dark marl.

42-54..... .red clay and sand mixed.

54-72...... hard, tough, sandy clay.

72-87...... red, tough clay.

87-95...... hard, sandy clay.

95-110...... red, hard clay.

110-112......rock.

112-122...... hard, sandy clay.

122-] 25...... very dark, sandy clay.

125-134...... dark clay and sand.

134-142...... mixed red sand and clay.

142-160...... dark, sandy clay.

160-170......blue, hard, sandy clay.

170-220...... gray sand and clay.

220-230...... dark-blue sand and sandy clay.

230-260...... hard clay and sand.

260-285...... very fine, gray, sandy clay, with little gravel.

285-302...... light-gray, sandy clay.

302-313...... clay and sand.

313-328...... gray, sandy clay.

328-340...... clay and sand.

340-346...... clay and sand, 'with little dark-red gravel.

346-353...... sand, mixed with red clay.

353-358......part red and part gray clay.

358-360......soft rock.

360-365......red clay.

365-368...... hard, red beds.

368-376...... hard, red beds, with blue intercalations

376-387...... blue and red beds.

387-392...... blue beds and sand.

392-400...... clay, mixed with sand.

400-409..... .sandy clay and rock.

409-424...... gray rock.

424-435...... mixed sand and sandy clay.

435-442...... ?

442-445...... blue, sandy clay and sand.

445-456...... sandy clay and sand.

456-463.5.... hard sand, with gravel.

The upper beds are earlier Columbia and Pamunkey formation. The 

Potomac formation was entered at about 42 feet and the boring stopped 

in the lower portion of the formation. The basal beds lie about 150 

feet deeper and probably would have aiforded a larger water supply. 

An analysis of the water by Joseph Westerson, dated December 24, 

1895, gave 23.8 grains per gallon of solid matter, consisting exclusively 

of chloride of sodium. Free ammonia was reported as 0.008 milligram 

per liter, and albuminoid ammonia as 0.09 milligram per liter.

Laurel, Prince George County. A well on the farm of Mrs. J. D. 

Taylor, 3 miles southeast of Laurel, was recently bored to a depth of 

148£ feet. It pumps 10 gallons per minute, but appears to be capable 

of yielding a much larger supply. The water was found in sand and 

gravel underlying 147 feet of red clay. It rises to within 80 feet of 

the surface.
136 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Solomons Island, Calvert County. There are.four flowing wells on 

this island, and another at Eousby on the mainland just north. They 

average about 250 feet in depth and furnish good supplies of excellent 

water. The water horizon is the basal Chesapeake beds, the same as 

in the St. Mary County wells, and at Denton and Cambridge on the 

Eastern shore.

St. Mary County. The wells at Leonardtown, Piney Point, St. George 

Island, and about St. Inigoes are all sunk to the basal Chesapeake 

horizon, which furnishes water in the group of wells across the river 

in Virginia. The relations of all these wells are shown in section 1, 

PI. XII.

Chapel Point, Charles County. This place is oh Port Tobacco River, 

near its mouth. The well is 237 feet deep, and is said to have a large 

water supply which rises to near the surface. The record, unfortunately, could not be obtained. It is probable that the water horizon is 

at the base of the Pamunkey formation, or the same as in the deeper 

wells at Colonial Beach, across in Virginia.

THE BALTIMORE .REGION. 

GEOLOGY OF BALTIMORE.

Baltimore lies iu the zone in which the crystalline rocks emerge from 

beneath the Coastal Plain deposits. Although the greater part of the 

city is built on the Potomac formation, the depressions of Jones and 

Gwynns falls are excavated to the crystalline rocks, and these rocks 

rise rapidly to constitute the surface in the region north and west. 

The Potomac formation consists of its usual materials, in which predominate clays of various colors and fine sands. Toward its base 

there are intercalated beds of coarse sands and gravels, and at the base 

an almost general occurrence of these materials, lying on a floor of 

crystalline rocks. Some features and relations of these basal beds 

are shown in Pi. IX. The coarse materials contain widely extended 

sheets of water, which have been tapped by many well borings of moderate depth. The rock floor slopes quite steeply eastward, at a rate 

averaging about 65 feet per milej but the rate appears to increase 

locally to 100 feet along by the Basin. The basal gravels pass beneath 

tide water along a line extending from the lower Baltimore and Ohio 

Eailroad bridge over Gwynns Falls to the Fayette street bridge over 

Jones Falls, and thence due east-northeastward, as shown by the blue, 

zero line on the map, PI. VII. The principal water supplies are to 

the south of this line, for to the northward the waters are free to flow 

laterally into the depression of Jones and Gwynns. falls. The basal 

gravels emerge in the northern portion of the city, although in some 

areas they are overlain by a thin cap of gravels and loams of earlier 

Columbia age. They cap the Druid Hill Park region, the ridges for 

some distance out Charles street, Eoland avenue, and York, Harford,
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. BULLETIN N? 138. PL.VII

76°35'

Underlain tyPotomacWaters deeper than 50 J't

Crystalline Rocks

C atchm ent Area of Lower PotomacfWatfivs

 Successful wells 

O Unsuccessful wells.

The heetxy blue Contours indicate position of crystalline 

rocks in relation to the level below which they pas s at 

the Zero line

The figures in red indicate depths of wells

The figures in black indicate number of wells inlist, 

of wells.

MAP OF BALTIMORE REGION ILLUSTRATING FEATURES OF UNDERGROUND WATERS.BY N.H.DARTON.
BARTON.] MARYLAND. 137

and Belair roads, and the high region about Oatonsville. In these 

outlying extensions the basal gravels constitute a capping on the 

crystalline rocks which averages from 10 to 30 feet in thickness. The 

superficial distribution of the crystalline rocks and the contour of the 

floor on which the Potomac formation lies are represented in PI. VII. 

The principal structural relations are shown in the sections on PI. VIII. 

On Patapsco Eiver Neck the Potomac formation rapidly thickens as the 

crystalline rock floor descends to the eastward,, and at Sparrow Point 

the thickness was found to be 500 feet. The higher ridge which extends 

along the northern portion of this neck is capped by a thin mantle of 

earlier Columbia gravels and loams, and the lower terraces consist of 

later Columbia loams and sands, with some gravel in the lower beds. 

These formations, however, are not involved in the question of the 

deeper water supply.

The crystalline rocks present considerable variety of materials, but 

gneiss and granite, or "gray stone," and the "nigger head," or gabbro, 

are the most conspicuous varieties. They are all considerably fissured 

and often deeply decomposed along fissures or veins of moderate width, 

and extent. The' fissures or veins are usually nearly vertical and 

extend from northeast to southwest. They are water-bearers in greater 

or less measure, but their distribution an(l extent have not been determined, except in the case of the one along Belair road, which has been 

tested for a short distance.

List of deep wells in Baltimore.

Locality.

Canton.

1. MarylandFertilizerCo.,CHnton

and Eleventh streets, 3 wells.

2. Stickney Iron Co., Clinton and

Eleventh, streets.

3. Lazaretto Fertilizer Co., Clinton and Tenth streets.

4. Baltimore Guano Co., Clinton

and Ninth streets.

5. Snsqnehanna Fertilizer Co.,

First street and Seventh avenue.

6. Griffith & Boyd, Clinton and

Fifth streets.

7. Orient Distilling Co., First

street and Third avenue, 2

 wells.

Orient Distilling Co., First

street and Third avenue, 3

 wells.

Depth.

Feet.

140

f 130

j 175

I 226

220

, 220

170

125

80

±200

, 90

\ 190

) 210

[ 185

1

I > 191? Liltf

Diameter.

Inches.

2J and 1J

U

6

3

3

12

3

10

12

10

Capacity 

per 

minute.

Gallons .

15

OA O\J

Many.

.

I Many.

)

Many.

Many.

Many.

} 65-80

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

Feet.

 8

 9? u l

 OO

 22

 20

Eemarks.

Water also at 155 feet.

Water also at 120 feet.

Jroor wfltfir.

a, feet below surface.
138 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.

List of deep wells in Baltimore Continued.

[BULL. 138.

Locality.

Canton Continued.

9. Copper works, Clinton and

 wells. 

11. Standard Oil Co., First avenue 

and Eighth street. 

12. Standard Oil Co., Second avenue and Second street.

14. Davidson Acid Worts, Second 

avenue and Eighth street.

Third and Bank streets. . 

16. National Brewing Co., O'Donnell and Third streets.

and Third streets. 

18. Northern Central E. R. wharf,

foot of Thirteenth street.

street and Fifth avenue.

tor No. 1, foot of Sixth avenue. 

From Canton to the Basin. 

21. Fait & Slagle Co., foot of

Streeper street.

Chesapeake street. 

23. McGrath & Co., foot of Patapsco street.

Boston streets.

tapsco streets. 

27. G.G-. Tyler, Boston and Luzerne

son streets. 

29. "Wagner & Co., Boston and Concord streets, 2 wells.

and Leakin streets.

Depth.

Feet.

j 50 

I 114

J 1C5

,- 87-90 

I 160

f 50-120

I 129

[ 216 

330

195 

r -170

I 190

196 

160

r 240

i 450 

i 207

I 208 

165

-1QQ

{ 93

I 112 

148

114

100

,- 50 60

i 120

, 225 

\ 120

, 100 

i 100 

100

Diameter.

 Inches. 

Small.

8

4

3 6

10

8 

20

12

4J-3

10

6 

6

6 

16

4?

9

10 

11

2 

6

1 o

4 

6

6

1J 

8

Capacity 

per 

minute.

Gallons.

75

45

20 each.

160 in all.

120

+150 

400

550

+ 40. 

150

} 200

50-60

120 

+150

100

70

20

20

Many. 

+ 40

50 

30

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

Feet.

 16

-38 

 40

 20 

 12

 26 

98

-56

 2

 6?

 7 

 7

Remarks.

Rock at 216 feet. 

Air pumps.

Do.

water also at 216 

and 135 feet. No 

water 216-408 feet. 

Air pumps.

JAir pump.

a ~-, feet below surface.
DABTON.] MARYLAND.

List of deep ivells in Baltimore Continued.

139

Locality.

From Canton to the Basin Cont'd.

ter street. 

32. Slieppard& Co., Eastern avenue 

and Chester street. 

33. Booth Packing Co., foot of 

"Washington street.

caster streets.

Lancaster.

- Lancaster.

36. Winebrenner Bros., TVolfe and 

Thames streets. 

37. Ice works, Wolfe and Fell

streets.

Thames. 

42. Maltby property, Block and Albemarle streets. 

43. Alice Anna and "West Falls

streets.

and Canton avenue.

avenues, 7 wells.

era avenues.

tral avenue and Gough street.

wharf, 3 wells.

From the Basin and Locust Point to 

Spring Garden.

51. Cold Storage Co., 409^*11 West

Conway street.

streets.

Hill.

55. Moore & Brady, foot of Montgomery street.

Depth.

Feet. 

112

80 

94

85

r 157 

i 317

139

72

} 900

70

90

45

50?

320

100

353

380

197

150

53J

Diameter

Inches.

12 

10-6 

8

4

8

3

8

10-12

8-6

6

6

8

Capacity 

per 

minute.

Gallons.

500 

200

50 

300 each.

i-Satis f ac1. tory.

40

100

10

7^

Many.

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

Feet.

 20J 

 4

to 10

 1 

-15

}.........

nz*

 10

Item arks.

Rock at 90-95 feet. 1 

Much water at 97 feet.

rock at 112 feet; 

no water 70-112 feet.

ply; verylittlenow.

sand.

scaled boilers 

badly.

50-353 feet in rock.

Do.

180-402 feet, no 

water. . 

Low Potomac;" rock 

85-135 feet, no 

water below 53 feet.

a , i'eet below surface.
140 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.

List of deep wells in Baltimore Continued.

[BULL.138.

Locality.

From the Basin and Locust Point to 

Spring Garden Continued.

56. Marble works, Lee and Johnson streets.

57. Dnnnington & Co., foot of 

Hughes street. 

58. Beacham & Bro., foot of Warren street. 

59. Skinner's shipyard, foot of

West street.

West streets. 

61. Woodhall & Co., Marriott and 

Alien streets.

64. Thomsen Chemical Works, 

Winder and Leaden hall sts. 

65. Warren Manufacturing Co.,

near Fort McHenry.

69. Hannis Distilling Co., Ostend

and Warner streets. 

Hannis Distillery Co., Ostend 

and Warner streets, 2 wells.

Ostend streets. 

71. Horner & Co., Covington and 

Donaldson streets.

72. Chesapeake Guano Co., foot of

East Winder street.

Brooklyn to Curtis Bay region, etc.

73. Easin Fertilizer Co., Seawall. .. 

74. Baltimore chrome works, Sea75. Monumental acid works, Seawall. 

76. Curtis Bay Water Co., 8 wells.-

77. Sugar refinery, Curtis Bay. ....

Baltimore Yacht Club ..........

Northeastern section.

and East Federal streets. 

Do..........................

Depth.

Feet, 

i 60

t 200

65

58 

72

100

115 

102

103 

148

145

180

500

800

42 

44

160 

54

68

117

122

127

217 

( 155 

\ 562

155

80-180 

t 80 

t 230 

65

137

315

400

Diameter

Inches. 

2i

6

4 

1J 

2i

8

6 

4

1J

144

4

10 

1*

1J

2

2

2

4i 

4

4

3-8 

6 

4?

Capacity 

per 

minute.

Gallons. 

Few.

Few.

Fair. 

Fair.

16

30 

50

70

250 

150

175

100

100

100

Many. 

10-15

10-15

Many. 

Many. 

Many.

01

25

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

Feet.

 6 

 18

10

 8

 30

 6

 10

 5 

 2

Flows (?)

 25 

} -10 

on

Remarks.

>Brackish water.

Fine water.

Do.

rock at 200 feet.

>Bad water.

a, feet below surface.
DABTON.] MARYLAND.

List of deep wells in Baltimore Continued.

141

Locality.

Northeastern section Continued.

East Lanvale streets.

East Townsend streets.

street and North, avenue. 

Do..........................

Western section.

Calverton Road. 

Do..........................

verton.

Wells on Patapsco River Neck, 

below Canton.

wells. 

Sparrow Point Iron Co., etc. :

1 trail

Do......................

91. Distillery on Colgate Creek, 2 

wells.

92. McShane's foundry at Dundalk. 

93. FortCarroll....................

Depth.

Feet. 

300

286

300

435

1,300

200

350

800

156

98

125

210

495

150

i 120 

230 

247

Diameter

Inches.

6

10

8

.

6

4

2

8 

8

Capacity 

per 

minute.

Gallons. 

20

15

120

120

Dry.

35

35

60

50

Flow.

Pump 100 

to 200 each. 

100

35 each.

Many. 

Many.

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

Feet.

,

-65

 65

+ 1

+ »

4-3

 40 

 40

*

Remarks.

Dry 300-600 feet.

water. 

Rock at 36 feet.

Rock at 36 feet.

In granite below 28

feet.

water below210 feet. 

In 10 feet of' gravel 

under hard red clay 

0-140 feet.

a , feet below surface; + feet above surface.
142 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

> c

WATEE HORIZONS, WELLS, AND WELL PROSPECTS IN THE BALTIMORE

REGION.

t

As very few well records or descriptive data were obtained in Baltimore, and the wells are in groups of which the general relations are 

significant in their bearing on water horizons and prospects, I shall 

combine the discussion of these questions and include incidental notes 

on some of the wells. In most cases all the information that could be 

obtained regarding depth, yield, etc., of the wells is given in the tables, 

pages 137 to 141. The location of the wells is shown on the map, 

PI. VII, and the relation of nearly all are shown in sections 1 and 2 

on PI. VIII. The numbers in black on these plates are for reference 

to the list of wells on pages 137 to 141.

Canton. The many wells in Canton have afforded a fairly definite 

idea of the distribution of underground waters in that section. The 

wells are mainly in the vicinity of Clinton street, but there are others 

farther eastward, and some in Highland town. They indicate the 

presence of several widely extended sheets of water-bearing gravelly 

deposits, the upper beds of which are intercalated between sheets of 

clay and fine sand, the lower bed lying on the floor of crystalline 

rocks. The dip is to the southeast at a very uniform rate of 60 feet per 

mile. In the map, PI. VII, an attempt has been made to represent the 

underground contour of the lowest beds, and in the sections in PL VIII 

some of the relations are shown. The first section is along and near 

Clinton street, from Highlandtown to Thirteenth avenue, and across 

the Patapsco River to Seawall. This section indicates three principal 

water horizons, which I have lettered A, B, and C, respectively. They 

are at intervals which average 40 feet from the bed rock up. The 

most extensive sheet of water-bearing materials is B, which appears to 

average from 30 to 50 feet above the crystalline rock floor, and it supplies large amounts of excellent waters at the copper works, Northern 

Central power house, the Standard Oil Company's well at First avenue 

and Seventh street, and at many other places. Water generally occurs 

in large volume in the gravels and sands lying on the crystalline rock 

floor (Horizon A), and many wells draw from this source, notably those 

at the Electric Copper Works, the breweries at Highlandtown, the 

deeper wells on Lazaretto Point, the 210-foot well of the Orient Distillery, the well at Northern Central Railroad Elevator No. 1, and the 195- 

foot well at the oil works on Second street, near Second avenue. No 

water was reported below 160 feet at the old copper works; the deep 

well at Seawall found no water on top of the crystalline rocks, and the 

basal and lower Potomac waters are all absent at Sparrow Point if the 

record of the 495-foot well is to be relied on. It is probable, however, 

that to the south and east these water horizons rise from the crystalline 

rocks. In wells between Third and Eleventh avenues there is a general occurrence of a water horizon, which I have designated C, which 

lies about 100 feet above the basal beds or crystalline rock floor. It
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

SECTION 1.

I a

zoo

300

25

' "'" ' ^"w4;MMf^^^^^, '//////m''m'-'m'''f' -^

^^

SECTION 2.

^ g P .13 «__a_ 

Horizontal Scale.

SECTIONS, BALTIMORE R
DARTON.] MARYLAND. 143

appears to extend to Seawall, South Baltimore (Curtis Bay), and Colgate Creek, and is probably the source of water in the Northern Central Elevator well (foot of Thirteenth street) and of the water at 100-114 

feet in the copper works wells. The following analysis is given of the 

water of this horizon from the well at the old copper works from, a depth 

of 100 feet. In this well there is probably some surface contamination, 

for the soil is deeply saturated with acid.

Analysis of water in well at copper ivorks.

Sulphuric acid... ..................................................

Total.... ....................................................

Beaction distinctly acid.

Grains per 

gallon.

0.62

0.41

0.64

0.35

0.00

2.02

Another horizon, D, about 40 feet higher, is found at the old Copper 

Works, the Electric Copper Works, the Baltimore Guano Works, and 

possibly in other wells, but it has not been well explored, and I understand that the water is subject to surface contaminations to the northward, where it lies only 50 feet deep.

The only well record which I obtained for the Canton region is a partial one for the well 198 feet deep at the Northern Central Eailroad 

power house at Tenth street and Fifth avenue. It is as follows:

Jfeet. 

0-18......sand.

18-19...... gravel.

19-45...... sand.

45-47......clay.

47-67...... sand, with slight admixture of clay.

67-69...... coarse sand and gravel, with water.

69...... thin bed of compact sand underlain hy thin bed of clay.

69-170..... .fine sand, with occasional very thin gravel beds.

170-? ......thin clay bed, 2 feet of gravel with slight water yield, three

feet of very hard clay. 

198...... clean coarse gravel, yielding 100 gallons of water per minute.

The last is probably the basal gravel of the Potomac formation, or 

Horizon A.

There are several wells in the upper portion of Canton, known as 

Highlandtown, which yield large water supplies. At the National 

Brewery there are two wells to 240 and 450 feet, and at Gunther's 

Brewery two wells to 207 and 208 feet. No records of these wells 

could be obtained, but it was stated that rock was noted at 240 feet. 

The waters at 207 and 240 feet are probably in basal Potomac beds, or 

Horizon A, as shown in section 1, PI. VIII. At Schluderberg's Packing House, seven blocks north of these breweries, a .well was bored to
144 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

over 408 feet which yields 100 gallons a minute. Sand rock was 

reported at 216 feet, "granite" at about 230 feet, limestone from 360 to 

385 feet, and then the " granite " again to 408 feet. Water was found at 

135, 160, and 210 feet, and the 160-foot, or B horizon, was tested to 

150 gallons a minute. The identification of the sand rock and of the 

top of granite in the boring is too unreliable to positively determine 

the location of the basal beds of the Potomac formation, but they 

probably carry the water found at 210 feet.

Southern Baltimore, from Canton to the Basin. These wells are mainly 

along or near Boston street and on the eastern side of Fells Point. 

There are only a few in the vicinity of Jones Falls, and they are not 

very successful. From the foot of Patuxent street to Ann street there 

are 25 wells, nearly all of which are large producers of excellent water. 

Some are very old and others have been recently bored. The average 

depth is between 80 and 120 feet, and the principal water horizon is 

B of the Canton region, but A and C also are found. Locations of 

wells and contour of the lower water horizon are shown in the map, 

PL VII. Section 2 of PI. VIII illustrates the principal relations. This 

section is from the Basin across Fells Point and eastward along or 

near Boston street to East avenue and thence to the Electric Copper 

Works, looking north.

The wells at the ice works on South Wolfe street, near Fell, form 

an interesting group which quite clearly exhibits the relations in the 

region. The well borer kindly furnished me with data regarding them, 

including the following record:

Feet. 

0-25...... filling.

25-30...... black mud.

35^12...... pinkish clay.

42-47......sand and gray gravel, with brackish water.

47-95...... clay of various colors: pink, gray, red, yellow, etc.

95-97...... sand and gravel, with large supply of good water.

97-155...... clay of various colors and a few sandy streaks.

155-157......gravel and sand, with large supply of good water.

157......hard black rock, which was penetrated to 317 feet without

finding water.

The large water supply found in the basal Potomac beds, Horizon A, 

appears to extend to the north and west, but it was not reported in the 

Tyler well, half a mile southeast. The greater number of the wells in 

this district find abundance of water in the B horizon about 40 feet 

above the basal beds. This water has yielded a large supply at the ice 

works wells at a depth of 97 feet and in several wells in that vicinity, 

but it has not been traced to the westward. In the 60-foot well at the 

Norton Tin Works and in the 93-foot well at Fait & SlageFs a higher 

water horizon was found, which appears to be the 0 horizon of the 

Canton region. It was not, however, reported in wells lying between 

these two localities, nor in the wells to the westward. Possibly the 

C horizon is the one that yields water at the potteries, corner of 

Canton aud Central avenues, at a depth of 45 feet. The several wells
DABTON.] MARYLAND. 145

at this locality yield a largeamount of excellent water, which does not 

appear to contain surface contamination. The following record is given 

for one of the wells at the potteries:

Feet.

0-20...... black mud. .

20-30...... yellow loam.«,

at 30......gravel; full of water.

30-41...... yellow clay.

41-45......hard "kaolin."

45-50...... white gravel, full of water.

The well on West Falls avenue, near Alice Anna street, obtains water 

from sands about 42 feet above bed rock, no doubt in the B horizon; 

and the Duker wells, a few blocks northeast, have a depth of 90 feet, 

probably to about the same horizon. The water of the first is brackish, 

and that of the latter, although formerly in large supply, is now greatly 

decreased in amount. In the region immediately adjoining Jones Falls 

and for some distance to the westward on the north side of the Basin

deep wells do not yield satisfactory water supplies, on account of proximity of the basal and lower Potomac beds to the surface. Several 

wells have penetrated the crystalline rocks, notably the one at the old 

Maltby property, at the foot of President street. This well was bored 

to a depth over 900 feet, and found, I understand, a fair supply of satisfactory water. The Tyler well, at the foot of Luzerne street, appears 

to have penetrated the rock for some distance, and it furnishes a large 

supply of water, but I could not ascertain whether the water came from 

the rocks or the overlying beds.

A recent boring at the Bartholomay Brewing Company's building on 

Central avenue, near Gough street, encountered " quicksand" at 320 

feet, which could not be penetrated with the means at hand. This 

boring was in the crystalline rocks from 250 feet down.

Region between the basin and harbor and the Middle Branch. There 

are several wells along the north side of Locust Point to Fort McHenry. 

which yield satisfactory water supplies from the Potomac horizons, 

The wells at the marble works at the south end of the basin reach 

basal Potomac beds at 160 feet, and extend into the bed rock to 200 

feet, but they do not yield much water. Wells less than 100 feet deep 

at Dunnington's, Moore & Brady's, and Beacham's shipyard draw from 

a horizon about 30 feet above bed rock, and this same horizon is reached 

at 150 feet in the well at the paper mill on top of Federal Hill. At this 

mill the rock was found at a depth of 180 feet, and penetrated to 402 

feet without yielding additional water.

At Moore & Brady's Packing House, foot of Montgomery street, 

there is a well 53 feet 7 inches deep which yields a large supply of pure 

water. It is reported that sand extended from the surface to 30 feet, 

and clay from 30 to 53 feet. The water is in a gravel and sand bed of 

which I could not learn the thickness. The well borer stated that the 

rock was found under blue clay at 85 feet, and that it was penetrated 

to 135 feet without finding additional water. 

Bull. 138 10
146 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

The water horizon is found at a depth of 100 feet at the Numseu Can 

Company, near the foot of West street, and probably the same water 

is found in the 115-foot well at Woodhall's, at the foot of Alien street, 

where it is reported to be in gravel under white clay. At the packing 

establishment of C. H. Pearson & Co. water is obtained in sands from 

80 to 102 feet below the surface, at a somewhat higher horizon, probably, than the one that yields water at 60 feet at the Numsen Can Company, on West street. The record of the Pearson well is as follows:

Feet.

0-8...... shells.

8-15...... mud.

15-22...... mud with shells and gravel.

22-30......red clay.

30-45...... white clay.

45-60...... sandy white clay.

60-65...... san d-rock.

65-80...... white impervious clay.

80-102...... water-bearing white sand.

This water is also found at the works of the Warren Company, near 

the foot of Fort avenue, and in the well at Fort McHeury, all at a 

depth of 145 feet. It is probably the C horizon found on the other side 

of the harbor, at about the same depth, in the well at the Maryland 

Fertilizer Works.

Probably the B and C horizons underlie all of the Locust Point 

region, and the A horizon in the basal beds may possibly occur at some 

localities to the southeastward of the Federal Hill region.

On the Ferry Point peninsula there are a few widely scattered wells, 

which, however, indicate that the favorable conditions in Canton and 

on Locust Point continue to the westward. The group of wells near 

old Fort Covington, at the eastern foot of Donaldson street, obtain 

abundant waters at three main horizons, 55,122, and 160 feet below 

the surface, apparently in the C, B, and A horizons. The waters from 

54 to 69 feet prove to be unsatisfactory in quality, as they did also at" 

the roundhouse of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, a few blocks northwest. The deeper waters give no scale in the boiler and are in large 

supply. The well of the Thompson Chemical Works, at the west foot 

of Wincer street, on the opposite side of the peninsula, obtains abundant water supply at a depth of 103 feet, probably from the B horizon. 

The well on the Light street drawbridge has a depth of 180 feet and 

furnished much water, but it was unsatisfactory for boilers, and the 

well is now abandoned. The water was probably from the A or basal 

Potomac horizon. .

Basal Potomac waters are found in wells 45 feet deep on the corner 

of Ostend and Sharp streets, and also at the Hannis distillery, where 

the quantity is large and the quality apparently good, but probably 

there is some surface contamination in these shallow wells.

Between the Basin and Kidgeley Cove a number of attempts have 

been made to obtain water from the crystalline rocks with varying
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

POTOMAC GRAVELS ON CRYSTALLINE RUCKS, NORTH CHARLES STRE
DARTON.] ' MARYLAND. . . 147

degrees of success. At the cold-storage warehouse, 408 West Conway 

street, a well 353 feet deep obtains a large supply of water that answers 

for condensing, and the Maltby House obtains water for closets, etc., 

at a depth of 100 feet.

At Gail & Ax's building, corner of Charles and Barre streets, a boring to 380 feet was made in a inica-gneiss, and at the Globe Brewery, 

two squares northwest, there is a boring to 197 feet, neither of which 

found water. At the Hannis distillery, on Ostend street, near Warner, 

a well was bored over 800 feet into the rock and only a very small 

amount of water obtained, while no water at all was found in a boring 

to a depth of over 500 feet at the Spring Garden Brewery, a couple of 

squares west. Our knowledge of the occurrence of water in the crystalline rocks about Baltimore is at present too uncertain and too largely 

negative for predictions to be made.

Region from Brooklyn to Curtis Bay. The successful group of wells 

at Seawall antl at South Baltimore (Curtis Bay) indicates a wide and 

general extension of the Potornac waters under the Curtis Bay-Patapsco 

peninsula. The Seawttll water at 217 feet appears to represent the C 

horizon. The 562-foot boring at Seawall no doubt demonstrates the 

absence of water in the basal Potomac, or A horizon, in that vicinity, 

and also in the underlying crystalline rocks.

Region southeast of Canton to Sparrow Point. The wells of St. Helena, 

Dundalk, and Sparrow Point are included under this heading. Their 

relations are shown in section 2, PI. V. The wells at St. Helena are 

probably in the C horizon, and the water at 230 feet at Duudalk is 

thought to be in the B horizon, which probably would have been found 

at 200 feet at St. Helena. The 120-foot water at Duudalk I can not 

correlate with any other, but possibly it is the deepest water of Sparrow Point.

The Sparrow Point wells are a most satisfactory group of water producers. The principal supply is obtained from a depth of 125 feet in a 

horizon that is high in the Potomac formation, for a well to 495 feet 

just reached the granite bed rock. In this deep well no water was 

found below 210 feet, which indicates that the lower water horizons do 

not extend far to the eastward in this region. The one well which 

draws 100 gallons a minute from a depth of 210 feet is in a horizon 

which can not be definitely correlated with those to the northwestward.

Northeastern Baltimore. Several breweries in this section of the city 

have deep wells, some of which yield satisfactory water supplies. They 

all penetrate the crystalline rocks and obtain water from fissures or 

decomposed portions of these rocks. The water is found mainly at a 

depth of from 300 to 400 feet in the wells near the junction of Belair 

road and North avenue, and the wells are along the northeast-southwest strike of the rocks. Probably there is one large vein having a 

width of, approximately, 200 feet, and it may extend along the Belair 

road and Gay street far beyond the present line of wells. At the 

Wiessner brewery the water was found at 300 feet below the surface, and
148 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

in fair supply, but when wells were sunk to 315 and 400 feet at the 

Bauernschmidt brewery, a block southwest, the supply at once diminished to a very small amount. The well at the Brehin brewery, which 

is some distance east of the Belair road, and several squares beyond 

North avenue, was sunk in the rock to a depth of 1,300 feet without 

finding water, but it is considerably east of the line of the other wells. 

The Darley Park Brewery well, on the Harford road, three squares 

north of North avenue, is west of the Belair-Gay street line of wells. 

The waters from these wells differ considerably in character, but in 

greater part they are satisfactory for boilers and drinking. An analysis 

of the water of a well at Yon Der Horst's brewery is as follows:

Analysis of water from well at Von der Horst's brewery.

Total........................................................................

Grains 

per 

gallon.

3.25

1 33

8.44

3.55

16.57

The water from the wells at the Standard brewery is too ferruginous 

for general use.

Western part of Baltimore. Excepting the well at the Lipp Soap 

Works, at Holla ad and Oalverton streets, I have no specific data for 

borings in the western part of Baltimore. The soap works wells are 

in crystalline rocks, and reached a vein or fissure which yields a good 

supply or water of excellent quality.

THE WATER HORIZONS OF MARYLAND. 1

It is now satisfactorily established that the entire Coastal Plain 

region of eastern Maryland is underlain by subterranean waters, and 

that there are several horizons of water-bearing beds under the greater 

part of the area. On the map in PI. V, and in the cross sections of 

PI. VI, the distribution of wells and water horizons is represented, 

and it will not be necessary to supplement these illustrations with an 

extended discussion.

The water horizons in the gravels and sands of the basal beds of the 

Potomac formation, which lie on or near the floor of crystalline rocks, 

are the principal source from which waters are to be expected in the 

western portion of the area. How far southeastward this water horizon 

may extend has not been determined, but probably it will yield water 

in many areas nearly to the shores of the ocean. This last consideration is, however, not particularly important, for to the east and south 

the dip of the Potomac horizon carries it to a great depth, and there 

^ee also under Baltimore, pp. 135-148.
DARTON.] MARYLAND. 149

are several strata of water in higher beds in the Potomac, and in other 

formations at more moderate depths. The easternmost successful 

wells which have reached the base of the Potomac formation are those 

in the southeastern portion of the Baltimore region, in the District of 

Columbia, and at Middletown, in Delaware, all of which are only a few 

miles from the outcrop of the formation, so that the eastern extension 

of the basal Potomac waters is not known over a very great breadth 

of territory. The failure of the well at Sparrow Point to find water in 

the basal beds indicates also that the sheet of water is not general at 

this horizon.

The water horizons at various distances above the basal beds, but 

lying within the Potomac formation, have been extensively explored in 

the vicinity of Washington and Baltimore, where they appear to be 

widespread and satisfactorily productive. They have also been reached 

in the Marlboro well at a depth of 216 feet, and in the Indian Head well 

at 459 feet. The well at Bowie found no satisfactory supply of water 

to within about 200 feet of the base of the formation, nor was the well 

on Spesutie Island a success, though it appears to have penetrated the 

Potomac beds to a considerable distance. The sands of the Magothy 

formation, which underlie the Potomac formation, appear to be water 

bearers over a wide area on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, as probably indicated by the wells at Claiborne, Tilghman Island, and Orisfield, and possibly also at Tunis Mills. They underlie the central area of 

the Western Shore southeast of a line from Bowie to the mouth of the 

Patapsco Eiver, but do not appear to yield water in Marlboro, Annapolis, and Bay Eidge wells. The boring to 600 feet at Easton, unfortunately, probably did not thoroughly test this horizon, otherwise we might 

have had some important evidence for that portion of the Eastern Shore 

region. The 265-foot well on Miles Eiver Neck appears to draw its 

water from a horizon in the Painunkey formation, but this well is the 

only indication of a water horizon in these formations in the Eastern 

Shore region. In the wells at Colonial Beach, Ya., and in the wells at 

Naujemoy, Chapel Point, and Bock Point, in Charles County, the basal 

Painunkey beds yield water which probably underlies much of southern 

Maryland southeast of a line from Herring Bay to Liverpool Point.

The basal Chesapeake water horizon, which is well explored in Virginia, yields water over a wide area in the southern counties of the 

western shore at depths from 200 to 300 feet, as in the wells at Solomons Island, Leouardtown, Piney Point, St. Inigoes, and St. Georges 

Island. At Cornfield Harbor it is 365 feet. This horizon also furnishes 

large water supplies at Denton, Cambridge, and LeCompts Store, and 

possibly in the well to 195 feet on Miles Eiver Neck, on the Eastern Shore. 

It was not found at Crisfield, nor in the deeper boring at Easton, 

although the associated sandstone bed was reported at Easton. Its 

probable area is shown on the map (PI. V) by a separate color, which 

comprises also the higher Chesapeake horizons to the south and east. 

These higher Chesapeake horizons are important in New Jersey and
150 AETESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Delaware, and although not extensively tested in southern Maryland 

they probably underlie a considerable area of the Eastern Shore. At 

Easton the large water supply in wells 100 feet deep is from a horizon 

in the Chesapeake formation about 150 feet above its base, and the 

Federalsburg water from a depthj)f 234 feet is either in the same horizon 

or in one not a great distance above. The small showing of water at 

160 feet at Leonardtown appears to be a local occurrence, for it was not 

reported in other wells to the eastward. The unsatisfactory water at 

Salisbury is from a much higher horizon, and the flow of fine water at 

Ocean City is still farther up in the Chesapeake formation. In the 

wells at and near Cambridge and at Crisfield no waters were reported 

above the basal Chespeake beds; so we must conclude that the higher 

waters do not extend in that direction.

PROSPECTS, BY COUNTIES, IN EASTERN AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND.1

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY.

In the northern portion of this county water may be found at moderate depth in the various beds in the middle and lower portion of the 

Potornac formation. The wells at Seawall found Potomac water at a 

depth of about 200 feet, or about 80 feet above the base of the formation. The depths increase rapidly to the eastward; and along a line 

extending from Bodkin Point, at the mouth of the Patapsco River, by 

the heads of the Magothy and Severn rivers and Millersville to the 

forks of the Patuxent Eiver, the base of the formation is about 600 feet 

below tide-water level. Water may also be looked for in the southern 

extension of the formation as far as the southern edge of the county, 

where the basal beds sink to about 1,300 feet below tide-level. There 

are prospects for water in beds at various horizons in the lower half of 

the formation, but as yet they can not be definitely predicted. At 

Bay Eidge a mid-Potomac horizon was found at a depth of 470 feet, 

which may extend widely to the westward. In the vicinity of Annapolis water may be expected in the same horizon as that which is tapped 

by the 208-foot well at Annapolis. This water probably underlies all 

the lower portion of the neck between the Magothy and Severn rivers, 

at a somewhat less depth than at Annapolis, for the beds rise to the 

north and west. The same waters may probably be expected in the 

Davidsonville region, in the Patuxent Valley, about West and Rhode 

rivers, and near Herring Bay, at a depth which increases at the rate of 

25 feet per mile to the southeastward.

CALVERT COUNTY.

This county is probably underlain throughout by the water which is 

obtained in the wells at Solomons Island, at the base of the Chesapeake formation, at a depth of about 250 feet. The depth decreases at 

the rate of about 9 or 10 feet per mile northward from Drum Point, and

1 Exclusive of Baltimore County, which is treated on pages 142-148.
DARTON.] MARYLAND. 151

the water-bearing beds rise from below tide-water level along a line 

from Nottingham to Herring Bay. This water may be expected to flow 

several feet above tide level, but of course it will be far below the surface 

on the higher lands back from the bay or river. There are probably 

other water horizons below the one just described, notably the Magothy 

horizon, which may be expected at moderate depths (300 to 400 feet) 

below tide level in the northern part of the county. It is not known 

whether the Pamunkey or basal Pamunkey \vaters underlie the county, 

but if they do they should be looked for midway between the basal 

Chesapeake and Magothy horizons.

ST. MARY COUNTY.

The conditions in this county are almost precisely similar to those in 

Calvert County, except that the water horizons are from 75 to 100 feet 

deeper at Point Lookout than at Drum Point. The wells at Leonardtown found the basal Chesapeake waters at a depth of about 200 feet, 

and at Piuey Point and St. George Island they are 270 feet below tide 

level. The dip to the southeast carries the water 30 feet deeper at St. 

Inigoes. The well at "Jutland" is said to be 365 feet deep and one at 

Cornfield Harbor is 360 feet. The water found at 237 feet at Chapel 

Point in Charles County may extend into St. Mary, but no wells have 

yet been sunk to it.

CHARLES COUNTY.

In the western portion of the county waters may be expected in the 

basal beds of the Potomac formation at a depth of about 500 feet below 

tide level. The well at Quantico, on the west side of the Potomac 

Eiver, obtained a good supply from this horizon at a depth of 210 feet, 

and the water rose considerably above tide-level. There also are 

waters at higher horizons in the Potomac formation, as indicated by 

the successful well at Barrow, in Virginia, which readied them at a 

depth of 143 feet, and the well at Indian Head at 459 feet. In the 

extreme eastern and southern portions of the county this water is at a 

depth of about 500 feet, and the water in the basal Potomac is about 

300 feet deeper. The water found at JSTanjemoy at 175 feet, at Chapel 

Point at a depth of 237 feet, and at Eock Point Landing at 275 feet 

probably extends widely under the central and eastern portions of the 

county, but its extent is not yet fully determined. The waters in basal 

Chesapeake beds may be expected at a depth of about 100 feet near the 

eastern border of the county, but they were not in useful amount in 

the well at Eock Point Landing.

PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY.

In the northern portion of this county the water at the base of the 

Potomac formation will be found to be available over a wide area. 

Along the line of the Baltimore and Ohio Eailroad this water horizon is 

about at tide level, and along the line of the Baltimore and Potomac 

Eailroad it is about 350 feet lower. The well at Bowie, which was
152 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

started at an elevation of about 150 feet, was sunk 384 feet before it 

was abandoned, and would in all probability have found water within 

the next 200 feet.

The basal Potomac waters may also be expected along the Potomac 

Valley in this county at a fairly uniform depth of. 500 feet. Other waters 

will probably be found in higher beds of this formation at less depths, 

for these waters are obtained in some of the wells in the District of 

Columbia, and at Barrow, in Virginia. The new Marlboro well found a 

fine supply of water at a depth of 215 feet, with considerable head in 

sands which are either in the Magothy beds at the base of the Severn 

formation, or near the top of the Potomac formation. This same horizon may be expected to furnish water over the entire southeastern section of the county at depths which increase at the rate of about 12 feet 

per mile to the south of Marlboro and decrease at the same rate to the 

north and west. There is a fair degree of probability that the basal 

Potomac waters will also be found in the same section at about 500 feet 

below the horizon of the Marlboro water.

In the extreme southeastern corner of the county water may be 

expected at depths of from 75 to 100 feet in basal Chesapeake beds, 

and possibly also 250 feet deeper in basal Pamunkey beds.

HARFORD COUNTY.

The southern portion of this county, adjoining the bay, is underlain 

by the Potomac formation, at or near the base of which a large supply 

of water may probably be expected. The area is included in the wide, 

low neck lying between Bush Eiver and the head of the bay. The 

depth to the basal waters at Michaelsville is about 250 feet. Possibly 

waters may also occur at higher horizons in the formation, as they do 

in Baltimore and vicinity, but of this we have no definite knowledge 

at present.

CECIL COUNTY.

The basal Potomac waters underlie the portion of this county south 

of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Eailroad. These basal 

beds are at tide level at Elkton and at Northeast, and dip to the southeast at the rate of about 45 feet per mile. This dip carries them to a 

depth of about 250 feet at Chesapeake City, 500 feet on the middle portion of Bohemia Eiver, and over 600 feet in the southeastern corner of 

the county. They were found at Middletown, Del., at 535 to 552 feet. 

Water may also be looked for in higher Potomac beds at a less depth? 

but these horizons are less trustworthy. The Magothy formation, 

which passes beneath the surface along a line extending from Grove 

Point to Chesapeake City, is a water bearer which may be expected to 

furnish water east of that line. Its dip is to the southeast at a rate 

of about 20 feet per mile, which carries it to a depth of 150 feet in the 

southeastern corner of the county. It furnishes water in many of the 

dug wells of Sassafras and Bohemia ISTeck regions. (See PI. X.)
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY lULLETIN NO. 138 PL. X

SEVERN CLAYS ON MAGOTHY SANDS, SHORE OF CHESAPEAKE BAY, 1 MILE NORTH OF GROVE 

POINT, CECIL COUNTY, MARYLAND; LOOKING EAST.
DARTON.] MARYLAND. 153

KENT COUNTY.

This county is underlain by the Magothy sands, which may be 

expected to yield water throughout the area. The depth of this water 

is about 250 feet along the Chester Eiver and along a line from Crumpton to Galena. From 300 to 400 feet below the Magothy water begin 

the Potomac waters, which may be expected at a depth of about 650 

feet along the bay shore.

QUEEN ANNE COUNTY.

Although no successful wells appear to have been sunk in this county 

and its immediate vicinity, the geologic conditions are so clearly indicated that good prospects for water may be predicted with some confidence. The Potomac and Magothy waters probably underlie the county 

at depths which gradually increase southeastward from those given 

above for Kent County at a rate of about 10 feet per mile. I should

expect to find the Bay Kidge waters at a depth of 600 feet on Kent 

Island, and to have a fair prospect for obtaining water in Magothy 

sands 250 feet above. Along the eastern half of tbe county there is an 

excellent prospect for the basal Chesapeake waters, which are tapped 

at Denton, in the adjoining county, at a depth of 359 feet. The depth 

would of course be less, for the beds gradually rise to the northwest.

TALBOT COUNTY.

The many wells in the western portion of this county have located 

the underground waters in that section, and in all probability they 

extend throughout the county. Section 2 of PI. V shows the relations 

of the waters.

The Claiborne, Tunis Mills, and Tilghman Island wells probably 

reached the Magothy waters, which I believe extend from Kent County 

to Crisfield. The deep boring to over 600 feet at Easton did not go 

quite deep enough for the lower Potomac beds, but if it was so managed as to properly test the various formations, the Magothy, basal 

Chesapeake, and Pamunkey waters are absent in this section. The 

366-foot well also failed to find water, and it appears to have penetrated 

the bed of siliceous rock at the base of the Chesapeake formation. The 

higher Chesapeake water area appears not to extend far beyond Eastou. The 265-foot well on Miles Eiver Neck appears to obtain water 

from the Pamunkey formation, and the well to 195 feet probably draws 

from the basal Chesapeake horizon, the same as at Denton and about 

Cambridge, and possibly also in the shallower wells at Claiborne. 

Probably along the Choptank Eiver this basal Chesapeake horizon may 

be depended on for water, even though it was neither found at Easton 

nor reported at Tilghman Island. The Magothy water is probably 

about 700 feet below the surface in this portion of the county. Probably below the Magothy beds water will also be found in the Potomac 

formation.
154 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BOLL. 138.

CAROLINE COUNTY.

The Denton well to 359 feet and the Federalsburg well to 234 feet 

indicate two Chesapeake horizons in this county. The first is in basal 

Chesapeake beds, in which waters probably underlie the entire county 

at depths of from 350 to 450 feet, for they are tapped at Cambridge to 

the southwest at 370 feet. The impure water of the deeper Federalsburg well is in a higher horizon, which was -not reported at Deutou, 

but may extend across to the 100-foot wells at Easton. The Magothy 

horizon lies about 400 feet below the basal Chesapeake water, and no 

doubt underlies Caroline County. As to the deeper horizon nothing 

can now be predicted for the southern counties of the Eastern Shore.

DORCHESTER COUNTY.

The basal Chesapeake waters which are so satisfactory at Cambridge 

and LeCompt's store probably underlie all of this county at depths 

which increase to 500 feet in the southern section. As the horizon is 

not a water bearer at Crisfield, it may end in southern Dorchester 

County, so that we can not be confident of its continuation far south of 

Cambridge. A well sunk to the Magothy beds in any portion of the 

county will probably find the same water as at Crisfield. The higher 

Chesapeake horizons can not be predicted widely in the county, as they 

were not reported at Cambridge or Crisfield, but they probably extend 

at least a few miles from Federalsburg, arid they may be found to be 

widespread.

WICOMICO COUNTY.

The unsatisfactory water at 101 feet at Salisbury is not a fair test of 

the resources of this county for underground waters. It would appear, 

however, from the experiences of the Cristield well, that only the deeper 

horizons continue into the county, and my only prediction would be 

for the Crisfield water at depths near 1,000 feet. Possibly the basal 

Chesapeake waters, or even higher Chesapeake waters, may extend 

into the county, but this can only be suggested as a possibility. It is, 

I believe, worth testing.

SOMERSET COUNTY.

The Crisfield wells prove the existence of large supplies of water, but 

so far they have been too saline for general usefulness. These waters 

probably underlie the entire county at depths near 1,000 feet, for the 

county lies along the strike of the water-bearing beds. Still deeper, 

in the Potomac formation, there may possibly be waters at intervals 

down to the crystalline rocks, or the bed rock, which' I should expect 

to find at about 1,500 feet.

WORCESTER COUNTY.

The Ocean City well obtains water from upper Chesapeake beds, in 

which there may be water under all of the county, or at least its eastern
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

POTOMAC GRAVELLY SANDS ON CRYSTALLINE ROCKS, QUARRY ROAD, NEAR ZOOLOG
DARTON.] MARYLAND DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 155

portion. No prediction can be made as to the extent of these waters 

or the possible southward extension of higher Chesapeake waters on 

account of entire lack of definite data. There is a fair chance that 

the Orisfield waters underlie the county at depths near 1,200 feet, but 

this can be surely determined only by a boring.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

GEOLOGIC RELATIONS.

The District of Columbia extends across the zone in which the crystalline rocks emerge from beneath the Coastal Plain deposits and rise 

into the Piedmont Plateau to the west. The contact line Crosses the 

Potomac River at Washington, passes through the western portion of 

the city, and to the northward extends along the east side of Rock

Creek valley. The formation that lies on the crystalline rocks is the 

Potomac, which consists mainly of water-bearing sands and gravels 

below and of clay and fine sands above. Some features and relations 

of the basal beds are shown in Pis. XI and XII. The formation has 

in all a thickness of about 700 feet, and outcrops in a belt from 7 to 8 

miles wide, which extends to the eastward high up the slopes on the 

east side of Anacostia Eiver. In these slopes it is surmounted by 

younger formations, consisting of a succession of the thin western edges 

of the dark sandy clays of the Severn formation, the impure marl of 

the Pamunkey, the gray clays of the Chesapeake, and the gravels 

of the Lafayette. Washington is situated on a series of broad, low 

terraces cut in the Potomac sands and clays and across the edge of 

this formation on the crystalline rocks.

This series of terraces, and its extension along all the lower land of 

the District, is capped by from 20 to 35 feet of gravelly sands and 

loams of the Columbia formations. In the three sections in PL XIV a 

fairly clear representation is given of the structure of the Washington 

region, and in the map, PI. XIII, is shown the relative distribution of 

the crystalline rocks and the Potomac formation. It is in Good Hope 

Hill that the Potomac formation passes under the Severn, Pamunkey, 

Chesapeake, and Lafayette formations, as shown in section 2, but there 

are also small outlying areas of the Chesapeake and Lafayette formations on the high lands of Soldiers' Home Park and the ridge which 

extends to Tenley.

The Potomac formation is the only member in the District that contains underground waters of any importance, for the water in the 

Columbia and Lafayette cappings are of local surface origin.
156 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

DEEP WELLS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

There are quite a number of deep wells in the District, and they 

have been so satisfactory that plans have been made for sinking many 

others. The following list is thought to be nearly complete :

IAat of deep wells.in District of Columbia,

Location.

Ice "Works, Fifteenth and E streets NE. . 

Do...................................

Do...................................

Metropolitan Railroad power house, 

Four-and-a-half and 0 streets SW. 

St. Elizabeth Asylum:

Heurich's Brewery, Twentieth and M 

streets NW. 

Storage warehouse, Fifteenth and M 

streets NW. 

"The Cairo," Q and Sixteenth streets 

NW. 

"Mount Vernon, 1 ' Ninth street and New 

York avenue NW.

E, between Twenty-first and Twentysecond streets NW.

Fifteenth street, near M street NW...... 

Palais Royal, Eleventh and G streets N W .

National Brewery, Fourteenth and D 

streets SE. 

Washington Brewery, Fourth and F 

streets NE. 

Do...... ..........................

Depth.

feet. 

270

159

150 

90

qort

208 

240-350

350 and 380

170

900 

97 

70 

183

93

132

70

558

97 

97 

146

100

60

67

380

251

310 

300 

275

96

290

Capacity 

per minute.

Gallons. 

60

65

Many. 

30

15

20 

130 in all.

7 

40 

15 

40

<?) 

16

Many. 

35 

20?

15

20

10?

20

120 

75 

100

Many.

Remarks.

Low in Potomac.

Do.

wells.

In crystalline rocks. 

Basal Potomac. Rock at 97 feet.

70-312 feet, in crystalline rock. 

Water is at base of Columbia. 

133-183 feet, in crystalline rocks. 

No water above.

in gravel on top of crystalline 

rocks at 110 feet.

In crystalline rocks.

Do. 

Basal Potomac beds.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Basal Potoraac. 

Do. 

Do.

Do.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

ARKOSIC SANDS OF POTOMAC FORMATION, SIXTEENTH STREET, JUST NORTH OF FLOR
BARTON.] DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 157

NOTES ON WELLS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

I have not been able to obtain as complete data for the wells as I 

could desire, but a number of well records and special details have been 

contributed by various persons, which it is important to preserve. Mr. 

Emig, of the Star Drilling Company, has supplied all the records 

except those of the Ice Works and Reform School.

Insane Asylum. The group of wells which supply ' water for St. 

Elizabeth's are perhaps the most important in the District, for their 

output is large and the water is very pure. The wells are situated on 

the banks of the Anacostia Eiver only a few feet above tide level. The 

first well flowed over the surface, but after several years of active pumping the level was lowered to 18 feet below the surface. The first well 

was sunk in 1883 to a depth of 350 feet, and 18 half-inch wells were 

soon after sunk, which yielded 150,000 gallons a day. Then some 

2-inch wells were added, and for nearly twelve years the supply was 

200,000 gallons a day. Two 6-inch wells, 50 feet apart, were recently 

sunk by the Star Drilling Company to 350 and 380 feet respectively, 

and they supply 100,000 gallons a day. The deeper wells draw from a 

bed of sand and gravel, which extends from. 350 to 400 feet and lies on 

the crystalline rocks.

No accurate record of borings was preserved, but Mr. Emig reports 

the following items:

Feet.

0-20 (approximately)...... clay and sand.

20-60 (approximately)...... clay.

60-80 (approximately).... ^. sand.

80-378 (approximately)......alternate layers of sand and clay to gravels,

the clay ending at 350 feet.

Metropolitan Railroad power house. This well, at Four-and-a-half 

and O streets SW., is across the Anacostia Eiver from the asylum wells, 

and draws from the same basal beds, as shown in section 3, PI. XIV, 

The upper water-bearing beds were reported at 88 to 95 feet, but the 

deeper waters were desired. The following record is given:

Feet. 

0-20...... clay and surface.

20-75...... sand and some water.

75-88......clay.

88-95...... sand, water bearing.

95-198......clay.

198-208...... sand with large supply of clear, pure water.

Hygienic Ice Works. At this establishment, Fifteenth and E streets 

NE., there are six wells, ranging in depth from 100 to 300 feet. They 

yield a very large supply of fine water, which is principally from a 

depth of 150 feet. At 90 feet a supply of 30 gallons a minute is 

obtained. An attempt to obtain water in the basal Potomac beds was 

not entirely successful, as only about 15 gallons were found. The boring was made to and into the crystalline rocks, which began at 350 feet
158 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC. COAST. [BULL. 138.

and were penetrated to 365 feet. The following record was furnished 

by Mr. George Patton, the well driller:

Feet. ' . 

0-20......fine sand.

20-50...... clay and sand with gravel streaks.

50-53......fine white sand with wood.

53-75...... white and red clay, mottled; tough.

75-95..:... white clay, very sandy; some water. 

95-128...... red clay; tough.

128-135...... pure white clay.

135-159...... fine sand; full of water.

159-180...... white and red mottled clay.

180-184...... tough, white clay.

184-212...... sand and clay interbedded; some water.

212-216...... tough dark-blue clay.

216-240...... sand and clay; some gravel streaks; some water.

240-256...... sticky clay with sandy streaks.

256-260...... very hard dark clay.

260-272..... .'clay and sand.

272-274...... hard dark clay.

274-298...... clay and sand mixed; light lead color.

298-320......pebbles and sand with conglomerate streaks.

<*

National Capital Brewing Company. The well at this brewery has a 

depth of 310 feet, a 10-inch bore, and yields from 100 to 130 gallons of 

water per minute. No record could be obtained, but it is stated that 

alternating layers of sand and clay were penetrated to ?30 feet, below 

which the materials were mostly sands with a small amount of gray 

clay.

The following analysis of the water has been furnished:

Analysis of water from well at Fourteenth and D streets SE., Washington, D. C.

Parts per 

100,000.

1.7

1.24

0.6

0.71

0.071

9.0

2.0

4.2°

Eckington. The well is at the power house of the Eckington and 

Soldiers' Home Eailroad. It was sunk to a depth of 225 feet, of whiph 

the last 66 feet were in crystalline rocks. The water is supplied both 

from crystalline rocks arid the basal gravels of the Potomac formation.
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. BULLETIN N? 138. PL. XIII.

nemo

 .^nani

WGQQQQ 

GDBL1

Underlain bj'Potomac fonnalion

Approximate Catchment Areaof 

Lower Potomac Waters

 Successful wells 

O Unsuccessful wells

The fitfures in red indicate depths in feel

Theheayy blue Contours indicate position of crystalline

AIAP OFAPORTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ILLUSTRATING FEATURES OFUNDERGROUND WATERS..
DARTON.] DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 159

The supply is stated to be 100,000 gallons a day. The following record 

was given:

Feet. 

0-15...... gravel.

15-20...... coarse gravel and bowlders.

20-150......alternating layers of sand and clay with some water.

150-159...... coarse gravel, containing water.

159-225...... crystalline rocks.

Reform School. This well is on the high hill just south of Rives Station. It was bored on a prediction which I made that waters could be 

found at about 260 and 400 feet, respectively, below the engine house, 

which is at an altitude of about 170 feet. The upper water was found 

at 270 feet in large supply and of excellent character, although slightlv 

chalybeate. Samples of the borings were kindly sent to me by the 

board of trustees. They afford the basis for the following record:

Feet. 

0-4...... light reddish-brown clay.

4-21...... buff and white variegated clay.

21-30...... reddish-buff clay.

30-42...... buff sand, moderately coarse, in clay matrix.

42-59...... reddish-brown clay.

59-72...... brown-red sandy clay.

72-77......fine buff sand.

77-80...... red, white, and buff variegated clay.

80-101......arkosic sand "with clay and quartz pebbles; light color.

101-105...... reddish-gray clay.

105-113...... coarse light-brown sand, gray clay pebbles.

113-125...... gray clay with sand and pebbles.

125-130...... brownish-buff clay.

130-149......red clay with "paint" streak.

149-165...... gray, very sandy, micaceous clay.

165-173...... dark-gray heavy clay.

173-180...... coarse gray sand, some clay as matrix.

180-191...... gray clay with lignite and some sand.

191......lignite in sandy clay.

192-198......lignite, iron pyrites, and siderite.

198-213...... no sample.

213-214...... quart/ pebbles, one-half to three-fourths inch.

214-217......coarse, gray sand, somewhat arkosic.

217-240...... sands (no samples).

240-250......moderately coarse, gray sand with pyrites.

v 250-259...... gray sand with quartz pebbles.

Palais Royal. The following record is given for the Palais Royal 

well, at Eleventh and G- streets NW.

Feet. 

0-5...... surface material.

5-10...... sand and gravel.

10-20...... clay with thin beds of water-bearing sand.

20-40...... sand and gravel.

40-80......?

80-97...... gravel with water in large supply.
160 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

This gravel is at or very near the base of the Potomac formation. 

Lafayette Square Opera House. The following record is given of the 

well at this locality, Madison place, near H street NW.:

Feet.

0-50...... loam.

50-55...... saiid.

55-61...... clay; blue, sticky.

61-70...... coarse sand with water.

70-71......clay ?

Mount Vernon Apartment House. This well, at Ninth street and New 

York avenue NW., found no coarse beds at the base of the Potomac 

formation, and passed down into the crystalline rocks, where a supply 

of 60,000 gallons a day of "very pure water" was found. The following record is given:

Feet. 

0-10...... surface materials.

10-50...... yellow loam and clay.

50-65......sand.

65-133...... clay and sand; stiff clay at base.

133-183...... crystalline rocks.

North Talcoma Hotel. The well at this hotel has a depth of 251 feet, 

of which about 40 feet at the top are in the Potomac beds, the remainder being in crystalline rock, quite deeply decomposed.

The Cairo. The well at this place (Q street between Sixteenth and 

Seventeenth streets NW.) is 312 feet deep. It first penetrated the 

Columbia loams and gravels and then disintegrated crystalline rocks, 

from which a fair supply of water is obtained at a depth of about 70 

feet. From 70 feet to the bottom the boring was in hard, crystalline 

rocks which furnished no water.

Good Hope. The well now in progress on the summit of Good Hope 

Hill, about 280 feet above tide level, is down to a depth of 380 feet, but 

has not found water. It has not yet reached the Potomac horizons 

which yield water at 240 and 350 feet below tide level at the Asylum 

wells, 2 miles west.

Highlands. The well at the hotel has a depth of 96 feet. The water 

is soft, slightly chalybeate, and very cold. The boring is said to have 

passed through clay to 60 feet, then some quicksand, then clay, and 

finally a coarse, nearly white sand containing a large water supply, 

probably from the same bed as that at the Reform School.

WATER HORIZONS AND PROSPECTS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

The deeper-seated underground waters have been tapped by a sufficiently large number of wells in the District to demonstrate the almost 

general extension of water-bearing beds in the basal and lower bed of 

the Potomac formation, and there is often a fair prospect for finding 

waters in the crystalline rocks. The wells that did not find a satisfactory water supply in the basal Potomac beds are at the Ice Works, at a
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO, 138 PL. XIV

CO

I J £ ^ * $'

POTOM/IC

co

xtt&+<i 4 ?r^^v^5B^4jS5^ 

 x '"''v'';-:^A'>vr:;,v;>^

^^y^^//^'^-" 4 i;'^

HOWZO/VTAL SCAL f\=

Vx IMILE .

=d

SECTIONS, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
DAKTON.] DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 161

depth of 360 feet, and at the Mount Yernon Apartment House, at 133 

feet. On the other hand, the St. Elizabeth, Metropolitan Eailroad 

power house, Palais Eoyal, Eckington, Washington Brewery, and 

National Capitol Brewery wells obtain large supplies from that horizon. 

In surface outcrops the basal Potomac beds are usually coarse sands and 

gravels, which are filled with water, but in some few instances there 

are local areas in which there is a clay matrix, or even quite pure clay 

extending down to the crystalline floor. This latter was found to be 

the case at the Mount Yernon Apartment House, while at the Palais 

Eoyal, three squares southwest, the basal beds were coarse sands and 

gravels containing much water. In the 380-foot well at the ice works, 

coarse basal beds were found, but they contain no large supply of 

water; which leads to the conclusion that the waters are in part choked 

off by a local area of clay admixture to the northward, but which does 

not influence the wells at the breweries near by.

These considerations must everywhere qualify a judgment as to the 

prospects for basal Potomac waters at any given point in the eastern 

portion of the District, but the general prospects are so good that I 

should never hesitate to sink wells to these basal beds, particularly as 

there is always a good chance also of finding water in overlying beds, 

as at the ice works. The area to which this prognostication applies 

lies east of the zero line on the map, PI. XIII. Along this line the 

basal beds of the Potomac formation pass beneath tide level, but to 

the west and north they rise, and the waters are in greater or less 

measure free to flow out in surface springs. The heavy blue contour 

lines east of the zero line indicate the depths below tide level of the 

basal Potomac beds, for each 100 feet. To calculate the depth for a 

well, it is necessary to add the elevation of the ground above tide level, 

which is indicated for each 20 feet by the brown contour lines on the 

map. The slope and depths of the basal beds are also indicated in the 

sections on PI. XIY.

To the east of the 100-foot contour line (in blue on map, PI. XIII), 

the higher Potomac waters may be expected, as indicated by the experience of the Eeform School, Highlands Hotel, Ice Works, Asylum, and 

power house wells, at from 120 to 160 feet above the basal Potomac beds 

or crystalline rock floor. This horizon appears to be continuous, and 

to be due to the wide extension of a bed of sand among the clays.

As to waters in the crystalline rocks, I can make no prediction from 

present knowledge. They occur in steeply inclined fissures and in 

decomposed belts in the rocks, of which the extent and course are difficult to determine and impossible to predict without many additional 

data. The wells given in the list on page 156 which draw their waters 

from the crystalline rocks, obtain only moderate supplies, with the 

exception of the well at the Mount Yernon Apartment House, where 

the supply is claimed to amount to 40 gallons a minute. 

Bull. 138 11
162 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

VIRGINIA.

GEOLOGIC RELATIONS.

The Coastal Plain region of Virginia lies east of a line which passes 

through Alexandria, Fredericksburg, Bothwell, Richmond, Petersburg, 

and Emporia, comprising an area of about 9,500 square miles. This 

district is traversed from northwest to southeast by a series of great 

rivers, which divide it into a succession of long ridges. These are 

remnants of a plateau surface which slopes from an altitude of from 

300 to 200 feet on the west to about 100 feet on the east. The larger 

rivers are tidal estuaries occupying low valleys and meandering through 

wide terrace plains. Chesapeake Bay is widely bordered by these 

terraces, and the eastern shore of Virginia, which lies east of the bay, 

is a low plain, as is also the wide area which lies between Dismal 

Swamp and the Atlantic Ocean.

The geologic structure is in general similar to that of eastern 

Maryland, but there are certain differences in the stratigraphy. The 

Potomac formation becomes predominantly sandy, and the Severn 

and Magothy sands are absent in the outcrot) zone, so that the Pamunkey marls lie directly on the surface of the Potomac beds. Far to 

the eastward, under the bay and Eastern Shore, there is probably 

presented the same sequence that is found in Maryland. The Chesapeake formation extends farther to the west in southern Virginia and 

often overlaps on the crystalline rocks. In the sections, PI. XVI, 

there are shown the general structural relations in Virginia so far as 

they are known. The Coastal Plain formations which outcrop in the 

State are as follows:

Formation. Characteristics. Age.

POTOMAC FOKMATION.

This formation underlies the other Coastal Plain formations throughout, and is exposed in certain areas where those formations have been 

eroded. These areas are short narrow belts in the Nottaway, Appomattox, James, Pamunkey, and Eappahannock depressions near the 

western border of the Coastal Plain region, and a district of considerable width extending from Fredericksburg to the Potomac ,Eiver and 

thence on both sides of the river to Washington. The formation consists of sand, coarse below and in part finer above, with many beds of
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN N9 138 PL.XV.

Probably underlain by Chesapeake nnu mpai't 

bv Pamunkev waters

Approximate area underlain by Pamunkey waters

Appi'oximatP area underlain by Poloniac waters 

(Broken lines indicate unnert

,- Crystalline rocks

^V

SuccessfuH wells 

O Unsuccessfull wells 

4 Saline waters

The figures m red indicate depths n 

feet, and the letters the

horizon as follows

NGGEORGET* ~ic°

C. Chesapeake 

B.C. Basal Chesapeake 

P. M. Lower Pamunkey

P Mid- Potomac 

B.P. BasalPotomae BowlingGreen

V" 

. I iSi A t V V

VIRGINIA BEACH L

OC. >

MAP OF EASTERN VIRGINIA SHOWING DISTRIBUTION OF UNDERGROUND WATERS

BYN.H.DARTON.
BARTON.] VIRGINIA. 163

^ay of various sizes and degrees of purity. The sandstones are a 

local feature. The basal beds are mainly coarse, cross-bedded sands, 

with scattered pebbles and bowlders and local pebble and bowlder 

beds, which are filled with water. How far east these coarse materials 

extend is not known, for the deepest wells do not appear to have 

reached them. The thickness of the formation in the outcrops in the 

Fredericksburg region and northward is not over 350 feet. The basal 

Potomac beds lie mainly ou an irregular floor of crystalline rocks consisting of granites, gneiss, and slate. In the vicinity of Bothwell they 

lie on red and gray sandstones and shales of the Newark formation, 

which there occur in a local area among the crystalline rocks.

PAMUNKEY FORMATION.

This member underlies nearly all of the Coastal Plain region south 

of Stafford Couuty, but it is exposed only in the valleys where the 

Lafayette and Chesapeake formations are eroded. Its upper surface 

passes beneath tide-level along a line extending nearly due south from 

the eastern boundary of King George County to a point on James Eiver 

about 7 miles below City Point. South of the James it does not appear 

to be exposed unless possibly in the Nottoway Valley. The Chesapeake-Pamuukey contact dips almost due east 5° south at the rate of 

from 10 to 12 feet per mile.

The materials of the formation are marls or dark sand and sandy 

clays containing a large amount of "greensand" or glauconite, and fossil shells. Some thin beds of purer clays and sands occur, and also 

local thin beds of very hard rock. The thickness of the formation rapidly increases from a thin edge westward to about 200 feet eastward. 

The formation lies in an irregular, steeply east-dipping floor of Potomac 

formation, and for a long distance eastward the basal beds are mainly 

coarse sands with gravel and bowlders, containing a large amount of 

water.

CHESAPEAKE FORMATION.

This formation underlies all the Coastal Plain area south of Fredericksburg. except when it has been cut through for a greater or less 

distance by the Eappahannock, Mattapony, Pamunkey, James, and 

(possibly) Nottoway rivers. It consists mainly of clay, fullers' earth, 

shell marl, and very fine sand. It lies on the east-sloping floor of 

the Pamunkey formation and thickens rapidly to the eastward under 

its thin mantle of Lafayette orange sands.

The deeper wells along the bay shore near the mouth of the Eappahannock penetrate a thickness of 400 feet of the formation, and in 

the well at Fort Monroe considerably more was found. Along the 

western margin of the region the formation thins, as is shown in sections 1, 2, and 4 on PI. XVI. There are many thin local beds of coarser 

sands among the clays and fine sands, and at the base of the formation
164 AETESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

to the eastward there appears to be a series of thin layers of rock in 

coarser sands which are of wide extent and are great water bearers. In 

certain wells in the Rappahannock River region some local beds of 

rock also occur above the basal beds. The clays are usually blue and 

very hard. They are often 200 to 300 feet thick, including occasional 

sand partings. The marl varies from a fine-grained sticky material 

full of chalky shells to a mixture of sand and broken shells, but the 

former variety predominates.

LAFAYETTE FORMATION.

This caps the plateau levels which constitute the surface of the ridges 

lying between the valleys. It is in greater part an orange sandy loam 

with scattered pebbles and streaks of pebbly materials which increase 

in proportion and size to the westward. Its thickness averages from 

15 to 30 feet, and it is similar to the Columbia formation in being a 

superficial capping with .coarser, water-bearing beds at its base. It lies 

on the Chesapeake sands and clays in greater part, but overlaps on the 

crystalline rocks to the west. About Fredericksburg and northward it 

overlaps across the Pamunke'y and Potomac formations to the crystalline rocks in most cases, and west of Alexandria it overlies a wide area 

of Potomac formation.

COLUMBIA FORMATION.

This caps the terraces along the Potomac, Eappahannock, Mattapony, Pamunkey, York, Chickahoininy, James, Blackwater, Nottoway, 

and Merherrin rivers, the lowlands bordering Chesapeake Bay, the 

Eastern shore counties, and all of Norfolk and Princess Anne counties. 

Its thickness varies from 10 to 30 feet, and it is merely a superficial 

capping. At its base there are usually coarse material's, consisting of 

gravelly sands or gravel, which contain the water that supplies shallow

wells in the low-lying regions,

WELLS IN EASTERN VIRGINIA.

It may be seen on reference to the map, PI. XV, that there is a fairly 

large number of wells in the Coastal Plain region of Virginia, and 

most of them have been successful in obtaining abundant water supplies from very moderate depths. Eastward the higher waters appear 

to cease to be available, or yield only saline water, but the lower water 

horizons promise to furnish satisfactory supplies, as is indicated by the 

success of the well just completed at Chamberlain's Hotel, Fort Monroe. 

A boring now in progress at Norfolk will throw further light on the 

question, and, it is hoped, secure a water supply.

I have not been able to obtain as much data regarding Virginia wells 

as I desired, particularly in regard to the nature of the beds penetrated. 

Mr. L. Eude, of Sharps Wharf, Mr. Moore, of Courtland, and Mr. F. E. 

Pearce, of West Point, all practical well borers, have furnished many
DARTON.] VIRGINIA. 165

data of a most satisfactory kind, which are in no small part the basis 

of the following table and notes:

List of deep icells in eastern Virginia. -

Location.

Alexandria Brewery . 

Alexandria Ice 

Works. 

Arringdale, 2 wells . -

Do..............

Bellevue, 2 wells .....

Clay Bank...........

Clifton, 2 wells. ......

Colonial Beach, 5 

wells. 

Courtland, 30 wells. . .

Dudleys Ferry, 4 

wells.

Fort Monroe, Chamberlain's Hotel. 

Franklin, 16 wells. . . 

Gabels Mill. ........

Gloucester Cour' 

. House.

Homewood, 5 wells. .<

King and Queen ..... 

Kinsale..............

Depth.

Feet. 

430 

401

75

79 

100 

195

212 

300 

143 

330 

538 

175

270

315 

220 

250

160 

288 

620 

386 

175

443

393} 

907 

945

130 

226 

600

317

112

248 

200 

235

Size.

In. 

8 

8

14 

4

14 

6 

4

14

14

14

4

14 

14

2

14 

6

14 

3

14

14 

14

1

3 

2 

14

Capacity per 

minute.

Gallons. 

90 

20

Flows 10

Many. 

Many. 

Many.

Flows 15 to 20 

20

7

Flows 2 

Flows 10 to 

12. 

Flows 2J

15 

3 

5

30 

- Flows 2 

Flows 2 

None. 

Flows 10

Flows 7

Flows 2 

None. 

Flows 50

Many. 

Flows 20 

None.

Flows 30

Fair supply.

Flows 2J 

Flows 1 

5

Height 

to which 

water 

rises. a

Feet.

 12 

+10 

-44

+4 to +6 

 7 

Flows. 

+12 

+4 

+4 to + 6

+12

+12 

+12 

+8to+15

+ 6 

+4 to +6

4 to 6

+10

Flow. 

+10

+2 

+35

+15

Horizon.

Basal Potomao. . . . .

Granite?...........

Basal Chesapeake. .

.....do............

Basal Parounkey? . 

.....do.............

Basal Chesapeake. . 

.....do.............

.....do.............

Basal Pamunkey . .

Basal Chesapeake. .

Basal Chesapeake. . 

Basal Pamunkey. . .

Basal Chesapeake. .

.....do .............

Basal Chesapeake. .

Basal Chesapeake..

Basal Chesapeake. . 

Basal Pamunkey ? . . 

Basal Chesapeake. .

Remarks.

Soft water. 

Poor water at 300 

feet. 

Slightly alkaline 

water.

No water below 143 

feet.

Soft water.

Water also at 240 

feet.

Water also at 160 

feet.

No water 464-507J 

feet; water also 

at 240 and 464 feet 

Soft, good water.

Slightly saline water.

Stopped at rock, 

stratum. 

Fine water 54°. 

Sulphurous wa. 

ter at 270 feet. ' 

Ferruginous water. 

Fine water 68°.

a+,feet above the surface; , feet below the surface.
166 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.

List of deep wells in eastern Virginia Continued.

[BULL. 138.

Location.

Do..-.-.........-

Lester Manor, 3 

wells.

Church.

Point.

Point.

Plum Point, 3 wells . .

Puritan Bay, 2 wells .

Richmond:

mile northeast.

Sandy Point : 

"Westmoreland 

County.

Do. ...........

Sheppard's warehouse, 2 wells.

Virginia Beach ......

Weems ..............

Depth.

Feet. 

250

285?

200

0171

168

255

OCA

ion

qoc

±600

147

610

K«O

1 179

140

168 

200

QA

215 

180

OKA

225

400

900

250

400

235 

560

235

360

160 

+100

70

01 C

260

Size.

In.

14

li

14

14

6?

It

41

14

li

it 

14

1*

14

14

14

14

Capacity per 

minute.

Gallons.

Flows 12

Flows 1J

Flows 3

65

Flows 10 12

5

Flows 10-12

Flows 10-12

4 5

1

3

Flows 12-35

Flows 10-15

Fair supply. 

Flows 5 8

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

Feet.

+8to+12

+

+6

+45

i o

6

1 ^

+6

+8-12

+4-6 

+4-6

12

+12 

 24

+24

+6-8

+4-6

Horizon.

Basal Pamunkey ? . .

.....do.............

.....do .............

.....do .............

.....do .............

.....do.............

Basal Chesapeake. .

Basal Chesapeake . .

.....do .............

.....do .............

.....do .............

Basal Chesapeake. .

Basal Chesapeake. .

Upper Chesapeake.

Chesaneake. .......

Remarks.

.

Much water at

326 feet.

Saline water.

water.

140-486 feet; 110

water.

Surface contamination.

Fine water.

No water below 270

feet; rock, 270- 

560 feet.

Water also at 240

feet.

Ferruginous water

a+, feet above the surface; , feet below the surface.
DAETON.] VIRGINIA.

List of deep wells in eastern Virginia Continued.

167

Location.

WestPoint, 200wells.

"White House, Swells.

Do...............

Depth.

Feet.

160

250

180-230 

87G

280

161

Size.

In.

U

It

Capacity per 

minute.

Gallons.

Average 12

20

1-6

Height 

to which 

water

rises. a

Feet.

Average

+2.

+5-20

Horizon.

Basal Chesapeake. .

Basal Chesapeake. .

Chesapeake.

Remarks.

stratum.

stratum.

a +, feet above the surface; , feet below the surface.

DESCRIPTIVE NOTES ON WELLS IN EASTERN VIRGINIA.

For many of the wells I have been unable to obtain any further data 

than are given in the preceding table, but for others a greater or less 

amount of information has been furnished.

Fort Monroe. A well was started at this locality in 1845, but was 

abandoned at 168 feet. In 1864 another boring was started and a 

depth of 906 feet was attained. No water supply was obtained in these 

wells, but they both appear to have been badly managed, and the failure 

of the deeper one may be due to this cause. I believe, however, that it 

was not sufficiently deep and that the stratum in which water should 

be expected is at a somewhat greater depth. This is a very important consideration, and, as it rests mainly on the identification of the 

geologic horizon of the well borings, I shall discuss at some length the 

basis of my opinion. During the boring of the well samples of the borings were sent to Prof. W. B. Eogers, formerly State geologist of 

Virginia, who prepared the following descriptive list of the strata 

penetrated: l

Ft.. In.

151 0...... fine yellowish-gray sand with fragments of sheila.

158 0...... buff argillaceous marl.

160 0......fragments of Turritella and Pecten in gray marl mostly; comminuted shells.

164 6...... fragments of Turritella and Pecteu in gray marl mostly; comminuted shells.

166 10...... more sandy than last; fragments of Area.

168 10...... more sandy than last, with Balanus, etc.

170 10...... gray sand, with Area, etc.

192 0...... greenish gray; sandy; Tnrritella.

194 0......lighter gray; sandy; Turritella.

197 0...... more clayey than 194 feet.

'This record is published in The Virginias, Vol. Ill, pp. 151,152, and in Geology of 

the Virginias, New York, 1884, pp. 731-736.
168 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Ft. In.

202 0...... more clayey than 194 feet; fragments of Venus, etc.

204 0...... more clayey than 194 feet; fragments of Venus, etc.

208 0...... more clayey than 194 feet; fragments of Venus, etc., with Perna,

Venus, etc.

390 0...... tenacious gray clay with shelly matter.

400 0...... gray sandy clay; Artemse, Venus, etc.

430 0...... yellowish sandy clay.

555 0......light clay, gray brown in color; Foraminiferse.

558 0...... infusorial earth containing many species.

576 0...... Miocene down to about this depth.

574 0...... cetacean bone.

577 0....... concretions of sand, marl, and shells, composed of loam sand,

little pieces of milky and smoky and sometimes rose quartz, 

often subangular; between 577 and 583 feet is probably the 

base of the Miocene; between 580 and 590 feet shark's teeth 

and Galeocerda lateralis.

583 0...... sandy clay, brownish.

590 0...... very sandy clay; about 5 per cent sand; shark's teeth.

604 0...... brownish-gray, sandy clay.

628 0...... brownish-gray, sandy clay; less sand.

640 0...... greenish gray, sandy.

670 0...... lightest gray clay.

699 0...... brownish-gray, sandy clay; less sand than 604 feet; same in bed

as 628 feet.

784 0...... brownish-gray, sandy clay; same as 604 feet.

815 0...... gray sandy, clay.

835 0...... very coarse sand.

853 0...... conglomerate of clay, sand, and pebbles.

863 0...... rather fine clay with a little sand.

865 0...... rather fine clay with a little sand.

870 0...... coarse sandy clay, brownish or reddish blotches.

877 0...... clay, embedding fragments of granite.

885 0...... gray clay with occasional fragments of coarse sand.

890 0...... gray clay with occasional fragments of coarse sand.

900 0...... clay and sand in layers, with some coarse pebbles and reddish

blotches.

901 0...... reddish mottled clay with quartz pebbles.

902 0...... reddish mottled clay with coarse sand.

903 0...... reddish mottled clay with coarse sand.

907 0...... total depth of boring below parade ground.

This table does not give the thickness of the beds, which is greatly 

to be regretted. The suggestion of Professor Kogers that the base of 

the Mioceue (Chesapeake) is between 577 and 583 feet was based on the 

idea that the infusorial beds here characterized the very base of the 

formation and that the occurrence of shark's teeth indicated the underlying Eocene (Pamurikey) deposits. It was also suggested that the lower 

beds, from perhaps 835 feet to the bottom, may possibly be JurassoCretaceous, or the Potomac formation of later writers. This was based 

on the presence of reddish mottlings and coarse sand streaks in the 

lowest clays.

In 1880 Professor Fontaine, of the University of Virginia, examined 

the old records of the borings, and an account of these, which he has
DABTON.] VIRGINIA. 169

published, adds materially to our knowledge of the strata penetrated.1 

The record, as compiled from Fontaine's notes and descriptions of the 

old records, is as follows:

Character of borings from each stratum.

Number 

of feet 

bored.

Thickness of 

stratum.

White beach sand............................................................... 0-30 30

Yellow beach sand..........................................................'..... 30-40 10

Small bowlders.................................................................. 40-43 3

Mud or marl with shells......................................................... 43-63 20

Greensand with shells........................................................... 63-155 92

Impervious mud; no shells...................................................... 155-162 7

Greensand and shells ............................................................ 162-167 5

Concrete sand, stones, shells, sharp grit......................................... 167-185 18

Greensand, with shells .......................................................... 185- 228 43

Concrete, hard shells, and sandstones ........................................... 228-229 1

Marl; shells abundant................................. ..... ..................... 229-239 10

Concrete (shell rock), hard ...................................................... 239-240 1

Marl and shells.................................................................. 240-248 8

Concretesand ................................................................... 248-249 1

Marl and shells.................................................................. 249-254 5

Concretesand................................................................... 254-256 2

Marl and shells.................................................................. 256-265 9

Marl free from shells ............................................................ 265-280 15

Stiff clay, very tenacious, of greenish-yellow color, which changes to a light

gray after exposure to the atmosphere......................................... 280-475 195

Veryfine sand................................................................... 475-480 ' 5

Stiff clay of light greenish-yellow color, which changes to light gray on exposure ........................................................................... 480-572 92

Concrete sand with shark's teeth and cetacean vertebno........................ 572 ..........

Clays more sandy................................................................ 572-599 27

Sands with 10 to 20 per cent of clay; they were water-bearing, and the water

rose above level of parade ground for several days; it was very saline ........ 599 ..........

Stiff clay, becoming sandy below ................................................ 599-669 72

Stiff pure clays, becoming sandy at base........................................ 669-830 61

Clays contain 80 per cent of sand ................................................ 830 ..........

Very sandy clays................................................................ 830-851 21

Few pebbles..................................................................... 851 ..........

?................................................................................. 851-853 2

Conglomerate of clay, sand, and small gravel..................................... 853 ..........

?.................................-............................................... 853-855 2

Hard crust ...................................................................... 855-858 3

Stiffclay......................................................................... 858-874 16

Stiff clay, variegated in color .................................................... 874-885 11

Very dark stratum (clay?) ...................................................... 885-890 5

Change in color.................................................................. 890 ..........

Sandy clay ............................................................i......... 890-906 16

Unfortunately, as Professor Pontaine observes, this record is so meager that it yields only hints as to horizons. He expresses the opinion 

that the Miocene and Eocene have a thickness of at least 800 feet and 

" that there is little doubt that at a depth of 851 teet the borings were

'The Artesian well at Fort Monroe, Va., The Virginias, Vol. Ill, pp. 18,19, 1882.
170 'ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.

in the Mesozoic (Potomac) strata. This is indicated by the presence of 

the pebbles, * * * and the variegated strata give us another 

proof that the beds at 874 feet are Mesozoic, for many of the Mespzoic 

strata along the eastern border are strikingly variegated."

In 1891 I secured an order from the Chief Engineer of the Army at 

Washington and visited Fort Monroe for the purpose of examining the 

borings. Having spent several years in studying the outcrops of the 

beds, I believed I could recognize the strata penetrated by the well. 

It was found, however, that the greater part of the borings were lost, 

but fortunately a series from 600 feet to 877 feet were remaining. Portions of these were secured, and have been studied with considerable 

care. They are in greater part light greenish and brownish clays, 

which are not distinctive, and I could not form a judgment as to their 

age. The 877-foot sample is a mixture of fine sand and clay of dirty 

gray color, containing moderately small angular quartz grains; the 

865-foot and 811-foot samples were more argillaceous.

At Eichmond and along the western border of the Coastal Plain belt 

the infusorial series of the Chesapeake formation is of moderate thickness and lies in greater part near the base of the formation, but eastward it is now known to thicken, and to comprise a considerable series 

of dark, heavy clays of various kinds. Whether this relation is due 

to the overlap of older Miocene deposits or to an ascent of the diatom 

fauna through the formation is not yet definitely determined, but the 

overlap is probable. The thickness of diatomaceous beds is at least 

300 feet eastward, but from the records as above given and the samples, 

I could not determine their limits in the Fort Monroe borings. It is 

probable that the lowest beds recorded are of Potomac age, but the 

evidence is not conclusive. I believe we should expect the Severn formation and, probably also the Magothy formation, in the Fort Monroe 

region, as in the Cr is field well.

In a boring just completed at the Chamberlain Hotel at Fort Monroe

a good supply of water has been obtained at a depth of 945 feet, 38 

feet deeper than the old boring at the fort. It is reported that the flow 

is 78,000 gallons per day and the water rises about 10 feet above the 

surface; a larger supply can be obtained by pumping. The water is 

" slightly saline." The water horizon is thought to be Potomac, but its 

relative position in the formation is not yet ascertained; possibly it is 

Magothy which furnishes the saline water in the deep Crisfield boring. 

The well affords important encouragement for deep-seated water supplies in the southeastern portion of Virginia.

As neither the thickness of the Potomac in this region nor the precise 

depth to its surface is known, I can give only approximate figures, but 

it is believed that its basal beds on the granite bedrock should be 

expected at a depth less than 1,350 feet at Fort Monroe; whether they 

will be found to yield large supplies of good water remains to be 

determined.
DARTON.] VIRGINIA. 171

About three years ago an allotment was nia'de for a new well at Fort 

Monroe, and I was consulted by Lieutenant-Colonel Bains, of the 

United States Engineer Corps, in regard to its prospects. I predicted 

that basal Potomac water would probably be found between 1,300 and 

1,350 feet, and that its amount and quality would be satisfactory. 

Owing to some official causes, the boring has not as yet been commenced, and I do not know the plans of the War Department regarding 

it. A well to the granite bedrock at Fort Monroe would throw muchneeded light on the underground geology of southeastern Virginia 

and would probably afford a complete basis for water predictions over 

a wide area of that region.

North End Point, Back River. This well is about 6 miles northnortheast of Fort Monroe, aud was bored in 1880-87 to a depth of 1,172 

feet. It did not yield a supply of water, owing, I believe, to insufficient 

depth, if not also to improper management. It is asserted to have

reached granite, but no sample was 'Obtained, aud the nature of the

rock was only surmised from its hardness. The record of this well, 

kindly furnished to me by Mr. C. C. Kiiox, of Norfolk, is as follows:

Feet. 

0-75.....- white sand and gravel.

75-80......blue clay,

80-100......white sand.

100-130...... thin layers of sand aud blue clay.

130^155...... blue or gray saud.

155-165...... quicksand.

165-170...... hard white sand.

170-185...... loose white sand.

185-187......black marl.

187-249...... white sand and marl.

249-250......rock.

250-267......blue clay.

267-268......stone.

268-275......hard sand.

275-530...... blue clay with thin marl layers.

530-600...... hard blue clay.

600-618...... quicksand.

618-620...... stone or bowlder;

620-625......white sand.

625-626...... yellow sand.

626-695...... clay and sand mixed.

695-696...... gravel and clay.

696-740...... hard and soft layers of blue clay.

. 740-748...... very hard clay.

748-913...... soft blue clay.

913- 920...... hard blue clay.

920-926...... coarse sand.

926-939...... sandstone.

939-955...... hard sandstone.

955-973...... hard sand with few gravels.

973-1,000...... hard sandstone.

1.000-1,007......sandstone with two veins of gravel and some water.
172 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Feet. 

1,007-1,015......alternate layers of sand and sandstone, 3 to 4 feet thick.

1,015-1,080......alternate layers of sand and sandstone, 5 to 15 feet thick.

1,080-1,100...... very hard white sand.

1,100-1,155...... sandstone.

1,155-1,160......red sandstone.

1,160-1,170......hard sandstone.

1,170-1,172......hardest kind of stone or granite; here drill rods broke and

work was abandoned.

Unfortunately, I was unable to examine any of the borings from the 

well, and from the above notes can not identify the lower strata with 

certainty. The Chesapeake and Pamunkey formations extend to 700 

feet, if not beyond, and the sand and sandstones from 920 to 1,170 feet are 

almost certainly the representatives of the Potomac formation, but the 

position of the upper limit of this formation is not recognized in this, 

well. It is possible that this well penetrated the Potomac formation to 

the underlying granite, and if this is the case the probability of artesian water supply in the region is not great, for no water will be found 

in the granite. If, on the other hand, the boring stopped in a hard 

sandstone within the Potomac formation, it is probable that water 

would be found in gravels and sands which I should expect to find 

lying on the granites at no great depth below.

Lamberts Point, near Norfolk. A well was bored at Lamberts Point 

to supply water for the Norfolk and Western Eailroad terminal. It 

attained a depth of 610 feet, and at 606 feet penetrated a water-bearing 

stratum which yielded 65 gallons per minute. The water was quite 

saline, and the well is regarded as a failure. The officers of the railroad company kindly permitted me to examine some of the borings, 

which are as follows:

Feet. 

0-17...... beach sands; shell fragments.

17-44...... bluish clay; shell fragments.

44-183...... gray micaceous sand, fine; shell fragments.

183-191...... greenish-gray sandy clay.

191-233...... gray micaceous sands.

233-264...... fine sand and clay, greenish gray; tough when dry; shell

fragments; Pecten, Venus. 

264-286......gray clay.

286-355...... fine gray sand; shell fragments.

355-377...... gray clay.

377-397...... fine gray sand; shell fragments.

397-407...... dark-gray clay.

407-526...... gray sand, moderately coarse; some glauconite.

526-534...... small gravel; shell fragments.

534-540...... rock (no sample).

540-563...... gray clay.

563-564...... rock stratum; shell fragments.

564-568......gray clay.

568-603...... rocky strata with thin layers of clay and shell fragments.

603-606...... small gravel in gray sand; shell fragments. Water.

606-610...... rocky stratum.

610-616......gray sand, moderately coarse; micaceous; oyster shells (?).
DABTON.] VIRGINIA. 173

From 44 feet down the well is in the Chesapeake formation. The 

saline water horizon at 603 to 606 feet appears to be the same as that at 

599 feet at Fort Monroe.

Norfolk. A well was bored at Norfolk many years ago to a depth of 

147 feet, which yielded a fair supply of hard water. After the introduction of the public waterworks it fell into disuse and was finally 

abandoned.

The present water supply for the city is obtained from ponds lying 

to the eastward, and, although a surface water, its quality is fair. As 

the supply is limited in amount and the city population is increasing 

steadily, an interest has been taken during recent years in obtaining 

an underground water supply. A series of test borings to depths of 

from 38 to 117 feet were made in the region east of the city and a fair 

prospect for water was found at from 30 to 50 feet, but with growing 

faith in the prospects for deeper-seated waters the commissioners have 

decided to try a deep artesian boring. This boring is now in progress,

and the expectation is to obtain a supply of 5,000,000 gallons a day. 

Plans are perfected to sink to a depth of 1,800 feet if necessary, in 

order to get to the basal beds of the Coastal Plain formations those 

which lie upon the granite floor, or bed rock, as shown in section 3 of 

PI. XVI.

At Money Point, 5 miles south of Norfolk, up the Southern Branch, 

a well was sunk some years ago to a depth of 502 feet, from which 

flowed a good supply of slightly ferruginous water. Its supply came 

from sands low in the Chesapeake formation.

Newport News. I learn that a well was bored at Newport News to 

the depth of about 600 feet, but without reaching water. I was unable 

to secure the well record, but undoubtedly the boring did not penetrate 

to the base of the Chesapeake formation.

Onancock, Accomac County. This place is on the eastern shore of 

Virginia. The well was bored to a depth of 486 feet, but found no water 

below 140 feet. The water is utilized, and the well yields about 5 gallons a minute. The following partial record was furnished:

Feet. 

150-175...... shells and gravel in sand.

180-308...... fine sand; no water.

308-310......hard rock, 9 inches; clay, 2 inches; rock, 5 inches; clay, 5

inches. 

310-333...... clay and sand.

333-480...... clay.

Williamsburg, James City County. The boring made at the insane 

asylum at Williamsburg reached a depth of 876 feet without finding 

water, but in a recent boring to a depth of 280 feet a satisfactory 

supply has been obtained from the horizon at the base of the Chesapeake formation. In this shallower boring a very hard stratum of 

siliceous rock was pierced at 276 feet, and water was found in sands 

beneath.
174 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.

Homewood, Surry County. This place is on Hog Island, in James 

Biver, about 6 miles east of Williamsburg. There are five wells at 

various points on the island, with depths from 112 to 317 feet. They 

yield large supplies of water, of which that in the deep wells is of very 

fine quality, with a temperature of 54°. The following record has 

been furnished:

Feet. 

0-15...... clay and loam.

15-25...... gravel with surface water.

25-85...... clay, blue below.

85-112...... shell marl, with hard crust of shell marl at base.

112......ferruginous water which flows.

112-220...... marl.

220-2211.....rock.

222...... water, better quality than that at 112 feet, and greater flow.

220-287£ ----- blue clay.

287f-290...... hard rock.

290......black water-bearing sand; 30-gallon flow; fine water.

In the wells on the southeastern part of the island the depth to the 

lower water is 315 feet. The horizon of this lower water is probably 

basal Chesapeake, or the same as in the many wells on York and 

Eappahaunock rivers.

Jamestoivn, James City County. This well'is oh Jamestown Island, in 

James Eiver, a couple of miles above Homewood and about 5 miles from 

Williamsburg. It is 248 feet deep, and yields a large supply.of fine 

water from the same horizon as that in the deeper wells on Hog Island.

White House, New Kent County. The three wells in the vicinity of 

White House vary in depth from 180 to 230 feet. The following record 

was supplied by Mr. P. H. Sweet, of White House:

Feet. 

0-15...... soil.

15-25...... yellow clay.

25-65. -... -blue fullers' earth.

65-70?... ..several thin rock strata, one 18 inches thick.

70-95...... soft sand rock.

95-115...... red clay.

115-165...... greensand marl ?.

165-210:..... black sand.

210...... water.

The pressure in the wells differs, but in one of them the water will 

rise to 20 feet above the surface of the ground. The water is probably 

in the basal beds of the Panmnkey formation.

Lsster Manor, King William County. The same horizon is tapped 

at Lester Manor in three flowing wells.200 feet deep.

Wells along the Mattapony and York .rivers. The wells in this valley 

begin at Walkerton, on the Mattapouy, and occur at frequent inter-, 

vals to Clay Bank Landing on the York Eiver., They are all flowing 

wells, and yield large supplies of good water. Some of their features are 

given in the table on pages 165-167. The Walkerton well, with a depth
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN N'I38 PL.XVI.

SECTION 1.

SECTIOK 3.

1 ill ! I

I I

SECTION 4.

WARAVICK COUNTY g |?

Horizontal. Scale.

SECTIONS, EASTERN VIRGINIA.
DABTON.] VIRGINIA. 175

of 315 feet, no doubt draws from the Potomac formation, but I have 

not been able to determine the precise horizon. The well at King and 

Queen probably draws from the basal Painunkey bed. The others, at 

West Point, Plum Point, Dudleys Ferry, Bellevue, Puritan Bay, Sheppard's warehouse, etc., draw from the lower and basal Chesapeake beds, 

which are found at a depth of 160 feet at West Point and 226 feet at 

Gabels Mill. The deep boring at Gloucester is only a few miles from 

the wells on York Eiver, but it found no water down to a depth said 

to be over 600 feet. The relations of these wells and borings are shown 

in section 3 of PI. XVI, and their distribution is indicated on the map, 

PI. XV. The section shows the manner in which the beds dip gently 

to the eastward, but as the section line is on a northwest-southeast 

course it does not indicatethe maximum inclination, which is almost 

due east. 

I have not been able to obtain many data for the York Eiver wells, but

the following general record, furnished by Mr. F. E. Pearce, of West 

Point, will afford an idea of the stratigraphy in the West Point region:

Feet. 

0-20...... clay and sand.

^ 20-110......blue clay.

110-160...... sand, with water above and sandstone 1 to 16 feet thick below.

160.... ..water.

Wells along the Eappahannoclc River. At frequent intervals along 

this valley from Naylors Wharf to Windmill Point there are flowing 

wells which furnish large supplies of good water. They are at Nay lor s, 

Bowlers Wharf, Sharps Wharf, Monatico Creek, Whealton, Monaskon, 

Carters Creek, and Weems. They draw their water mainly from two 

horizons in and near the base of the Chesapeake formation, but at Naylors and Sharps Wharf a water-bearing bed in the Painuukey sands 

has been reached. The structural relations of these waters are so 

clearly represented on section 2 of PI. XVI that they do not require 

discussion. The depths gradually increase to the east at a rate of 

about 6 feet per mile along the Eappahannock, but this river flows at 

an angle of nearly 45 degrees to the maximum inclination, which is 10 

feet per mile nearly due east.

The beds which are penetrated in the wells are nearly all represented 

in the boring to a depth of 386 feet at Naylors Wharf, of which Mr. 

L. Eude has kindly furnished the following record:

Feet.

0-20...... surface deposits.

20-120...... blue fullers' earth.

120-135... ...marl.

135-155..... .strata of rock from 1 to 5 feet apart and containing water.

155-170...... black sand.

170-260...... blue fullers' earth.

260-275...... dark orange-colored loam.

275-325..... .black sand full of water, which rises to 35 feet above tide.

325-385......blue fullers' earth, underlain by a soft rock layer, with water

that rises to 45 feet above tide.
176 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

" At Sharps Wharf the first rock stratum was reached at a depth 

v,f 200 feet and was bored through to 235 feet. The black sand, with 

water, was found at 360 feet in another boring at the same place. At 

Windmill Point the rock strata were found at a depth of 430 feet, but 

owing to an accident to the boring tool they were not penetrated and 

the well was not a success.

Dymer Creek. The boring at Dymer Creek is on the wharf. It had 

a depth of 507£ feet when first bored, but was finished at 443 feet. 

The following record has been furnished by Mr. L. S. Bell, at Salisbury, Md.:

Feet. 

0-237...... tough blue clay, with a 3-inch sand bed at 170 feet.

237-239...... marl, with shells and gravel.

239-241...... gravel, with a good supply of water, which rises to within 10

feet of the surface. 

241-248......blue clay.

248-250^.....rock stratum underlain by coarse sand mixed with yellow

and green clay. 

253?-385......clay.

385-388...... rather coarse, dark sand.

388-435......blue clay.

435-443...... sand, fairly coarse, dark above and white below; 7-gallon

flow of water. 

443-464......hard rock, very rough, porous texture.

464-474^.... .coarse sand, much mixed with clay and mica; 5-gallon flow

of water, 

476-479...... rock stratum, quite hard.

479-507|..... blue clay and sand.

This record shows a fair degree of correspondence with the record of 

the Naylors Wharf borings, making due allowance for difference in 

location and verbiage of the recorders. The rocky strata from 443 to 

479 feet, with associated water-bearing sands, are apparently the same

as those found at 135 to 155 feet at Naylors Wharf, 35 miles distant,

and at 430 feet in the Windmill Point boring. The thin rock stratum 

at 250 feet and the water at 240 feet in the Dymer Creek well are 

probably local features.

Lancaster. This well is on the peninsula between the Potomac and 

Eappahanuock rivers, about 8 miles from the bay shore. The well 

was sunk 300 feet, but the water was taken at 250 feet. Its mouth 

was 60 feet above tide water. The record is as follows:

Feet.

0-30......bright orange sand, moderately coarse (Lafayette).

30-75...... gray sands, moderately coarse, with shell fragments.

75-115...... white and yellow sand intermixed, moderately fine.

115-160......gray sand, moderately coarse, some glauconite grains, few

shells, and thin ferruginous crusts. 

§« 160-180......greenish-gray fine sands, mud, with some mica and many

shell fragments; some glauconite. 

O 180-250......clay, light brownish-gray.in color, few sandy streaks, shell

fragments. 

250-300...... clay, light greenish-gray in color.
DAHTON.] VIRGINIA. 177

Wells along the Potomac River. (See also section 1 of PI. XVI). The 

wells in the line extending with frequent intervals from Coles Point to 

Fairport all appear to draw their waters from the basal Chesapeake 

beds, or the same horizon as in the wells on the Eappahannock side 

of the peninsula and in the group of wells across the Potomac River 

in Maryland. At Coles Point the water is at a depth of 220 feet, and 

the depths gradually increase to Fairport, where the well is 393£ feet 

deep. The water is in good supply, and rises to about 12 feet above 

tide level.

Only scanty data have been secured as to the records of this group 

of wells. At Cowart the following are reported:

Feet.

0-50...... sand and gravel.

50-250...... fullers' earth.

250-288...... porous rock, with saiid beds bearing water.

At Fairport there are reported:

Feet. 

0-70...... sand and mud.

70-370......blue clay or fuller's earth.

370-393...... quicksand.

At Colonial Beach the Chesapeake water horizon is only a few feet 

below the surface, and the wells penetrate to basal and mid Pamunkey 

horizons, which are found at depths of 250 and 160 feet respectively.

At Quantico there is a flowing well which has a depth said to be 210 

feet in which the water supply is probably from the basal beds of the 

Potomac formation. A record of the beds furnished by the engineer 

of the Pennsylvania Eailroad Company is as follows:

Feet. 

0-22...... white clay.

22-28......fine gravel.

28-53......red clay.

53-58...... fine red sand.

58-86...... very hard blue clay.

86-89......fine sand.

89-124......dark clay.

124-127...... coarse dark sand.

127-205.:.... light-colored clay.

205-210...... very coarse sand and water.

About 5 miles north of Quantico, near Possums Nose, a well was 

bored at the projected town of Barrow. Its depth was 195 feet, and a 

large supply of water was reported at 143 feet.

Its record, kindly furnished by Mr. R. P. Hughes, of Washington, is 

as follows:

Feet. s 

0-10...... clay and marl.

10-20...... gravel.

20-30...... clay.

Bull. 138 12
178 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Feet.

30-44...... sandstone.

44-45...... coarse sandstone; water.

45-57...... sandstone.

57-58...... bluish sandy clay.

58-73...... brown clay.

73-113.... ..bluish sandy clay and fine sand.

113-143......sandstone; large supply of water.

143-147...... yellow clay.

147-160...... sand, with pebbles.

160-165......yellow clay.

165-195...... brown clay.

A well was sunk on Sandy Point, in Fairfax County, just north of 

Occoquau Bay, which furnishes some interesting data. Its depth was 

560 feet, of which the lower 275 feet were in rock. The following record 

was furnished by Mr. L. W. Shepard, the well borer:

Feet. 

0-20......clay, white and yellow.

20-100...... swamp muck, blue., very soft.'

100-115......gravel and sand (water).

115-130......clay.

130-140...... gravel and sand (water).

140-150......clay.

150-210...... fine sand and clay (water).

210-230......clay.

230-255...... fine sand and clay.

255-264......clay.

264-270...... pebbles, small, and lignite.

270-285...... clay.

285-290...... soft rock.

290-560......rock. .

No water was found in the rock, but after dynamiting the well a 

good supply was obtained at 264 feet (f) which rises to tide level and 

rises and falls with the tide. The horizon is basal Potomac.

Richmond. Several attempts have been made to obtain underground 

waters in or near the city of Eichmond, but with only partial success. 

The Coastal Plain formations lie above tide^water level west of Shockoe 

Creek, so that they do not hold water. The wells in the lower part of 

the city are in granite and furnish a water supply for manufacturing 

purposes, but they appear to contain surface water in part. The well 

400 feet deep at Major Ginter's farm, north of the city, obtains from 

the granite a supply of water which is said to be of excellent quality. 

In a 900-foot boring in granite at Sherwood Park no water supply was 

found, but a boring 250 feet deep in granite, a mile northeast, obtained 

an excellent supply.

Many years ago a well was bored at the Exchange Hotel, but it was 

not successful. It penetrated the Chesapeake, Pamunkey, and Potomac beds, but I have not learned whether it was bored into the 

underlying granite.
DAHTON.] VIRGINIA. 179

Ashland, Hanover County. There are two wells at this place which 

obtain a. satisfactory water supply at 79 and 300 feet, in the upper 

portion of the crystalline rocks or in the beds just above. The folio wiug record was furnished by Mr, Eichard Irby, of Ashland:

Feet.

0-20...... clay and soil.

20-42...... gravel and sand.

42-79..--..bine clay, with beds of fine sand. 

79-85.... ..stratum of sandstone.

85-120.... ..disintegrated stone, with water in its upper portion.

120-140...... granite.

Bothwell, Hanover County. The well at this place was sunk for the 

railroad company. It is in the red and gray sandstone and sandy 

shales of the Newark formation to a depth of 300 feet.

Arringdale, Southampton County. Nothing further was learned 

regarding the well at this place than is given in the table on, page 165. 

The horizon of the water is not known, but it is supposed to be in the 

basal Chesapeake beds.

Courtland, Southampton County. The wells of the group at this place 

have an average depth of 160 feet and furnish a fine water supply. It 

is reported by Mr. Moore that marl was penetrated from 50 to 100 feet. 

This marl is of Chesapeake age, and probably the water horizon is in 

the basal beds of this formation, or the same as at Arringdale.

Franklin, Southampton County. The wells of the group which supply 

Franklin with water have a depth of only 130 feet, so that they draw 

from a much higher horizon than those of Courtland, which is several 

miles northwest, and up the dip. The only data obtainable were that 

there are marl beds at a depth of from 40 to 80 feet in the wells, but as 

the greater part of the Chesapeake formation in this region consists of 

marl, this does not definitely indicate the horizon.

Zuni, Isle of Wight County. The flowing well here has a depth of 

161 feet, and a marl bed is reported to extend from 60 to 140 feet. As 

the well is on higher ground and slightly east of the Franklin wells, it 

is probable that both draw from the same water horizon.

Mount Carmel Church, Isle of Wight County. This well is 10 miles 

from Zuni and on higher land. Its depth is 190 feet and it is supposed 

to draw from the Zuni and Franklin horizon.

Dendron, Surry County. A boring was made at this place to a depth 

of. 386 feet without success in finding a water supply. The well probably did not quite reach the base of the Chesapeake formation, where 

the water found at 317 feet at Homewood might have reasonably been 

expected. The Zuni-Mount Carmel-Franklin water horizon was either 

passed or does not extend so far northwest as Dendron.

Swan Point, Surry County. A dug well at this place has a depth over 

100 feet and obtains a water supply of very satisfactory character from 

a sand bed in the Chesapeake formation. The horizon can,not be 

defined at present.
180 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138. 

WATER HORIZONS IN EASTERN VIRGINIA.

The greater part, if not all, of the Coastal Plain region of Virginia 

is underlain by water-bearing strata, of which to* the eastward there 

are several horizons. The failures to obtain the higher water in some 

of the wells near the bay indicate that in this area at least there are 

no good water supplies in the higher horizons, but the waters of the 

lower horizons have not yet been fully developed. The success of the 

new well at Fort Monroe definitely proves the existence of one of these. 

The failure of a single well, as at North End Point, does not always disprove the existence of a water horizon, for we know of many instances 

in which water has been passed unnoticed, or willfully, by well borers.

The principal water horizons in eastern Virginia are the Chesapeake, 

the Pamunkey, and the Potomac.

POTOMAC.

There is more or less water in all of the coarser sand beds of the 

Potomac formation, but the principal supplies may be expected from 

the sands and gravels of the basal members lying on the basement floor 

of crystalline rocks. This horizon has been well explored about Washington and Alexandria, in most cases with great success, and was probably reached by the 210-foot well at Quantico. South of Quantico for 

some distance it does not appear to have been reached by any of the 

wells except one (at 315 feet) at Walkerton, on the Mattapony Kiver; 

but from the general character of the formation as exhibited in its 

outcrops, and its productiveness of water northward, I have reason to 

believe that it is a great water bearer throughout a wide extent. Its 

general relations are shown in the sections in PI. XVI. How far eastward the coarse materials extend in the basal beds of the Potomac 

formation is not known, for they lie deeper than any of the wells appear 

to have penetrated. The North Point well is reported to have reached 

il granite" and found no water supply in the basal beds, but, as I have 

elsewhere explained, the record and conduct of this well do not afford 

conclusive evidence either of the actual absence of water or of the 

presence of granite at the bottom of the boring. The well no doubt 

reached the Potomac formation, and it may havejpenetrated far into it. 

The water at the Chamberlain Hotel at Fort Monroe is thought to be 

from upper Potomac or possibly Magothy beds, but the evidence is not 

conclusive as to the precise horizon.

Water occurs at various horizons in the Potomac formation above 

the basal beds, in sands intercalated among the clays. This water is 

an important source of supply in the District of Columbia, and it also 

affords a large yield at the well at Barrow, near Quantico. Only one 

of the wells south of Fredericksburg has penetrated to these waters 

the one at Walkerton at a depth of 315 feet so that their southeastern 

extension has not been well explored, but there is a fair possibility of 

finding one or more of them in that region. The 600-foot boring at
DABTON.] VIRGINIA. 181

Gloucester may have reached the Potomac beds, and even penetrated 

them for some distance, without finding water, but as this boring 

missed the higher waters that probably underlie Gloucester, it can not 

be regarded as a decisive test for any of the waters.

PAMUNKEY.

The coarse gravel and sand at the base of this formation appears to 

extend far to the east, and it is a water bearer throughout its extent. 

It was reached by the deep well at Naylors Wharf at a depth of 386 feet, 

where sands with rock layers yielded a large flow of water which rose 

to 45 feet above tide level. At Chapel Point, Md., at 237 feet, in the 

several deeper wells at Colonial Beach, at Lester Manor at a depth of 

200 feet, and at White House at depths from 180 to 230 feet, it furnishes 

a large supply of fine water under considerable pressure. These wells 

indicate a wide extent of the waters in a region which probably comprises the western half of the area indicated by a distinctive pattern 

for Chesapeake and Paniunkey waters on the map, PI. XV. This horizon is about 250 feet below the Chesapeake water. The meager supply 

of water in the Clay Bank well and the failure of the deeper borings 

at Williamsburg and Gloucester probably indicate the limits of the 

horizon as a water bearer to the eastward. It may extend under 

all of the region south of the James Eiver, but none of the wells appear 

to have been bored sufficiently deep to reach it, and higher waters are 

utilized. The experience of the unsuccessful boring to a depth of 386 

feet at Dendron is not conclusive, for it probably did not reach the 

horizon, and if it did, may not have properly tested it; still, it is in line 

with the experience at Williamsburg and Gloucester. The latter criticism applies also to the North End Point well. It is to be expected 

that to the eastward the materials of this horizon finally become too fine 

grained to carry water, and the eastern limits of conditions favorable 

for water bearing appears to be at Clay Bank, on York Kiver. Probably 

the Avell now being bored at Norfolk will throw light on the question, 

although I do not really expect Pamunkey beds to be sufficiently coarse 

at that locality to yield water in large amount, and have advised that 

the boring be planned to go to deeper horizons.

- Water also occurs in sands in the Pamunkey formation about 90 feet 

above its base, as indicated by the water at 160 feet at Colonial Beach, 

and at 275 to 325 feet at Naylors Wharf; but as it has not been further 

explored by other wells, its extent can not be discussed.

CHESAPEAKE.

Lying between the clays, marls, and fine sands of the Chesapeake 

formation and the top of the Pamunkey formation, there is a series 

of sands and gravels which may be regarded as the basal bed of the 

Chesapeake formation. To the eastward this series contains thin interstratified rock strata which do not appear in the surface outcrops. In 

this series, and in another similar one not far above, there is a large 

volume of water, at a horizon or horizons which appear to be of wide
182 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. fBOLL. 151

extent in eastern Virginia. These waters have been explored by many 

wells and been found to underlie a belt of country about 20 miles in 

width lying east of a nearly straight line extending from Mathias 

Point, on the Potomac Biver, to Emporia, on the Atlantic Coast Line 

Bailroad. This belt has been indicated on the map, PI. XV, by a distinctive pattern, and the relations of the waters are shown in sections 

on PI. XVI. The wells which reach these horizons are given in the 

following list:

Locality.

Kichmond County.

Lancaster County.

Westmorland County.

Maryland.

Northumberland County.

Lewisetta. ........................... ...

Mattapony Eiver.

York River.

West Point. ...............................

Plum Point............. ...................

Gabels Mill..... ........................=...

James River.

Home-wood ...............................

Depth.

Feet. 

135

235

250

230

250

330

260

450

220

225

235

270

270

200

300

235

317J

238

315

393

443

168

160

175

160

168

226

212

215

9RO

290 317

248

160

78

Remarks.

Water begins at 170 feet.

Water also at 270 feet.

Do.
DAETON.] " VIRGINIA. 183

The horizon of the waters at 130 feet at Franklin, 161 feet at Zuni, 

and 190 feet at Mount Carmel is not certainly known, but it is thought 

to be in the Chesapeake formation considerably above its base. The 

Arringdale well at 75 feet and the Cpurtland wells at 160 feet are 

doubtfully referred to the basal Chesapeake beds, but the former may 

be down to a lower horizon.

Basal Chesapeake waters were apparently absent in the North End 

Point, Fort Monroe, Dendron, Claybank, and Gloucester wells. The 

wells at Crisfield, Md., found no appreciable supply of water in the basal 

Chesapeake beds.

There are several higher horizons of water in the Chesapeake formation, and it is believed that the wells at Franklin, Zuni, and Mount 

Carmel draw from Chesapeake beds about 100 feet above the base of 

the formation. The water of the Bowlers Wharf well at 143 feet is 

from about the same horizon, but water reported at 240 feet in the 

Dymers Creek well is somewhat higher than the others. The water 

beginning at 170 feet at Leonardtown and the waters at 240 and 270 

feet at Coan are from the top of a considerable thickness of sandy 

basal members.

The salty water at 606 feet at Lambert Point and at 599 feet at Fort 

Monroe, and the ferruginous water at 562 feet at Money Point, all 

near Norfolk, are from somewhat higher horizons. The waters at 140 

feet at Onancock on the eastern shore and at 70 feet at Virginia Beach 

are at still higher horizons. I am not inclined to regard any one of 

these upper Chesapeake horizons as widespread, and with our present 

meager knowledge they can not be predicted with safety.

As I regard the waters in the Lafayette and Columbia formations to 

be superficial? I secured no data regarding them.

WELL PROSPECTS BY COUNTIES. 

ALEXANDRIA COUNTY.

The portion of this county occupied by the Potoniac formation is 

underlain by waters which are available in wells of moderate depth, as 

indicated by the success of the wells at Alexandria.

FAIRFAX COUNTY.

The portion of this county immediately adjoining the Potomac Eiver 

and extending west of the Baltimore and Potomac Eailroacl is underlain by water-bearing beds of the Potomac formation. They have only 

been tested by the boring at Sandy Point, near Occoquan Bay, which 

reached the basal waters and passed into bed-rock at 270 feet. At 

Mount Vernon the basal Potoraac gravels and sands may be expected 

at a depth of about 350 feet. Possibly water will also be found in 

higher beds. As the dip is quite steep to the east, the depth diminishes 

toward the Baltimore and Potomac Eailroad, where the basal beds
184 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

emerge at the surface and are exposed in railroad cuts, etc. The floor 

of crystalline rocks rises to the surface west of the railroad.

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY.

The conditions in this county are precisely similar to those in Fairfax 

County. The Potomac formation occupies a belt extending about 3 

miles west from the river, but the distance is less in the larger depressions. The well at Barrow on the Potomac developed a large water 

supply at a depth of 143 feet in Potomac beds, and it is probable that 

another water horizon would have been found in the basal beds lying 

on the crystalline rocks from 150 to 200 feet below.

STAFFORD COUNTY.

The conditions in Stafford County are similar to those above described, 

but the area underlain by the Potomac formation widens rapidly south 

ol the Potomac Creek. The well at Quantico found water in the basal 

Potomac beds at 210 feet, and there is every reason to believe that this 

water extends over the entire area occupied by the formation. Along 

the eastern borde?, of the county, south of Aquia Creek, there is a belt 

of country about 3 miles wide in which the basal Pamunkey gravels 

will be found to contain water at depths which increase to about 75 

feet below tide-water level along the King George line. The basal 

Potomac waters are at least 400 feet deeper, but there is everywhere a 

fair prospect for water at higher horizons within the Potomac formation.

KING GEORGE COUNTY.

Although I know of no deep wells in this county, the geologic conditions and the indications of the Colonial Beach and Chapel Point (Md.) 

wells are such that water may be quite safely predicted throughout the 

county in the basal Pamunkey beds. The depths will be found to 

increase gradually from about 75 feet below tide-water level along the 

Stafford line to 200 feet on the Westmoreland line. Waters may also be 

expected at greater depths in the Potomac sands. Some of the relations of the beds in the county are shown in sections 1 and 2 of PI. XVI.

WESTMORELAND COUNTY.

This county is underlain throughout by the Pamunkey horizon at 

depths which increase from 250 feet at Colonial Beach to 386 feet at 

Naylors Wharf. At greater depths the Potomac waters may also be 

looked for, but there is less certainty of these lower waters eastward. 

The eastern part of the county is also underlain by the basal Chesapeake 

waters, which lie about 250 feet higher than the basal Pamunkey horizon. They have been extensively developed in the flowing wells from 

Coles Point, where their depth is 220 feet, to Kinsale and Sandy Point, 

where they are 235 feet below tide-level.
DAETON.] VIRGINIA. 185

. RICHMOND COUNTY.

The experience of the Sharps Wharf and Naylors Wharf borings 

indicates the extension of the basal Chesapeake waters through the 

county and the existence of a mid-Pamunkey water in large volume. 

(See sec. 2 of PI. XII). The Naylors Wharf well reached the basal 

Pamunkey water at 386 feet, and this water will no doubt be found to 

underlie all of the county if there is occasion to go below the midPamunkey and basal Chesapeake horizons for water supplies.

NORTHUMBERLAND AND LANCASTER COUNTIES.

The conditions and prospects in these counties are similar to those in 

Bichrnond and Westmoreland, but the dip to the eastward carries the 

water horizons deeper, as is shown in sections 1 and 2 of PI. XVI. The 

wells' in Northumberland and Lancaster counties draw their supply 

from the lower and basal Chesapeake horizon, as shown on PI. XII, and 

there has been no occasion to go to the deeper waters which no doubt 

underlie the counties.

SPOTTSYLVANIA COUNTY.

The eastern corner of this county is underlain by the Potomac formation, and there is every prospect that this area will prove to be underlain by basal Potomac waters, if not also by waters higher in that 

formation.

CAROLINE COUNTY.

All but the western corner of this county is underlain by the Potomac, Pamunkey, and Chesapeake formations, in which the prospects 

for water are everywhere excellent. I have learned of no deep wells, 

but have no doubt as to the extension of the water-bearing beds. The 

structure is similar to that shown on the western third of section 2 of 

PI. XYI. At Bowling Green I believe that water may be expected in 

the basal Pamunkey beds, if not also in the basal Chesapeake horizon, 

and there are further chances for water in the Potomac formation 

below. It is estimated that the basal Pamunkey gravels lie about 300 

feet below the court-house at Bowling Green.

ESSEX COUNTY.

The conditions in this county are similar to those in Westmoreland 

and Richmond counties, as described above and- shown in section 2 of 

PI. XVI. The well at Bowlers Wharf found plenty of water at 143 

feet in the horizon about 100 feet above the base of the Chesapeake 

formation.

MIDDLESEX COUNTY.

No wells are reported from this county, but the conditions and prospects are similar to those described under Lancaster County.
186 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

. KING AND QUEEN COUNTY.

The basal and lower Chesapeake horizons have been tapped by wells 

at Little Plymouth (probably), at Sheppard's warehouse, and at Dudleys Terry; and they probably underlie all of the southeastern end of 

the county, as indicated in section 3 of PI. XVI. The basal Pamunkey water appears to yield the small supply in the court-house well. 

I am not certain that it extends to the south and east, but probably it 

underlies the region to the north and west.

KING WILLIAM COUNTY.

No wells were reported from the northwestern end of this county, but 

the many flowing wells at West Point and near by in adjoining counties 

indicate a wide extension of basal and lower Chesapeake waters over 

the southern part of the region, while the wells at White House and 

Lester Manor indicate an extension of the basal Pamunkey waters. 

In the northwestern end of the county the Potomac formation lies at no 

great distance below the surface, and judging from the coarse beds which 

outcrop between Bothwell and Hanover, and the success of the well at 

Walkerton, it may be expected to contain a large supply of water.

GLOUCESTEK COUNTY.

The successful flowing wells at Bellevue and Puritan Bay indicate 

an extension of water in lower Chesapeake beds into the county, but 

the failure to flnd water in them at Clay Bank and Gloucester probably 

indicates that they do not extend far to the east. The Clay Bank well 

to 538 feet is thought to draw from the basal Pamunkey bed, and its 

small water supply may indicate that no water is to be expected to the 

eastward at this horizon. Possibly, as appears to be the case in the 

Gloucester well, the boring stopped at the rock stratum, and water might 

have been found below. The chances for still deeper waters have not been 

tested in this region, and we can not predict how great they may be.

MATHEWS> COUNTY.

I have heard of no boring in this county, but should expect the 

water-bearing beds of the Lancaster wells to extend into the county, or 

at least into the northern-portion. The failure of the 600-foot boring at 

Gloucester may indicate that this is not the case; but, as explained 

above, the evidence of that well is not conclusive. A well to a depth of 

1,000 feet would probably reach the Potomac beds, in which there is 

some prospect of finding water, if water were not found in the basal or 

higher Pamunkey beds above.

EASTERN HANOVER COUNTY.

The portion of this county lying east of the Eichmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad is underlain by Potomac and Pamuukey
VlRGItftA.

beds, which in all probability carry their usual water supply. No wells 

have been bored to them, but the outcrops exhibit gravel deposits at 

the base of the Painunkey marls and coarse gravel and sand in the 

Potomac formation, which are the requisite conditions for water-bearing 

beds. The well at Bothwell is in the sandstone of the Newark formation, a water bearer which is not under discussion in this report. The 

wells at Ashland are in basal Potomac beds and the underlying disintegrated granite.

NEW KENT COUNTY.

This county presents similar conditions to those in central and eastern King William. The wells at White House indicate the extension 

of the basal Painunkey waters, and the wells to a depth of 168 feet at 

Plum Point and 160 feet at West Point indicate the presence of basal 

Chesapeake waters. The boring which was abandoned at 80 feet at 

Providence Forge would no doubt have reached the basal Chesapeake 

waters at no great depth below.

CHARLES CITY COUNTY.

I have learned of no wells in this county, but there exists in it the 

same favorable conditions for water as in New Kent County. The 

Potomac formation is not far below tide-water level in the eastern 

portion of the county, where it presents the relations shown in section 4 

of PI. XVI. The coarse, gravelly basal beds of the basal Pamunkey 

beds pass beneath tide-water level near the western border of the 

county, and no doubt will yield water to the eastward as far as the 

Chickahominy Eiver.

Of the basal Chesapeake beds, which underlie all of the eastern 

portion of the county, I can speak with less confidence, for they have 

not yet been explored on this section of James Eiver. In the outcrops 

about the City Point region they are gravelly sands only a few inches 

thick, but water runs out of them in springs and seeps in every 

exposure. At Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Homewood they yield 

large supplies of fine water.

JAMES CITY COUNTY.

The success of the many wells about West Point and of the wells at 

Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Homewood would appear to indicate a 

general extension of the basal Chesapeake water horizon under this 

county. The failure of the deeper well at Williamsburg to find water 

at this horizon can, I believe, be explained only by the suggestion that 

the water was overlooked in boring, as it was found in the shallower 

well, but the deep well no doubt indicates the absence of waters in the 

basal Pamunkey beds.

YORK AND WARWICK COUNTIES.

No wells have been'reported in these counties, but possibly the 

waters found at Grabels Mill, Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Homewood
188 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

continue at least part way across them. There is great need for water 

at Yorktown, and there is sufficient possibility of finding water in 

basal Chesapeake beds at a depth of about 450 feet to warrant the 

sinking of a well to test for it. This suggestion would also apply to 

Warwick and vicinity. There is a possibility of water also at the 538- 

foot horizon of Claybank.

ELIZABETH CITY COUNTY.

The success of the new 945-foot well at the Chamberlain Hotel, Fort 

Monroe, gives encouragement for deep-seated water supplies in this 

county. The failure of the boring at North End Point is thought to be 

due to inadequate testing of the beds, but it may possibly indicate that 

the waters at Fort Monroe do not extend northeastward. The slight 

salinity of the Fort Monroe water is unfortunate, but this may decrease 

as the well flows, and on the other hand the source of the salinity may 

not be widespread. The earlier Fort Monroe boring was within 38 feet 

of this water, but the 600-foot boring at Newport News was discontinued over 300 feet above it.

I am of the opinion that it will be well worth the expense to sink a 

boring at Fort Monroe which shall go to bed rock at about 1,350 feet 

to ascertain whether there are lower and basal Potomac waters under 

the peninsula.

NORFOLK COUNTY.

The only attempts to obtain water in this county have been borings 

to moderate depths in the vicinity of Norfolk. The well at Money 

Point obtained fair water at 562 feet in Chesapeake beds, but at Lambert Point, Norfolk, these beds-yielded only saline water. On the 

basis of my belief that there is a fair possibility of water in the basal 

beds of the Potomac formation near the bed-rock surface, I have 

encouraged the plan of sinking a boring at Norfolk to this horizon, 

which will probably be found between 1,500 and 1,700 feet at the very 

greatest (see section 4 of PI. XVI). Possibly good supplies will be 

found in higher beds, as at Fort Monroe. The boring is now in progress, 

but the result will be learned too late to go into this report.

PRINCESS ANNE COUNTY.

There are no deep borings in this county, and as the general conditions are similar to those iu Norfolk County, there is nothing to add to 

the statement made above.

ACCOMAC AND NORTHAMPTON COUNTIES.

The well at Onancoek, which was bored to a depth of 486 feet, but 

found no water below 140 feet, is the only one of which I have learned
DARTON.] VIRGINIA. 189

on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. The wells at Crisfield, Md., were 

bored to a depth of 1,016 feet before a water supply was found, and 

this demonstrated that for the Crisfield region, at least, there are no 

basal Chesapeake or Pamunkey waters. The water found at Crisfield 

may be expected with some' degree of confidence in- Accomac and 

Northampton counties at about 1,100 feet below the surface. There 

is also a possibility of even lower water in basal Potomac beds a few 

hundred feet deeper.

EASTERN HENRICO COUNTY.

The city of Eichmond and the region eastward are underlain by the 

Potomac, the Pamunkey, and the Chesapeake formations, of which the 

western limit is in the western part of Eichmond. The Potomac formation lies on the floor of granite which passes beneath tide-water level 

in Eichmond, and contains water to the eastward, but the basal 

Pamunkey and the Chesapeake formations lie above tide level to the 

east line of the county, and the water that they contain farther east is, 

in some measure at least, free to flow out into the James Eiver. The 

relations in the region are shown in section 4 of PL XVI. The only 

wells I know of in the county are in or near Eichmond, and these are 

mainly in the granite. A list of them is given on page 166, and some 

further statements regarding them may be found on page 178.

EASTERN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY.

In the portion of this county that lies east of the Eichmond and 

Petersburg Eailroad water may be expected in the basal Potomac sands 

at depths from 100 to 250 feet. I know of no deep wells in that section.

PRINCE GEORGE AND SUSSEX COUNTIES. .

These counties are underlain by the Potomac, Pamunkey, and Chesapeake formations, and probably these members will be found to carry 

the usual water-bearing beds as in the adjoining region. No wells have 

been reported, but the geologic relations have been studied and the 

regular succession of beds and conditions for water found to prevail. 

The approximate distribution of the water-bearing beds is shown in 

the map, PI. XV.

SURRY COUNTY.

The very successful group of wells at Homewood, on Hog Island, are 

in this county, and they and the Jamestown well give a good basis for 

the belief that the basal Chesapeake waters will be found in a wide 

area to the south and west. The Dendron boring, however, may indicate a restriction of this area. The underlying Pamunkey horizon has 

not been tested, and the chances for water in it are sufficient to warrant 

a boring. Its relations are shown in section 4 of PI. XVI.
190 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.'

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY.

The wells to'depths of 160 to 190 feet at Zuni on the Blackwater and 

at Mount Carmel Church, respectively, indicate an area of water in 

mid-Chesapeake beds which may be widespread, but of which the full 

extent can be determined only by further boring. The water is probably at the same horizon as that at Franklin, at a depth of 130 feet. 

Notwithstanding the failure of the boring at Dendron, in Surry County, 

I believe there are some chances for basal Chesapeake waters throughout, and an almost certain prospect for them in the north, toward the 

Hog Island region, where they yield such large supplies. The Pamunkey and Potomac horizons remain to be tested, for no wells have yet 

been sunk to them.

SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY.

The Courtland and Franklin wells indicate the existence of two water 

horizons at moderate depths in this county. The Franklin water was 

not reported in the Courtland wells, where it should not be more than 

40 or 50 feet below the surface. The Courtland water has not been 

sunk to at Franklin, where it probably lies about 250 feet below the 

surface. The extent of these waters in the county is not known. The 

Arringdale water may be from the same horizon as that at Courtland, 

and if this is the case, it would be reasonable to expect it to be found 

throughout the intervening distance. The Potomac formation is probably a water bearer in this county, but nothing can be promised for the 

Pamunkey formation, as it has not been studied. It is thought that a 

well to about 350 feet at Courtland would reach the basal Pamunkey 

beds.

NANSEMOND COUNTY.

No wells were reported from this county, and there are no data on 

which to base predictions, except for a few miles from Franklin in an 

area under which the Franklin water may reasonably be expected to 

extend.

NORTH CAROLINA.

GEOLOGIC FEATURES.

All of the data for this State were supplied by Prof. J. A. Holmes, 

State geologist, and they are presented by him under the very convenient headings of counties. A general review of the horizons is not 

attempted at present, but for each county in the Coastal Plain region 

the well prospects are pointed out, so far as there is any evidence on 

which to base predictions.

The general geologic structure of the Coastal Plain in North Carolina is indicated in the accompanying section by Professor Holmes, 

fig. 8.

The principal difference in the geology of this region from that of 

Virginia is the reappearance of the marine Cretaceous beds, which
DAHTON.J NORTH CAROLINA. 191

thicken rapidly and rise to tide-water level and above nearly as far 

east as Wilinington. The Eocene formation thins soinewjiat, and in the 

southern counties lies almost entirely above tide level, on an irregular 

floor of marine Cretaceous sands and marls.

The Chesapeake beds thin rapidly southward, and lie mostly above 

tide level in shallow basins on the Eocene or marine Cretaceous.

The Potoinac, the most important of the water-bearing formations of 

the Coastal Plain region, is best developed along the western border of 

this region in the counties southwest of the Neuse Eiver Harnett, 

Moore, and Eichmond. In these counties it is exposed at intervals 

over considerable area; and, dipping gently southeastward on the 

eroded surface of the crystalline rocks, these Potomac strata doubtless 

carry considerable quantities of water. The Potomac formation also 

reaches the surface over limited areas, both to the north and south of 

the Roanoke Eiver, above Weldon; and there are also limited outcrops 

of the formation at intervals between the Eoanoke and Neuse rivers, 

but in this latter region the exposed areas of the formation are far less 

extensive than between the Neuse and the Pedee, and consequently the 

underground water supplies below the Tertiary marls of the counties 

between the Neuse and Eoanoke will probably prove to be less abundant than in the more southerly counties.

The following list of these wells is arranged geographically from north 

to south:

List of deep wells in the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina.

Locality.

Elizabeth City, 10 wells. . ....

Avoca .......................

Do.......................

Do.......................

D. C . Way Lumber Co .......

Fairfield.. ...................

Newborn .................... 

Do.......................

Do.......................

County.

Pasquotank ......

Bertie ............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Hyde.............

.....do............

...:.do ............

.....do ............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Craven ........... 

.....do............

.....do............

Depth.

Feet. 

64

340

180 

140

100

360

215

300

50-75

205

115

86

130

100, 160,

and 195 

212

230

350 

50

90

Kern arks.

Flow 15 gallons each; water hard and 

sulphurous.

Do.

Do.

water also at 120 feet.

also at 85 feet.'

water 86-340 feet.

Pumps good water. 

Do.

Do.
192 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138. 

List of deep wells in the Coastal Plain region of North Carolina Continued.

Locality.

Do.......................

T)n

Do.......................

Do.......................

County.

.....do............

.....do ............

.....do............

Pitt ..............

.....do ............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

Depth.

Feet. 

on

200

160

75

82

160

218

200+

125

266

115

57

100

175

63

225

495

84-100

400

Remarks.

Do.

Do.

quality satisfactory.

feet(?).

NOTES ON WELLS AND PROSPECTS, BY COUNTIES.

Quite a number of wells have been sunk in the Coastal Plain region 

of North Carolina, but they have not been very successful. Many of 

the waters are unsatisfactory, owing to sulphur or other minerals, and 

only a few have furnished large supplies. Their depths are mainly less 

than 300 feet, and it seems probable that more satisfactory water would 

be found lower down, below the marls and their associated clays.

PASQUOTANK COUNTY.

At Elizabeth City, in 1891, Mr. Henry E. Knpx, jr., bored ten wells in 

different portions of the town, the average depth of which was 64 feet. 

At several of these wells, which are located at slightly lower portions 

of the surface, the water overflows the top of the pipe. There are two 

water-bearing strata, having an average depth of 58 and 78 feet, respectively, below the surface. The water from both strata is strongly sulphurous and hard, but free from surface contamination. Each well, 

lined with a 2-inch pipe, as estimated by Mr. Knox, will easily yield 

10,000 gallons of water per day. In the following statement as to 

thickness and depth of the strata penetrated in boring these wells, two 

wells are selected Nos. 2 and 8 as representing the varying character 

and thickness of the materials in different portions of the town.

Well No. 2 is located on the north bank of the north branch of 

Poindexter Creek where crossed by Pool street. This well is 78 feet
DARTON.] NORTH CAROLINA. 193

i

6 inches deep, and penetrates the* following' strata, beginning at the

surface:

Foet.

0-12£.....inuck. 

12f-14£..... yellow sand. 

14f-4H.....marl. 

41^-43...... fine sand.

43-55...... blue clay.

55-60...... coarse water-bearing sand.

60-65^..... fine sand.

65^-784-. ....coarse water-bearing sand, and under this a blue clay of 

unknown thickness.

Well No. 8 is located near the crossing of McMourine and Main 

streets, has a depth of 60 feet, arid penetrates the following strata:

Feet.

0-19...... yellow sand.

19-54...... marl.

54-56^.... .fine sand.

56^-60...... coarse water-bearing sand.

The occurrence of these water-bearing strata at comparatively shallow depths at Elizabeth City would seem to indicate that similar waterbearing strata might be found in other portions of this and adjoining 

counties.

NORTHAMPTON AND HALIFAX COUNTIES.

No deep wells are reported as having been bored in either of these 

counties. In the southern and eastern portions, however, it is probable 

that supplies of good water could be obtained at depths not greater 

than from 100 to 200 feet. In the northern and western portions of 

these counties, and in adjacent regions in Virginia, the Potomac 

arkose and gravels are exposed over limited areas, and these waterbearing strata, when not removed by erosion, should be reached in the 

eastern and southern portions of these counties at depths not greater 

than those given above.

GATES AND HERTFORD COUNTIES.

No overflowing or deep wells have been reported from these counties. 

In view of the fact, however, that at both Franklin and Courtlaud, 10 

to 15 miles to the north of these counties, excellent supplies of water 

are obtained at depths varying from 100 to 165 feet, it is reasonable to 

suppose that these water-bearing strata would be penetrated along the 

upper portions of both these counties at depths not greater than from 

200 to 300 feet; and in all portions of these counties it is probable that 

supplies of good Abater can be obtained at depths not much greater 

than those just given, and may possibly be reached at depths not so 

great.

\ CHOWAN COUNTY.

At Bdenton, in this county, a well has been bored to the depth of 

340 feet by Mr. J. W. Branning. In boring this well the surface sands 

Bull. 138 ^-13
194 AETESIAN WELLS 0& THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BOLL. 138.

and loams were found to extend clown to a depth of 21 feet, and below 

this the marl extended to 340 feet; at which point, no water-bearing 

strata having been reached, the well was abandoned. At other places 

in the county driven wells and bored wells have been sunk to a depth

of from 20 to 100 feet. Of these, none are 

| «" g reported as overflowing, but in many of

 g g IB them water of good quality comes so near 

§ -§ that it can be raised to the surface with 

| « § an ordinary cheap pump. 

£ 11 As to the probabilities for deep wells in 

g 11 this county, it may be said that the flow- 

% 11 ing wells at Franklin and Courtland, Va., 

||| some 50 miles to the northwest of this 

| 16 point, where water-bearing strata are

I o a° reached at a depth of from 100 to 150 feet ° "£> % «-g below the surface, indicate that similar

13 I o water-bearing strata ought to be reached

|, s | at a greater depth below the surface in

| «"| Chowan County. At just what depth these

^ ,§ | water-bearing strata would be reached the ' g "-1 c2

H ^ $ information in hand is insufficient to warg | w rant one to predict. The failure of the

3 § « Branuing well at Edenton seems to indi-

^ g fia 

o°| cate the absence of water-bearing strata

|^| nearer the surface than 340 feet. It is

il w.^ probable that water-bearing strata will

° 11 be reached at a .depth not much greater

 2 "I § than this.

®,| § In the adjacent counties of Perqnimans,

I 3 ^ Pasquotank, Camden, and Currituck no

 | g deep or flowing wells have been re- 

| ^ ported. In the first named of these 

5 ^ * counties a number of driven wells have 

3 1 a1 1 been sunk to a depth of.from 50 to 175 

® «,|| feet in the vicinity of Hertford, on the 

| 3 ^ |> Norfolk and Southern Kailroad. In these, 

«_5 | g water of good quality rises so near the. 

§ I ^ f top that it can be easily brought to 

9 .s o" I the surface by cheap pumps. In Pasquo- 

"! E JI tank County good water is reported as 

|"" ° * having been reached in a similar way at 

	Elizabeth City, and no reason is known 

why the same should not be done in Camden and Currituck counties.

BERTIE COUNTY.

At Avoca, the head of the Albemarle Sound, a pipe has been driven 

to a depth of 180 feet without securing a flow of water. At this depth 

quicksand interfered so seriously with the progress of the work that
CARTON.] NORTH CAROLINA. 195

the undertaking was abandoned. The fact that at Edenton (Chowan 

County), only a few miles east, a well was sunk to a depth of 340 feet 

without success indicates that in the eastern part of Bertie County 

wells will probably have to be sunk to a depth of 300 feet or more 

before a water-bearing stratum will be reached. In view of the facts, 

however, that the Potomac gravels and arkose are found at the surface well developed toward the northwest and north, at distances of 

30 to 50 miles from Bertie County, and that at Franklin and Courtland, Va., 35 to 45 miles north of Bertie County, supplies of artesian 

waters of excellent quality are obtained below the marl, and at depths 

of 150 to 170 feet below- the surface, it may be reasonably supposed 

that iu portions of Bertie County water-bearing Potomac strata should 

be reached within 300 or 400 feet of the surface.

MARTIN. COUNTY.

No borings of deep wells have been reported from this county. It 

may be said, however, that in the northwestern portion of the county, 

adjoining Edgecombe, the success of the wells in the latter county at 

Tarboro would seem to indicate' that water-bearing strata would be 

reached here at a depth of between 150 and 300 feet below the surface. 

In the lower part of the county these same water-bearing strata could 

be reached at a slightly greater depth.

BEAUFORT COUNTY.

Several deep wells have been bored in this county, but the records of 

the strata penetrated at different depths are generally incomplete, and 

the supplies of water obtained have not been altogether satisfactory.

In the town of Washington several wells were bored: (1) At the 

residence of W. B. Eodman, 140 feet deep. A considerable supply of 

water was obtained, but it was hard and not very palatable. It does 

not overflow, but rises sufficiently near to the surface to be lifted by 

the use of an ordinary pump. (2) The ice factory well, about 100 feet 

deep; general character of water about the same as in the Rodman 

water just described. (3) The city well, which was bored by the city 

a few years ago to a reported depth of about 360 feet. In the boring 

the pipe was broken off. The water did not overflow; it^ supply proved 

to be insufficient and the well was abandoned.

At Covington's mill, Yatesville, a well was bored in 1891 to a depth 

of 215 feet with successful results. The water overflows through a 

3-inch pipe at the rate of 50 or 60 gallons per minute, at an elevation 

of 2£ -feet above the surface. The strata passed through in boring this 

well consist of sand with intervening beds of marl and shell rock. 

Near the bottom it passed through 10 feet of soft rock, below which it 

reached an abundant supply of water.

The D. C. Way Lumber Company has a flowing well on the west of 

Pungo Kiver, 3 miles north of Leachville. It is located about 50 yards
196 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

from the river. The top of the 3-inch iron pipe is about 8 feet above 

the mean tide of the river surface, and water from the well overflows 

the pipe at the rate of 15 gallons per minute.

In boring this well the first important water-bearing stratum was 

reached at a depth of 120 feet. The water obtained here was " cool 

and nice," but the quantity was insufficient. 'Pumping brought to the 

surface large quantities of sand, and the boring was continued down 

through sand, a part of which was bluish colored, to a depth of 300 

feet. At this point the drill cut through 2 or 3 feet of rock, from 

below which the water rose and overflowed the top of the pipe. This 

water, however, has sulphurous odor and taste, and can not be used 

either for drinking or boiler purposes. It has a temperature of 62° to 

64° F., and is shown by analysis to contain, per United States gallon, 

59.97 grains of mineral matter, consisting mainly of sulphate of-lime 

and carbonate of magnesia. ~

WASHINGTON AND TYRRELL COUNTIES.

In Washington County several wells have been bored to a depth of 

from 50 to 75 feet, under the supervision of the Norfolk and Southern 

Railroad Company. From four to six of these wells were bored at 

Roper, in. the northern part of Washington County, where strata A^ere 

penetrated as follows:

Clay from surface to about 15 feet; 

Below this a few feet of fine sand; 

v Below this about 20 feet of clay;

Below this a blue mud, containing small shells in considerable quantity, which

has a thickness of about 20 feet, underlain by a few feet of rather coarse

sand which is water bearing.

A 2-inch pipe penetrating these strata is found to yield, with the aid 

of a pump, from 500 to 800 gallons per hour. Unfortunately, the waters 

from these wells are highly impregnated with salts of magnesia and 

calcium, so that they are not well adapted for either domestic or boiler 

purposes.

In the Southern part of the county, at Belhaven, several wells were 

bored to a less depth than those at Roper, but they reached water of 

the same general character. It is probable that if the wells at this 

and other places were sunk to still greater depth they would yield a 

larger and better supply of water.

In Tyrrell County (adjoining Washington on the east) no deep wells 

have been reported, consequently there is very little upon which to 

base an opinion. No doubt considerable supplies of good water are 

secured from the juniper swamps in many portions of the county. 

Judging from, the success which has attended the boring of deep wells 

in Hyde County it may be considered probable that in Tyrrell wells 

bored to a depth of from 75 to 300 feet below the surface would penetrate water-bearing strata, and that the water from them would either 

rise to the surface and overflow or come sufficiently near to the surface 

to be reached with ordinary pumps.
DABTON.] NORTH CAROLINA. 197

BA.R15 COUNTY.

Fo deep wells have been reported from this county, but the success 

attending the boring of deep wells in the adjoining county of Hyde is 

sufficient to encourage the belief that wells bored to depths of from 

100 to 1,000 feet in Bare might yield flowing supplies of water. The 

existing wells in this county have generally a depth of from 3 to 10 feet.

HYDE COUNTY.

Two or three years ago a number of deep wells were bored in Hyde 

County, mainly in the more thickly settled region around Mattamuskeet 

Lake. They range in depth from 50 to 340 feet, and at some of them 

the water overflows, while at others it rises within reach of ^rdinary 

pumps. The following are the more important of these wells concerning which reports have been received:

Lake Landing well, about 1 mile southwest of Lake Landing postoffice and 1 mile from the shore of Mattamuskeet Lake, was bored 

for Mr. W. B. Lavender, of Lake Lauding. The strata penetrated in 

boring the well were as follows:

Feet.

0-8...... black clayey soil.

8-38...... gray sand, alternating with blue clay, mixed with shells.

38-85... ...pure sand, in the lower part of which is a water-bearing stratum.

85-190.... ..shell marl and black sand alternating; occasionally layers of

yellow clay and shell rock.

190-191...... shell rock 8 inches thick.

191-204...... sand and shell marl.

204-205...-..shell rock 15 inches thick, where an excellent supply of drinking water of the best quality was struck, but it was interfered 

with by quicksand.

Just below the shell rock, at 205 feet, an abundant supply of water 

was reached. It is the water from this stratum which now yields, with 

an ordinary pump, 15 gallons per minute. The two main wa.ter-beariug 

strata penetrated in this well are those at about 85 and 205 feet below 

the surface. The water obtained at the first of these levels was soft 

and without disagreeable taste or odor; but this supply, at this particular well, was stopped on account of the quicksand coming into the 

pipe. The water from the 205-foot stratum is light, soft, cool, and quite 

clear. It has, however, when first drawn a slightly unpleasant taste 

and odor, due to the sulphur which it contains.

Lake Comfort ivell, at Lake Comfort, on the south shore of Mattamuskeet Lake, was bored to a depth of 115 feet. This well overflows 

in a 1^-inch stream under about 6 inches head. When the pump is 

applied the supply of water is equal to the capacity of the pipe, and 

immediately upon the stopping of the pump the water continues to flow 

rapidly. The water obtained at this point is also clear, but has a 

strong sulphurous taste and smell. The strata penetrated in boring 

this well were, on the whole, quite similar to those penetrated in boring 

the Lake Landing well described above.
198 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. IBUIA. 138.

Swanquarter well. This well, located at Swanquarter (county seat), 

is only 86 feet deep, but was originally bored to a depth of 340 feet. On 

account of the failure of abundant water supply at that depth the pipe 

was withdrawn to a point 86 feet below the surface, where the supply 

of excellent water appears to be ample for all purposes. From the 

surface down to a depth of 205 feet the strata were much the same as 

in the Lake Landing well just described. From 205 to 340 feet (the 

bottom of the well) the strata penetrated are mainly fine sand.

Rose Bay well. This well is located on Rose Bay, about 3 miles southwest of Swanquarter, and has a depth of 130 feet, and a 3-inch pipe, 

which overflows about 1^ feet above high tide-water surface. The 

strata passed through resemble in a general way those described above. 

The wate/ is described as clear and soft and is considered a remarkably 

fine drinking water. It has at first a slight sulphur smell and taste, 

but this disappears on exposure.

Scranton wells. About 10 or 12 miles west of Swanquarter there 

were bored for the Scranton Land and Lumber Company three wells, 

having depths of 100, 160, and 195 feet, which penetrated strata some- 

<>what similar to those above and with similar supplies of water.

Middletown well, located near the eastern shore of Hyde County, has 

a depth of 212 feet. The strata penetrated in boring this well are 

about the same as those penetrated in boring the Lake Landing well, 

about 5 miles Avest of this point, and, as in the case of this latter well, 

a 2-inch pipe in the well rests on a stratum of shell rock 204 feet below 

the surface. The water comes from a water-bearing stratum just below 

this rock. The water from the Middletown well is said to have a sulphurous smell, which, however, disappears on standing, and it is considered to have medicinal properties like the water from the other wells 

near by. The pipe extends 12 inches above ground and the water 

overflows at the top.

Fairfield icell. In the town of Fairfield, on the north shore of Mattamuskeet Lake, a well was dug for Mr. William S. Carter to a depth of 

230 feet. The strata penetrated in boring this well were about the 

same as those penetrated in the boring of the Lake Landing well, on 

the opposite side of the lake. Below the depth of the latter'well this 

Fairfield well is continued to the depth of 230 feet, where another rock 

mass is struck. The water from this well is said to be slightly brackish. 

It overflows the surface continuously.

Several other wells are reported to have been bored in different parts 

of the county with results similar to those described above. These are 

sufficient to show that probably in all portions of this county good supplies of water can be obtained at a depth of either about 80 feet or about 

215 feet below the surface, and that in cases where water does not overflow the surface it can be counted upon to come sufficiently near to permit of being drawn to the surface by an ordinary pump.
SART6N.] HORTH CAROLINA. 199

CKAVEN COUNTY.

%

A iiumber of wells have been bored in the vicinity Of Newborn reach/ 

ing depths of from 50 to 100 feet, and one well has been bored by the 

Newbern Water Company to a depth of 350 feet. None of these wells 

overflow, though all yield abundant supplies of Water which rises Sufficiently near to the surface to be drawn out easily Avith cheap pumps. 

Water-bearing strata yielding most abundant supplies occur at depths 

of about 50, 90, and 350 feet below the surface. The character of the 

water is generally good, that from the 90-foot stratum yielding on 

analysis only 1C parts of mineral matter in 100,000 parts of water. 

The strata passed through in one of the more shallow wells, that of 

Mr. M. W..Carman, are as follows:

Feet. 

0-2...... surface soil.

2-12...... clay loam.

12-22...... quicksand.

22-30......red clay.

30-40...... gravel and sand.

40-52......shell rock.

From this point down to the lowest depth reached the strata are said 

to be mainly of sand, with occasional layers of shell rock and sand rock.

The fact that at none of these wells at Eewbern has the water overflowed may indicate the improbability of discovering flowing wells at 

this or less depth in other portions of Craven County. It is not impossible, however, that by boring to greater depths flowing wells might 

be obtained at Newbern and other portions of Craven County. The 

results obtained at Newberu indicate that satisfactory results may be 

expected in other portions of the county in at least bringing deep supplies of water to within reach of surface pumps.

PAMLICO COUNTY".

The only deep well reported from this county is one which was bored 

by the Springer Lumber Company to a depth of 90 feet on a bluff near 

South Creek, in the northern border of the county. In boring this well 

the following strata were penetrated:

Feet. 

0-6...... surface soil and clay.

6-37...... quicksand and sand.

37-40.... ..shell rock.

40-82...... sand and clay.

This well did not overflow, but the water rose to near the surface and 

yielded a large supply, which was easily obtained by pumping. Unfortunately the water contained so large a percentage of lime that its use 

was abandoned and the pipe removed from the well.

In the western portion of this county the conditions for obtaining 

deep-well supplies of water may be considered quite similar to those
200 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

at Newbern, in Craven County, adjoining it. It is probable that, in 

all portions of the county, in wells bored to a depth of from 100 to 300 

feet a sufficient quantity of water will .rise near the surface, so that 

large supplies can be easily pumped from the deep wells.

CARTEKET COUNTY.

The only deep well reported as being located in this county is one at 

Beaufort, which was bored to a depth of 200 feet by the Gibb's Preserving Company, of Baltimore, Md. The water overflows the top of 

the well at a point 6 or 8 feet above mean tide water in the harbor. 

The water has the taste and odor of sulphur, and consequently is not 

generally used.

JONES COUNTY.

No deep wells have been reported from this county, but, judging 

from the success which has attended the boring of the wells in Craven 

County, and to a lesser extent in Lenoir County, it may be said that 

water-bearing strata will probably be reached in different parts of Jones 

County by deep wells bored to depths varying from 100 to 300 feet. The 

water from such wells may or may not reach the surface and overflow, 

but jfc will probably at least come sufficiently near the surface to be 

within reach of pumps.

SAMPSON COUNTY.

No deep wells are reported from this county. In the region northward from Clinton the Potomac sand and other water-bearing strata 

should lie sufficiently near the surface to be tapped by wells bored to 

depths of from 150 feet to 300 feet, but it is possible that water-bearing 

strata may be reached at a less distance below the surface. In the 

southern portion of the county these water-bearing strata lie at a 

greater depth below the surface than they do to the northward, and 

even here they should be 'within the reach of deep wells.

ONSLOW COUNTY.

Only one deep well has been reported from this county, that bored 

by the Parmelee & Eccleston Lumber Company on the east side of 

New Eiver, 3 miles above Jacksonville, the county seat. At a depth 

of 160. feet the water overflowed the surface in considerable quantity, 

but it was impregnated with sulphur and various -salts, which made it 

valueless for boiler or domestic purposes. The strata penetrated by 

boring are reported to have consisted of alternating layers of blue mud, 

sand, clay, and rock, but no reliable record has as yet been secured. 

Had this boring been continued to a greater depth it is probable that 

water of better quality would have been reached. Wells bored to the 

same depth in other portions .of the county may be freer from objectionable salts. .
DARTON.] NORTH CAROLINA. 201

EDGECOMBE COUNTY.

Several deep wells have been bored during the past few years at 

Tarboro, the county seat, the following of which have been reported on: 

(1) A well with pipe 2 inches in diameter located near the waterworks 

on Hendricks Creek, with the top of pipe in a place several feet below 

the level of the general surface of the region. This well was bored to 

a depth of 75 feet, and it overflows "at the rate of 2 to 3 gallons per 

minute. (2) Well with 1^-inch pipe near the town hall, 82 feet deep. 

Water rises to within 5 feet of the surface and can be easily obtained 

by cheap pumps. (3) A well near the court-house, 160 feet deep, 2-inch 

pipe, in which the water rises within 15 feet of the surface. (4) Another 

well has been reported as having been bored to a depth of 284 feet, from 

which the water is said to rise 18 feet above the surface of the ground.

The strata penetrated in boring these wells average about as follows, 

in descending order: 15 to 20 feet of sandy loam, with water-bearing 

quicksand and line gravel (in places) at the base; 10 to 30 feet of blue 

marl; 30 to 40 feet of hard white sand and yellowish clay in alternate 

layers, in the lower part of which occurs a layer of hardpan about 2 

feet thick. The first water-bearing stratum is at 72 to 75 feet, just 

underneath the hardpan mentioned abave, and other water-bearing 

strata are reached at 110 feet and 284 feet, from both of which the water 

overflows the top of the pipe. At 160 feet there is a water-bearing 

stratum of fine kaolin or arkose material, which gives a milky color 

to the water .and renders it undesirable for domestic purposes. The 

water from the strata at 75, 110, and 284 feet below <the surface is said 

to be soft and palatable for drinking purposes.

GREENE COUNTY.

No deep wells are reported from Greene County. The occurrence of 

granite rocks at the surface 10 to 12 miles west and southwest of this 

county makes it probable that these rocks would be reached in Greene 

County at a depth of not more than 300 feet below the surface. It is 

probable that the water-bearing Potomac strata would be found here 

below the blue marl and between the latter and the crystalline rocks. 

Hence it seems probable that in portions of the county supplies of 

water could be obtained at a reasonable depth; and should the water 

not rise to the surface and overflow, it would nevertheless rise sufficiently near the surface to be reached by ordinary pumps.

PITT COUNTY.

In Greenville, the county seat, one well was bored by Maj. L. C. 

Latham to a depth of a little over 200 feet, at which point the waterbearing stratum was penetrated, but it did not overflow the surface and 

the pipe filled with sand before the supply of water was finally tested. 

The strata passed through were: 20-25 feet of sandy clay; about 20
202 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST.

feet of blue mud (Miocene), with some gravel at its base. Below this 

the material is mainly micaceous sand, with occasional fragments of 

rock. 'No other deep wells are reported as having been bored in his 

county. It is probable that in the upper portion of the county, at a 

depth of from 200 to 300 feet, water-bearing strata should be found 

corresponding to those to be met with at Tarboro, in Edgecombe 

County; and in the eastern and southern portions of the county it is 

probable that these water-bearing strata could be tapped at a depth 

not much greater than this.

WILSON COUNTY.

Two or three deep wells have been bored, but without success so far 

as water supply is concerned. One at Wilson Cotton Mills was bored 

to a depth of 125 feet, the first 28 feet being through laminated sand 

and clays (Lafayette), and the remainder of the distance to 125 feet 

being in the blue clay (Miocene). At the base of the sands and clays 

28 feet below the surface a limited amount of water was obtained, and 

it is to about this depth that the open wells of the town are usually 

driven. Again, at the depth of 67 to 70 feet below the surface a layer 

of small gravel and shell was found in the blue clay and proved to be 

water-bearing to a limited extent; but the water obtained from this 

depth was so highly impregnated with lime and other mineral matter 

as to be unfit for use as domestic or boiler water.

No other deep wells have been bored in the county. It is probable 

that in other portions of the county supplies of deep-well water may 

be obtained below the marl and on top of the crystalline rocks, which 

would probably be reached-in the eastern half of the county at depths 

varying from 100 to 200 feet below the surface. Should such a waterbearing stratum be reached below'the marl and between it and the 

crystalline rocks, it is probable that the water would be of good quality 

and that it would come near the surface, so as to be available by pumping, even if it did not overflow.

WAYNE COUNTY.

Two deep wells are reported from Wayne County, one bored to a 

depth of 266 feet by the Goldsboro Ice Company, in the town of Goldsboro, and the other bored at the Eastern State Hospital, 1 to 2 miles 

west of Goldsboro, which is still unfinished. Neither is a flowing well, 

but the one bored by the ice company yields a considerable supply of 

good water by pumping.

The strata penetrated in the ice company's well are as follows:

Feet.

0-7...... reddish sandy clay.

7-15......coarse white sands, water bearing.

15-40......blackish sandy clay, with fragments of vegetable remains,

pyrite, and shell-marl. 

40-45...... bluish-gray sand.
CARTON.] NORTH CAROLINA. 203

Feet.

45-50...... bine and -white coarse sand, water bearing.

50-125...... line white sand and quicksand.

125-150...... reddish, stiff, fine mud or clay.

150-220...... strata of tine sand, with occasional layers of hardpan near the

bottom. 

220-226...... coarse whitish sand, water bearing.

226-266...... crystalline schists..

The layer of coarse sand mentioned above as resting directly on top 

of the crystalline rock will probably be the most reliable water-bearing 

stratum of the series penetrated at Goldsboro, though valuable supplies of good water may also be obtained in places at a less depth, as 

from the water-bearing stratum of coarse sand which occurs at Goldsboro at 45-50 feet below the surface.

At the western boundary of the county the crystalline rocks appear 

at the surface in local outcrops, but to the west, as well as to the eastward of this point, the Coastal Plain formations reach a considerable 

thickness. In the eastern and southern portions of the county these 

water-bearing strata will no doubt be reached within less than 300 feet 

of the surface, and will probably yield considerable supplies of good 

water. Wells bored in thisj»-region may not overflow except possibly 

in low places, but the water may be expected to come nea/enough to 

the surface to be within reach of pumps.

LKNOIR COUNTY.

No very deep wells are reported as having been bored in Lenoir 

County. In Kinston, the county seat, one well was bored to a depth 

of 115 feet, but abandoned on account of quicksand. The strata penetrated in this boring were, after passing through a few feet of surface, 

about 20 feet of sandy clay, and then several feet of coarse sand, which 

yields a considerable supply of fairly good water. It is this waterbearing stratum which is now being tapped by a number of driven 

wells in the town of Kinston. A layer of sandy clay above it is probably sufficient to prevent any considerable amount of contaminating 

surface material from reaching this water-bearing stratum. Below this 

water-bearing sandy layer is a considerable bed of quicksand, the thickness of which is unknown, as it has not yet been penetrated. It is 

probable that when this quicksand is penetrated, a water-bearing 

stratum of coarser sand will be found underneath it which will yield 

considerable supplies of good water. It may rise to within easy reach 

of the surface.

In the western portion of this county, about 5 miles south of La Grange 

and on the south side of Neuse Eiver, a well has been bored to the depth 

of 57 feet, on the lands of Mr. Thomas Dawson, which is said to overflow at the rate of 6 gallons per minute. This well penetrated the 

following strata: Thirteen feet of sandy loam and sand; 44 feet of blue 

marl. Immediately below this blue marl the pipe penetrated a layer of 

sand from which the water rose and overflowed the pipe.
204 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE.ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

The well is located in a rather low, flat region. In portions of the 

county it is probable that this marl would be penetrated and good 

supplies of water reached at a depth not greater than .100 to 200 feet.

DUPLIN COUNTY.

JST6 deep wells have been reported from this county, but one is now 

being bored at Warsaw, on the Wilmingtou and Weldon Kailroad. It 

is probable that in the upper portion of the county, adjoining the county 

of Wayne, water-bearing strata will be reached at a depth of from 100 

to 300 feet, and that in the southern portion similar strata may be 

reached at slightly greater depth. It is not certain that in portions of 

this county flowing wells could be reached, though it is likely that water 

from these deeper strata would rise sufficiently near the surface to be 

within reach of ordinary pumps, and in some of the lower areas the 

water may overflow the surface.

FENDER COUNTY.

Several wells have been bored at Burgaw, the county seat, to a depth 

of nearly 100 feet. One of these, bored by Mr. Bruce Williams, penetrated the following strata: >'-'

Feet.

0-15...... surface soil sandy, bluish clay.

16-40...... stiff bluish clay with occasional admixtures of coarse sand.

41-70......blue mud and clay, alternating strata of each.

71-75...... gravel with round pebbles as large as buckshot.

76-96......fine sand with an occasional small lump of marshy mud about

the size of buckshot.

At this point the boring was stopped. The water does not overflow, 

but comes sufficiently near the surface to be reached with a pump. It 

has a slightly saline taste, but is consideredo of good quality, both for 

domestic and for boiler purposes.

At Long Creek, in the western part of the county, a few miles southwest of Burgaw, on the land of Mr. W. W. Larkins, a well was bored 

to the depth of 175 feet, but because of quicksand and rock it was 

abandoned without securing a supply of water. The strata penetrated 

in boring this well were as follows:

root.

0-20...... sand and clay.

20 -120...... blue mud.

120 -126|. - - - -hard, dark-colored rock.

126^-146...... quicksand.

At the base of this quicksand another layer of hard rock was struck, 

and the well has been temporarily abandoned on account of quicksand 

rising in the pipes. The result of these borings at Long Creek and 

Burgaw seems to indicate that no well-marked water-bearing stratum 

in this county occurs within a hundred feet of the surface. The evidence, however, should not be considered as conclusive for all portions
DAKTON.] NORTH CAROLINA. 205

of the county. It is possible that water-bearing strata may be reached 

a short distance below the rocks which appear at the bottom of the 

Long Creek well, 175 feet below the surface.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY.

No deep wells are reported as existing in Cumberland County, but 

the Potomac arkose sands and gravel, which appear at the surface over 

considerable areas to the north and west of Cumberland, are also exposed 

in the bluffs of the Cape Fear River, which passes through this county, 

and wells bored to a depth of from 100 to 300 feet in different portions 

of the area would probably yield ample supplies of water.

BLADEN COUNTY.

No deep wells have been reported as bored in this county, but there 

are two or more shallow "flowing wells" at Bladenboro, on the Carolina Central Kailroad, in the southwest portion of the county, on the 

lands of Messrs. S. N. Ferguson and J. W. Callahan. One of these has 

a depth of 35 feet and the other a depth of 40 feet5 1^-inch pipe was 

used in both cases. In one case the upper end of the pipe rises 2 feet 

above the surface and the flow of water amounts to 2 gallons per minute, while in the other case the pipe rises no higher than the surface 

soil and the flow amounts to 3 gallons per minute. The materials penetrated in boring these wells are a compact clay underlain by coarse 

bluish sand, which is water bearing, and in which the pipes, stop.

It is probable that in many portions of the county wells bored to 

similar depths would meet with similarly successful results, and at 

greater depths/200 to 400 feet, it is probable that much larger supplies 

of water would be obtained.

ROBESON AND RICHMOND COUNTIES.

No deep wells are reported from these counties; but the conditions 

may be considered fairly favorable for securing underground supplies of 

water in the southeastern portion of Richmond, and in all of Robeson, 

except, possibly, in the northwestern portion. Among the sand hills 

about Hamlet, and northward along the Seaboard Air Line Railroad, 

the Potomac or other sandy and arkose strata that directly overlie the 

eroded surface of the crystalline rocks are exposed over a considerable 

area. The rainfall absorbed by these sands may be expected to move 

southeastward in part, and should be reached by penetrating the overlying formation southeast of this region to depths varying, in Robeson 

and southeastern Richmond, from probably 100 to 300 feet, the depth 

increasing farther southeastward. No assurance can be given that, 

when tapped, these water supplies will overflow the pipes at the surface, 

though in low areas they might do so in some cases 5 but in many more 

cases probably the best that can be expected is that the water will rise 

near enough to the surface to come within reach of ordinary pumps.
206 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

COLUMBUS COUNTY.

Only one flowing well-is reported that at Vinelaud (formerly Whiteville), on the Wilmingtou, Columbia and Augusta Eailroad, 43 miles 

west of Wilmingtou. This well has a depth of 63 feet and yields a little 

. over 4 gallons per minute. Several other deep wells have been bored at 

Vineland, the deepest being about 225 feet, but none of them overflow. 

'The overflowing of the one first mentioned is probably in a measure 

due to the fact that it is located in a place several feet lower than the 

general surface of the surrounding country. In each of these deep 

wells at Vineland the water rises to within a few feet of the surface 

and can be easily secured by pumping. In boring these wells but a 

thin deposit of marl was struck. The deep wells which do not furnish 

a flowing stream nevertheless yield as large a supply of water, or a 

larger one, which rises sufficiently near the surface to enable it to be 

pumped with a cheap pump. In boring these wells little marl was 

found, but at intervals layers of shell rock and sand occurred.

In view of the extensive surface exposures of the water-bearing 

Potomac arkose sands and gravels 50 to 75 miles northwest of this 

county, it seems probable that wells bored here to a depth of 300 to 500 

feet would penetrate the eastward extension of these water-bearingstrata and furnish ample supplies of good water.

BRUNSWICK COUNTY.

ISTo deep wells have yet been bored in this county. The strata would 

probably be the same as those penetrated in sinking the well at Wilmiugton; and the results of a deep boring would no doubt be much the 

same as in that case. In many cases flowing shallow wells might be 

obtained, similar to those in Bladen County.

NEW HANOVER COUNTY.

The well bored by the Clarendon Water Works Company at Hinton 

Park, Wilmington, is the deepest yet bored in the Coastal Plain regions 

of the State, having reached the depth of 496 feet. From this depth 

the water overflows at the'rate of about 75 gallons per minute, and 

t will rise in the -pipe about 30 feet above tide water. The water is 

highly saline and no use is made of it.

This well is located on the east bank of the Northeast Eiver, only a 

few feet above the water surface, and on the upper surface of the Cretaceous formation, the overlying Tertiary marl and later sands having 

been removed by river erosion. The entire boring is in what has been 

classed by Mr. T. W. Stanton as the Eipley Cretaceous. As the Potomac water-bearing strata are believed to underlie these Cretaceous 

beds, it is piobabje that if this boring were continued downward until 

these Potomac strata are penetrated abundant supplies of good water 

would be reached and would rise to the surface.
DARTON.I NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA.

In the city of Wilmingtou, at an. elevation of about 60 feet above 

tide, three wells were bored by Mr. W. E. Worth at the ice factory. In 

neither of these does the water overflow, but it rises to a point 2 feet 

above mean tide level. These three wells, 60 to 80 feet apart, were 

sunk to the depth of 84,96, and 100 feet, respectively, one being 6 inches 

and the other two 8 inches in diameter. Each well has for some time 

been yielding 400 gallons of good water per minute, containing not 

more than 14.80 grains of mineral matter per United States gallon.

The strata penetrated by these wells are as follows:

Feet. 

0-20......sand.

20-85 ...... inarl (Tertiary).

85-101.. ....alternating layers of sand and shell rock 6-10 feet thick.

The only other deep well reported from this county is that bored to a 

depth of 400 feet at the Hammocks, in Wrightsville Sound. Here aii 

8-inch pipe was sunk to a depth of 100 feet without favorable results. 

A 6-inch pipe was their lowered inside the 8-inch pipe and sunk to a 

depth of 400 feet without securing any considerable supply of water. 

After the sinking of this inner pipe, however, the water came up 

between the outer (100-foot) pipe and the inner (400-foot) pipe and overflowed the surface, at the rate of about* 8 gallons per minute. The 

water is of good quality, though it has a slight sulphur taste and odor.

"No record of the strata penetrated in boring the well has been found. 

It appears, however, from the testimony of several persons, that at 

90-100 feet there is a considerable layer of rock, and that the water 

supply probably comes from beneath this stratum.

SOUTH CAROLINA.

GEOLOGIC RELATIONS.

The geology of the greater part of the Coastal Plain region of South 

Carolina was studied with care by Tuomey a half century ago, and 

very little has since been added to our knowledge. Many of the relations were clearly determined by Tuomey, but some'were not fully investigated, and they have remained in doubt. The principal undetermined 

relations were those of the lower members of the Coastal Plain series, 

which lie on the 1 east-dipping floor of crystalline rocks, and as these 

members are important water-bearers, I made a special visit to the 

State to siudy their character and relations. According to Tuomey, 

the Eocene formation embraces a series which lies directly on the granite in the southern portion of the State, while to the northward marine 

Cretaceous beds emerge from beneath the edge of Middle Eocene members. The formations underlying the marine. Cretaceous beds were not 

described fully, and apparently they and the Cretaceous beds were 

supposed to pass under and be overlapped by the lowest Eocene members, which were stated to lie directly on the granite south of the
208 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Wateree Eiver. From a study of this problem in the field, I find that 

the so-called basal members of the Eocene are not Eocene at all, but 

are representatives of the Potomac formation, and they extend northward beneath the marine Cretaceous formations (marls), the edge of 

which emerges from beneath the Eocene north of the Wateree. Thus 

it was found that, as suggested by Mr. McGee, there is a continuous 

sheet of Potomac formation lying on the crystalline rocks throughout 

South Carolina, which is overlain by Eocene to the. south and marine 

Cretaceous to the north. The Potomac formation extends out under 

the Coastal Plain to the eastward with gradual increase in depth, and 

is probably the source of the water in the Charleston, Orangeburg, 

Darlington, and some other deep wells. The following are the principal 

Coastal Plain formations in South Carolina:

Formations.

Columbia..........

Lafayette..........

Miocene...........

Eocene ............

Marine Cretaceous. 

Potomac...........

Characteristics.

Gray sand, etc.

Orange loams.

Sands and marls.

Buhrstone below, marls above.

Marls and sands.

Sands, sandstone, and clayl

The general structural relations of these formations are shown in the 

sections on PI. XVIII.

POTOMAC FORMATION.

This formation consists of a series of sands, sandstones, and clays, 

which lies on the crystalline or bed rock to a thickness of several hundred feet. It outcrops in a belt 4 or 5 miles in width, which extends 

from Augusta, Ga., through Aiken, south of Lexington, and through 

Columbia to Camden and Cheraw. The basal beds are mainly coarse 

sands with pebbles, which to the southward are sometimes consolidated 

to a soft sandrock. Finer sands clays and occur higher up in the formation, and these are overlain by the Eocene buhrstone to the southward 

and by the marine Cretaceous marls to the north of the Wateree. The 

formation is, however, very irregular in character, and clays occur at 

low horizons at some points, while near Congaree Creek, south of Lexington, I observed the Eocene beds lying on cross-bedded sandstones 

which merged into a kaolinic arkose on the one hand and into white 

clays on the other. On the Pedee River I found coarse sands with 

intercalated beds of gray sandy clays which are overlain unconformably 

by the Cretaceous marls. The sands and sandstones in the bottom of 

the Charleston wells are thought to be the upper portion of the Potomac 

beds, but the identification is not established. The upper beds of the 

Potomac formation may finally merge into marine deposits as far to 

the eastward as Charleston.
U.S.GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. BULLETIN N<? 138. PL.XVII.

PORTIONS OF

SOUTH CAROLINAAND GEORGIA

SHOWING LOCATION OF

DEEP WELLS

BYN.H.DARTON.

Scale

 Successful wells 

o Unsuccessful wells.

Non-flowing "wells.

<v-Wi'*

1 f Crystalline Rocks

"Hie figures in red indicate depth in fee
DABTON.] SOUTH CAROLINA. 209

MARINE CRETACEOUS.

This, is mainly a shell marl, which is at or near the surface in Horry, 

Marion, Florence, Williainsburg, and Georgetown counties, but sinks 

beneath later formations to the southward. With the niarl there are 

associated inarlstone, soft gray shales, and sands; which are all frequently exposed along the Pedee and Waccainaw rivers. In its extension to the south under the Eocene °and other formations this series 

increases greatly in thickness and probably comprises the beds from 

about 450 to at least 1,950 feet in the Charleston wells. As suggested 

above, it is possible, however, that these lower beds in this well include 

some marine representatives of the Potomac formation.

EOCENE.

These formations include the buhrstone and a series of overlying 

marls, which cover a wide area in the southern section of tho State. 

To the northward, in Williamsburg and Marion counties, they thin out 

and are represented by only thin, scattered outliers. The western edge 

of the buhrstone, which is usually the basal member of the formation 

westward, passes from Aiken to within 10 miles of Columbia, and thence 

to the eastward to below the junction of the Congaree and Wateree 

rivers. In the well at Charleston the Eocene members have a thickness of about 400 feet, and are supposed to lie about 60 feet below the 

surface. They there consist of marls of various kinds, which are 

mainly argillaceous above and calcareous below. The buhrstone is a 

hard, siliceous rock, often filled with shells, which constitutes the basal 

Eocene member in the outcrops along the western margin of the formation as above outlined. The overlying marls and marlstones are known 

as the Santee beds and the Ashley and Cooper beds. Their western 

margins lie in succession to the east of the buhrstone outcrop, and they 

thicken gradually to the eastward, as seen in the Charleston well (see 

PI. XVIII). The Santee beds are mainly light-colored marls, with some 

beds of marlstone of considerable extent, and the Ashley and Cooper 

marls, which outcrop quite widely in the basin of the Ashley and 

Cooper rivers, are of darker color.

MIOCENE.

These deposits consist of sands and marls, which occur in scattered 

areas, mainly in the northeastern and eastern counties. Their thickness is usually not over 30 feet, and they lie on an irregular surface of 

the Eocene, or marine Cretaceous formations.

LAFAYETTE FORMATION.

This is a superficial mantle of orange loams and sands which covers 

the higher plateau regions at elevations of about 650 feet along the 

western border of the Coastal Plain province. There it has a thickBull. 138 14
210 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

ness of from 30 to 80 feet, and its more loamy portions are the "Bed 

Hills." Its eastern extension has not been traced, but it is thought to 

be the same as some of the younger Pliocene marls.

COLUMBIA FOKMATION.

This is a thin capping, mainly of sands and loams, which covers the 

lower lands and appears to extend as high as 400 feet or more in 

the higher region, giving rise to some portions of the "Sand Hills" 

districts.

WELLS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 

List of deep ivells in eastern and southern South Carolina.

Locality.

Bamberg :

Beaufort :

Bluffton . (See Mays River. )

Bulow Phosphate Mines.

Do.......................

» Do.......................

Depth.

Feet. 

558

C5-JOO

( 470 

495

520 

. 555

800

03

(],970 

1,945

1,950

2,000?

109

.1,260 

380

425

465

375

475

450

323

460

347

160

DO?

1,215

1 QO

200

420

220

Diameter.

Inches. 

8-6

2 

2

2 

1J

6

23

01

5

6-4

Small.

10 8

Small.

2

Capacity 

per minute.

Gallons. 

50

40 

35

35 

40

250 

170

800

(?)

Haiiy.

60

OA

100

170

Few now.

Height 

to which 

water 

rises, a

Feet.

+ 15 

+ 20

+ 12

+ 30

15

+ 4

Flowed.

+ 25

20

- 24

Remarks.

feet.

Saline water.

sandstone; waters also at 

600 and 800 feet.

Do.

W«ll -ia 1 fill -fVmf rloon

Water at 170 feet.

a +. feet above surface; , feet below surface.
DAHTON.] SOUTH CAROLINA. 211 

List of deep wells in eastern and southern South Carolina Continned.

Looiility.

Do.......................

Halls Island, Donner Bros . .

Do.....................

Do-. ............. ......

Moiicks Comer, 8 miles distant.

ward's place.

till's place.

till's plantation, 4 wells.

tie's sawmill.

Orangeburg, 4 wells .......... 

Port Royal Naval Station. . - .

Port Royal Naval Station, 3. 

wella.

Yemassee, G. G. Martin. . ....

Yemasseo, J. B. Gregorie, 3 

wells.

Depth.

Feet. 

220

350

400?

65 74

120 

583

186

46

320

160-200

1,244

179

175 

165

800

190

3CO

106

299

1, 160 

255

CO 

128

152

100?

988?

490

90 

100

Diameter.

Inches. 

4

4

2

6 

0

2

8-6

2

2

0

6 

5 and 2

3

6

6

4* 

6

Capacity 

per minute

Gallons.

150

Many.

7-15

J

35

15

Many. 

Very few.

Many. 

2

Many. 

Many.

Height to 

which water 

rises, a

Feet. 

Flow.

Flow.

_ 4

+20 ahovo 

high water. 

- 9

- 3

+ 4

Flows.

+15

Flows.

 14

Flows.

1

flow. 

-48 

Does not 

flow. 

 12-16

flow.

_ 17

 30

Flows to 

+13. 

Flows.

Remarks.

feet. 

Hard water; water at 250

feet.

Sulphurous water.

Irony water.

Fine water.

of bed rock. 

16-148 feet in lirne with flint

rock below.

Fine water.

Do.,

Do.

Much water at 250 feet. 

"Water very impure.

Water hard and saline.

Sulphurous water.

Sulphurous water; flow decreasing.

a +, feet above surface; , feet fcelow surface. 

NOTES ON SOUTH CAROLINA WELLS.

I have not been able to obtain any great number of data regarding 

some of the wells, but several important records and much special 

information were secured in a visit to the State and in correspondence
212 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

with yarious persons. For the Charleston wells I have used the data 

which were published some years ago by the committee appointed by 

the city to prepare a report on the first deep well.

Charleston. Many attempts were made, to obtain water by deep wells 

iu and about Charleston, but they were practically unsuccessful until 

.1879, when a large supply was found at a depth of from 1,940 to 1,970 

feet. The management of this well was placed in charge of a committee 

of scientific citizens, who prepared a report on its results, which is a 

model as a thorough and comprehensive document. 1 The borings were 

carefully preserved and sent for examination to one of the foremost 

geologists of the world, and exhaustive chemical analyses and investigations were made of the waters of the well and of other wells, and of 

various materials from the borings, so that we have very complete 

scientific data for the Charleston well. The water obtained has a 

temperature of 99.5°, but it is of excellent quality. The flow at 

about 4 feet above the surface, or 16 feet above mean low-tide level, 

was found to be 250 gallons a minute.

In the earlier wells at Charleston water was found in considerable 

amount and fair degree of purity at 60 feet, in the sand, under the 

stiff' blue-clay stratum. In a well on Washington street, between Calhoun and Inspection streets, which was bored over half a century ago, 

water was found in limestone marl at 109 feet. It flowed to the surface, and still continues to afford an undiininished stream of water. 

The well bored in 1846 reached a depth of 1,260 feet, where water was 

found which rose to a level nearly 25 feet above the surface, but owing 

partly to the small bore of the casing it furnished a supply of only 

about 30 gallons a minute. The water was perceptibly saline, but it 

was extensively employed as a beverage. It contained 134.7 grains 

per gallon of solid matter, of which 63.3 grains were chloride of sodium. 

The water from the deeper well was analyzed by Dr. Eobinson in 1879 

with the following result:

Analysis of water from 1260-foot well at Charleston, S. C.

Total ........................................................

Grains per 

gallon.

1.73

.34

.44

.17

.23

1L40

47.26

.55

2.52

.36

65.00

1 Municipal report of the city of Charleston, S. C., 1881; Artesian Wells, Report 

of Scientific Committee [etc.], 61 pp., 1 plate. Charleston, 1882.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN NO. 138 PL. XVI"

SECTION 1

~~~~~ -- I /?^ /^,r, A., £

SECTION 2.

6y focene and Miocene

"\EOCEHE T

SECTIONS, EASTERN SOUTH CAROLINA.
CARTON.] SOUTH CAROLINA. 213

The record of the Charleston well, as prepared for Dr. James Hall 

and published in the report of the well committee, is reproduced in PI. 

XIX on a somewhat smaller scale. Dr. Hall also furnished the committee with some notes on the borings, from which the following statements are compiled:

Too few fossils were found in the higher beds to indicate precise 

ages and subdivisions, but they were clearly Tertiary down to 430 feet. 

Then there was a gap of 170 feet from which no distinctive fossils 

were obtained. The borings from 000 to 1,955 feet contained characteristic Cretaceous shells, mainly Exogyra and Gryphsea of several 

species.

The specimens indicated that from 1,940 to 1,980 feet are of greenish 

clay, without fossils. This last statement in regard to the nature of 

the beds is at variance with the columar section, in which are shown 

alternations of sand and sandstone from 1,825 to 1,970 feet. It seems 

probable that the water horizon is at the base of the marine Cretaceous 

formations, and it is possible that the sands with sandstones are at the 

top of the Potomac formation. Three other wells have since been 

boretl to 1,945, 1,950, and 2,000 feet. One, 3£ inches in diameter, is 

said to furnish a quarter million gallons a day, and another, 5 inches in 

diameter, is reported to furnish considerably over a million gallons a 

day. The third is, I believe, just finished to a depth of 2,000 feet.

An attempt was made in 1844 to bore a well at Fort Sumter, but at 

347 feet the rods broke and the boring was abandoned.

Commercial cotton press, Charleston: This well is half a mile from 

the city hall and its depth is 380 feet. No further data are given 

regarding it except the following analysis by C. U. Shepard: 1

Analysis of water from well at cotton press, Charleston, S. C.

Total ........................................................

Grains per 

gallon.

26.25

204. 41

10.61

13. 88

1.08

7.35

264. 48

1 Municipal report of the city of Charleston, S. C., 1881, p. 51.
214 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

Chisolrn's mill, Charleston: The depth of this well is 425 feet. The 

following analysis by Dr. Eobertson is reported by C. U. Shepard: 1

Analysis of water from, well at Chisholm's mill, Charleston, S. C.

\

Total.........................................................

Grains per 

gallon .

19. 21

4.12

2.82

4.85

136. 89

30. 88

0.66

2.34

13.17

214. 94

Ashepoo Phosphate Company.2 This well is on Charleston Neck, 3£ 

miles from the city hall in Charleston. It is 465 feet deep. The water 

was analyzed by C. U. Shepard, who reports that it contains 167 grains 

of solid matter per gallon, in which were found about 50 per cent of 

chloride of sodium, and 25 per. cent of carbonate of soda, the remainder 

consisting chiefly of sulphate of lime and magnesia, with silica.

Edisto Phosphate Company. This well is 4 miles from the city hall in 

Charleston. Its depth is 375 feet. It is reported 2 to contain 149 grains 

of solid matter to the gallon, consisting of carbonate of soda, 28.63 

grains; sulphate of soda, 17.09 grains; chloride of sodium, 81.64 grains.

Stono Phosphate Company. The works of this company are situated 

about 4£ miles from the city hall in Charleston. The depth of the well 

is 475 feet. Dr. C. TJ. Shepard reports 3 that the water contains the 

following mineral ingredients:

Analysis of water from well of Stone Phosphate-Company.

Total... .....................................................

Grains per 

gallon.

2.99

74.46

27.70

4.90

5.34

4.99

2.39

3.63

126. 40

1 Municipal report of the city of Charleston, S. C., 1881, p. 51. 

"Loc. cit., p. 52. 

3 Loc. cit., p. 53.
DAUTON.] SOUTH CAROLINA. 215

Sineaths Station. This place is 13 miles from Charleston, 011 the 

South Carolina Railroad. The record is as follows: 1

Feet. 

17-20......clay.

26-30...... phospliatic nodules and marl.

34...... marl.

46......argillaceous marl.

70......phosphatic nodules.

85...... argillaceous marl.

90...... argillaceous marl.

104...... phosphatic nodules.

110-112...... phospliatic nodules in argillaceous marl.

125-128...... phosphatic nodules and hard marl.

145...... argillaceous marl.

170...... argillaceous marl.

228...... argillaceous marl.

255...... argillaceous marl.

280..... .phosphatic nodules.

286...... argillaceous marl.

287-290...... marl and phosphate grains.

300-305...... argillaceous marl.

305-306...... sandy marl.

307......sandy marl.

309-311 ..... hard marl.

312-313...... phosphatic pebbles and hard pebbly marl.

315-316...... sandy limestone.

321-322...... firm limestone.

323...... sandy limestone.

Analyses of all of these materials were made by Dr. Warner and 

reported by Dr/C. U. Shepard. The water from a depth of 323 feet 

was examined by Dr. Shepard, who gives the following analysis: 2

The residue on evaporation was 67 parts per 100,000, which contained the following ingredients:

Analysis of water from well at Sineaths Station, South Carolina.

Total ..........................................................

Per cent.

16.71

7.86

52.08

10. 51

5.19

2.23

5.42

100. 00

Johns Island Ferry. Distance, 10 miles from Charleston. The depth 

of the well is 460 feet. It yields 60 gallons a minute and the water

Municipal report of the city of Charleston, S. C., 1881, p. 45. 

s Loc. cit., pp. 33-34.
216 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

rises to the surface. It is reported to contain 56.8 grains per gallon of 

mineral matter.

Bulow Phosphate M'ines, St. Andrews Parish. This well is 15 miles 

from Charleston. Depth, 450 feet. The following analysis, by Mr. F. 

F. Chisolm, is reported by Dr. 0. U. Shepard: 1

Analysis of water from well at Bulow Phosphate Mines, South Carolina.

Silica..............................................................

Total............................. ............................

Grain s per 

gallon.

25.65

15.19

2.28

2.01

3.18

la QI

Grahamville, Beaufort County. The wells are on the plantation of 

J. S. Claghorn, 3 miles from the village. Their depth is 164 feet, and it 

is stated that clays, marls, and shells, with some rock strata, were penetrated to a calcareous conglomerate, with minute shells and sharks 

teeth, which is the water-bearing bed. The water flows and furnishes 

about 200,000 gallons a day, but the amount is decreasing. It is soft 

and sulphurous.

Mays River. There are a number of wells on Mays Eiver Keck which 

yield water supplies, some of which are very pure, while others are too 

sulphurous to be palatable.

At Snyder & Nuttle's sawmill a well 106 feet deep furnishes a continuous overflow of pure water, the flow of which is affected somewhat 

by the tides.

Four wells on the rice plantation of Col. J. H. Estill, on South Mays 

Eiver Neck, furnish a large overflow of pure water from an average 

depth of 360 feet. The well at the residence of Col. J. H. Estill, on 

Mays Eiver, has a depth of 190 feet, but the water is highly sulphurous. Capt. T. E. Hey ward's well, on Mays Eiver, has a depth of about 

800 feet, and the water rises to within a foot of the surface, but is too 

highly sulphurous for use.

There are wells in Bluffton which average 165 feet in depth and have 

an overflow to about 13 feet above tide level. It has been found in this 

district that the exclusive use of artesian waters moderates, if it does 

not entirely overcome, the baneful effects of the malaria which is so 

prevalent there.

Port Royal. At the United States naval station a 6-inch boring 

was made to a depth of 255 feet, but the water found is too impure for 

domestic use and is very small in amount.- Three wells, having a depth 

of 60 feet, now afford an abundant supply, but the water is hard and

1 Municipal report of the city of Charleston, S. C., 1881, p. 54.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

202

i 6 i 0 . .

1970.

Yellow sand.____ 

Sandy day. 

While sand._____ 

Blue clay._____ 

Blue clay, sandy.

Sandy marl.

Argillaceous marl with nodules.

Argillaceous marl.

Calcareous marl.

Arenaceous limestone. 

Calcareous mail.

Aienaceous limestone. 

Calcareous mail. 

White limestone. 

Areno-calcareous marl. 

Aluminc-magnesian marl.

Micaceous marl with pyrites.

Mail with sandstone layers.

Sand with considerable watei. 

Hard sandstone.

Mail, sand, and clay.

Sandstone, very hard. 

Marl, sand, and clay. 

Sandstone.

Daik sand and clay.

Shell bteccia.

Blue clay with haid layers.

Greensand.

Mail.

Shells.

Marl.

Pyiitiferous mail

dstci

Blue clay and sand.

Saml with wat«i.

Sandrock.

Loosd white san.l with sands:

Alternations of sand and sandsum

BULLETIN NO. 138 PL. XIX

POST 

PLIOCENE.

COLUMNAR SECTION OF WELL AT CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.
DARTON.] SOUTH CAEOLINAv 217

saline. The water rises to within 12 to 16 feet of the surface, and 

varies with the tide. The following record of the deep boring was 

furnished by Engineer George Mackay:

Feet.

0-7...... yellow sandy loam.

7-12...... fine brownish-yellow sand. o

12-17...... fine gray sand.

17-20...... gray Hand.

20-24...... coarse gray sand.

24-27...... quartz sand.

27-35...... tine dark sand.

35-38...... coarse gray sand.

38-43...... fine gray sand.

43-56...... very compact, hard, fine sand and clay.

56-59...... phosphate pebbles, water bearing.

59-61...... gray sand, water bearing,

61-124..... .marl, with bed of water-bearing sand 92-95 feet.

124-132....... fine gray pipeclay.

132-133......gravel and quartz grains with water.

133-135... ...marl.

135-138...... fine white sand with water.

138-180...... marl.

180-190...... white sand with water.

190-196...... marl.

196-200......marl with sand and water.

200-210...... fine white sand.

210-250..... .fine white sand with water.

250-255...... tenacious pipeclay.

Beaufort. The well at the Ooosaw Company's works is reported to 

be 800 feet deep, but beyond this fact and the following analysis, which 

indicates that the water is potable and suitable for use in boilers, I 

have learned nothing regarding it. The analysis is by F. F. Ghisolin, 

reported by Dr. C. U. Shepard.1

Analysis of water from well at Beaufort, S. C.

Total........................................................

Grains per 

gallon.

1.47

.63

1.05

1.94

.80

6.29

30.75

2.24

1.82

1.20

48.19

1 Municipal report of the city of Charleston, S. C., 1881, p. 55.
218 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

The iron works at Beaufort obtain water from a depth of 63 feet in 

large amount and excellent quality, suitable for all uses.

Florence. Several wells have been bored at Florence, one of which 

reached a depth of 1,335 feet. They are successful, but the waters 

have not been fully utilized as yet. For the deep well, Capt. E. W. 

Lloyd has given me data, and Dr. MeCorlde kindly permitted me to 

.examine some of the borings. The borings A^ere as.follows:

Feet. 

10....^.reddish buff clay. .

20...... light buff loam.

30...... gray sandy clay.

40...... gray sandy clay (more sandy).

501\.... -gray sandy clay (less sandy). 

60J

60-100...... gray sandy clay (varying amount of sands).

105...... gray sandy clay with lignite.

110....... coarse gray sand.

120......moderately coarse gray sand with lignite and iron sulphate.

150...... moderately coarse gray sand; micaceous.

210......very fine gray sands.

220...... coarse gray sands.

350......coarse gray sands; reddish tinge; few quartzite pebbles.

700...... coarse gray sand from sandstone.

From 400 feet, to 608 feet, clays of white, red, and brown colors are 

reported. The brown and gray sandstones began at 608 feet and were 

bored through to 1,335 feet, where a hard black rock stopped further 

progress. This sandstone is of the Newark formation, and. the black 

rock was no doubt a sheet of trap, such as frequently occurs in that 

formation. The lowest water was at 1,215 to 1,220 feet. It rose to 

within 18 to 20 feet of the surface and was pumped 100 gallons a minute 

when tested. An analysis made by M. B. Hardin, of Clemson Agricultural College, at Fort Hill, is as follows:

Analysis of water from deep ivell at Florence, S. C.

Total........................................................

Grains per 

gallon.

6.198

.676

.513

1.166

.519

4.070

.210

2.420

15. 772

.003

.008
DAMON.] SOUTH CAROLINA. 219

Water was found also at 608 feet, just above the sandstone, and at 

about 800 feet, in the sandstone, but as deep w'aters were desired these 

were not tested. The 600-foot water is probably in the basal beds of 

the Potomac formation. At the ice works in Florence there is a well 

which draws a supply of excellent water from beds at a depth of from 

199 to 224 feet, and at the machine shops there was formerly a small 

tube which found a good supply at 420 feet below the surface. This 

latter water is probably in the Potomac formation.

Marion. The boring made at this place several years ago may be 

regarded as unsuccessful, for it supplies less than a gallon a minute. 

The depth is 1,244 feet, of which the portion below 700 feet is in crystalline rocks. A small flow of water w,as found at 700 feet, at the base 

of the Coastal Plain formations. It rose 12 to 15 feet above the surface, 

but was not fully tested as to pressure and yield, as larger supplies 

were expected at greater depths. Very little information is available 

regarding the record of this boring, and the only definite feature of 

geologic significance of which I could learn, in addition to the facts 

above presented, is the occurrence of alternating strata of sand and 

tough clay with occasional rocky layers from 400 to 500 feet. This 

series probably represents a portion of the Potomac formation, which 

here lies between the superficial marine Cretaceous marls and the crystalline rocks, probably with a thickness of about 500 feet.

Darlington. The Darlington well has a depth of 327 feet and furnishes a large supply of excellent water, which rises just above the 

surface. The water contains iron and magnesia and has a strong odor 

of sulphur, which soon passes away in the open air.

The following statement regarding the beds penetrated is given from 

memory by Prof. J. J. Ward, of Darlington, who furnished all the information regarding this well:

Feet. 

0-16......clay.

16-50......alternating sand and clay.

50-250......fuller's earth, with thin layers of sand and soft black shale.

250-327...... quicksand.

The upper beds comprise the Lafayette (*?), Miocene, and Cretaceous 

marine beds, of which the black shales are characteristic. Probably 

the quicksand and water are in the upper part of the Potomac formation. It is stated that the health of Darlington has improved greatly 

since the artesian water was introduced.

Lalce City, Williamsburg County. The group of ten wells in this town 

have depths of from 160 to 200 feet, and each yields from 7 to 15 gallons of water a minute, which rises to 15 feet or more above the surface. The water is said to be of the very finest character. There are 

about twenty-five wells in the surrounding country. An analysis of 

the Lake City water, made at Clemson College, is as follows:
220 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138. 

Analysis of water from wells at Lake City, S. C.

Silica........ ......................................................

Total ........................................................

Grains per 

gallon.

5.073

.362

.892

.659

.162

.945

.023

1. 096

9.212

Conway, Sorry County. Several attempts were made to obtain water 

at Con way and elsewhere in Horry County, but without success, as the 

borings were not deep enough. The depth attained at Conway was 

only 160 feet.

Ailcen. The Aiken well has a depth of 558 feet and furnishes an 

abundant supply of excellent water. Water was also found at 543 

feet, and the "chalk" formation under Aiken yields water in fair supply at a depth of about 100 feet. A partial record of the Aiken well is 

as follows:

Feet. 

0-45......red clay. Lafayette formation.

4.5-100...... sand. \ .

100-130......"chalk" or "kaolin." > Potomac formation.

130-465...... sand. )

465-558...... granite.

A well on a high hill in Hammond Township,1 Aiken County, found 

a large supply of water at a depth of 120 feet. It passes through sand. 

The well presents the curious phenomenon of a current of air which in. 

stormy or threatening weather issues from the orifice with considerable 

force.

Orangeburg. There are four wells in this place which yield a satisfactory supply of excellent water. The deepest borings were to a depth 

of 1,160 feet, but no greater pressure of water was found there than at 

250 feefc. The water rises to within 48 feet of the surface, but pumps 

down to 54 or 56 feet. The following record was furnished through the 

kindness of Mr. George H. Coruelson, of Orangeburg:

Feet. 

0-42......red clay.

42-62...... water-bearing sand.

62-122......clay. ^

122-132...... sand with some water.

132-232...... marls of different colors.

232-252...... sand with fair supply of water.

252-962......fine sand with shells, sharks' teeth, bones, etc.

962...... 6-inch layer of wood.

962-1,160...... fine sand with water.

1 Eesources of South Carolina, 1883, p. 119.
DABTON.] SOUTH CAROLINA. 221

This lower sand is probably in the Potomac formation, and I should 

expect that at 1,160 feet the boring was not far above the basal beds 

and their floor of crystalline rocks.

Bamberg^ Barmvell County. A large water supply is obtained at 

Bamberg from thirty wells of moderate depth and five flowing deep 

wells. The shallow wells range in depth from 65 to 100 feet and draw 

mainly from cavities in the Eocene limestone. The'deep wells range 

from 470 to 555 feet in depth, and probably reach a horizon in the 

Potomac formation. The following notes regarding the beds penetrated 

were supplied by Mr. Bamberg:

' Feet.

0-67...... sand and clay.

67-272......rocks with cavities; typical buhrstone.

272-322...... quicksand.

?...... dark-gray argillaceous rock with shell fragments.

?-447.... ..micaceous sand yielding a 6-gallon flow of water.

470..... .40-gallon flow to 15 feet above surface.

495...... 35-gallon flow to 20 feet above surface.

520......35-gallon flow to 12 feet above surface.

555...... 40-gallon flow to 30 feet above surface; smaller pipe.

The water has a peculiar taste, to which persons soon become accustomed, and it is in general use. It is stated that the introduction of 

these waters has made a very marked improvement in the health of 

the community.

WATER HORIZONS AND PROSPECTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

We are not as yet sufficiently well informed as to the underground 

geology of the Coastal Plain region in South Carolina to discuss at any 

length the water horizons and well 'prospects. Considering the wide 

area of the region, only a relatively few wells have been sunk, and 

except in the case of the Charleston well and of one or two other wells 

we have no definite record of the formation penetrated. The Potomac 

formation is probably a water bearer under very wide areas, as indicated by wells at Charleston (probably), Orangeburg, Darlington, Barnburg, Florence (400-600 feet), and other points. At Mario,n it yielded 

water in small supply that rose 15 feet above the surface, but it probably was not properly tested. The deeper waters at Aiken and at Florence are from the crystalline rocks, so that they present no positive 

evidence regarding waters in the Coastal Plain deposits. I am convinced that there is a fair chance for finding the Potomac waters 

throughout the region, although they can not be predicted with certainty. They lie at depths which are moderate in the central part of 

the State, but which gradually increase to about 2,000 feet below the 

surface along the ocean shore, as shown in the sections on PI. XIY.

The higher water horizons are quite numerous, but they have not 

been sufficiently explored or definitely determined geologically for discussion or prediction. The buhrstone appears to contain water-bearing 

cavities in Barn well County, and possibly the area of this water horizon 

is extensive in the southern portion of the State. The Bamberg wells 

draw on these waters at a depth of less than 100 feet below the surface,
222 ARTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

but it is not known that they are reached by other wells to the south 

and east.

There appears to be a wide area for several miles about Charleston in 

which waters are found in wells averaging about 400 feet deep, in calcareous beds at the base of the. Eocene, possibly the eastward repre-. 

sentative of the buhrstone horizon, but nothing is known of the extent 

of this water beyond this group of wells. The failure of the Oonway 

and Georgetown wells was probably due to insufficient depth.

EASTERN GEORGIA.

This region was not so thoroughly canvassed for well data as the 

States to the north, and I can now present little more than a list of 

some of the wells. The location of wells is shown on PL XVII.

The geology of eastern Georgia is very similar to that of the adjoining portion of South Carolina, with a succession of widely extended 

east-sloping sheets of clays, sands, and marls, which thicken gradually 

to the eastward.. The region has not been studied with sufficient care 

by any geologist to afford data for even a general outline of the stratigraphic succession, so that any attempt at present to discuss the 

geologic horizons of the waters or-to prognosticate on a geologic basis 

is out of the question.

The success of most .of the wells, especially those along the coast, 

gives great encouragement that the water-bearing beds underlie a wide 

area of the Coastal Plain region of the State at moderate depths. 

The large supply of water from, the twelve wells at Savannah, and the 

height to which the waters rise in the flowing wells along the coast 

from St. Catherine Island to Fernandina, Fla., are features which give 

great prominence to the underground water resources of eastern 

Georgia.

List of deep ivettn in eastern Georgia.

Locality.

Augusta :

Keller. 8 wells. ..............

Depth.

Feet. 

800

879

475

395

750

530

450

280and310

480

525

300

Diameter.

Inches. 

8

5|

3, 4, and 6

6

6-4

6

6

Capacity 

per minute.

Gallons. 

16

200 each.

50

250

250

Manv.

Height 

to which 

water rises.

Feet. 

200

J-45

80

50

+35

+58

+45

Remarks.

water.

water.

beds from 350 to 500 

feet.
DABTON.] GEORGIA.

List of deep ivells in eastern Georgia Continued.

223

Locality.

St. Simons Island, 3 wells. . . .

"Ways Station near Ways, 3 

wells.

Depth."

Feet. 

400

538

300

480

* GOO

475

107J

484 

500

Diameter.

Inches.

91

3

3 and G 

12

4

4

2 and 6 

6

Capacity 

per minute.

Gallons.

100-150

150

Many. 

150

Height 

to which 

water rises.

Feet. 

+16

+33

+40

+58

mows.

Pumped.

Remarks.

from 326 to 400 feet.

"Water in coarse marl

under 5 feet of rock.

Said to yield 13,000,000 

gallons a day.

NOTES ON WELLS IN EASTERN GEORGIA.

Savannah. This city is supplied with water from twelve 12-inch wells, 

which yield 4,000,000 gallons a day. They are in the western extremity 

of the city, on low ground, and the water rises to the surface level but 

does not overflow. Their depths are 500 and 600 feet. No record 

could be obtained of the beds penetrated in boring, except a statement 

that they were "clay, porous rock, and a thin layer of flint rock," 

The water is clear and tasteless, although it has an odor of sulphur 

when it first reaches the atmosphere. The following analysis of the 

water was kindly furnished by the superintendent of the waterworks:

Analysis ' of artesian well water, Savannah, Ga.

^oA-A.. .............................................................

Total solids at 110° C ..............................................

Grains per 

gallon.

0. 6192

1.0218

6. 0283

0. 0017

'4.0463

3 1. 7804

0

7007

0. 1252

2. 0314

0. 7093

2. 1929

0. 5160

0. 8772

0. 5832

12. 8299

13.4131

"Made by W. A. Chandler, New York. 'before boiling. 1 After boiling.
224 AKTESIAN WELLS ON THE ATLANTIC COAST. [BULL. 138.

The geologic horizon of the Savannah water is not known. 

Lumber City, Telfair County. Through the kindness of J. B. Spencer, 

of Lumber City, I am able to publish the following:

Analysis l of artesian water from well at Lumber City, Ga.

Total solids, grains per United States gallon.......................... ...... 10.96

Chlorine, grain per gallon.............................. .................... .58

Free ammonia, parts per million............................................ . 013

Albuminoid, parts per million.............................................. . 030

Hardness, degrees........................................................... 8.20

The solids comprise chlorine, iron, lime, magnesia, sulphuric acid, 

silica, carbonic acid, and soda, making a hard w'ater, but otherwise of 

excellent quality.

The following record of the Lumber City well was also furnished by 

Mr. Spencer:

Feet.

0-4......top soil.

4-20...... red clay.

20-30...... coarse sand.

30-250..... .hard blue clay with few streaks of sandstone.

250-350...... quicksand.

350-430......limestone, with water seams 380 to 430 feet. This limestone

contains shell fragments of Eocene age.

It is stated that sunce the introduction of these waters malarial diseases, which formerly prevailed, have entirely disappeared.

1 Made by G. F. Payne, State chemist of Georgia.
INDEX.

Abseeon, N. J.,wolls.............. 42,48,49,52,60

Accomac County, Va., well prospects..... 188

Agricultural College, Maryland, well..... 127

Aiken, S. C.,Potomac beds near.......... 208

Eocene near.......................... 209

well.................................. 210,220

Alexandria County, Va., well prospects.. 183 

Alexandria, Va., wells.................... 165,183

Anacostia, D. C., wells.................... 156

Analysis, water from Atlantic City, N. J. 51 

water from Baltimore................ 143

water fromBerkeley Arms, N. J...... 53

water from Camden, "N.H............ 56

waters from Charleston, S.C., region. 212,213,

214, 215, 216

water from Crisfleld, Md.............. 131

water from Florence, S. C............. 218

water from Freehold, N. J............ 61

water from Great Sedge Island, N. J.. 64 

water from Indian Head, Md......... 135

water from Lake City, S. C........... 220

water from Lakewood, 1ST. J........... 69

water from Lumber City, Ga.......... 224

water from Ocean Grove, N. J......... 80

water from Riverside, N. J........... 85

water from Salisbury, Md............. 131

water from Seven Islands, N. J........ '88

water from Savannah, Ga............. 223

water from Washington, D. C......... 158

water from "Way Lumber Company, 

Beaufort County.N.C................ 196

water from Wilmiugton, N. C......... 207

water from Winslow, If. J............ 95

Annadale, Staten Island, boring.......... 37

Annapolis, Md., well................. 127,149,150

Anne Arundel County, Md., well pros- ' 

pects................................... 150

Anspach, F. J., well near Sewell, N. J..... 89

Arringdale, Va., wells............ 165,179,182,190

Asbury Park, If. J., thickness of Matawan 

formation at............................ 40

wells............---...:...... 42,49,52,70,77,

80, 83, 87, 90,100,103,104,106,110, 111 

Ashland, Va.,wells .................. 165,178,187

Ashley and Cooper marls in South Carolina.................................... 209

Astoria, Long Island..................... 23

Atlantic City,N.J., wells................ 42,

43,49, 50, 51,52, 53, 54, 60, 64, 66,70,74,

75, 78, 82, 83, 88, 89, 90, 93, 94,96,105,

106,107,108,109,110, 115, 121,122,123

Atlantic County, N. J., well prospects.... 108

Atlantic Highlands, N. J., well........... 43,

51,67,69, 75,83,101,103

Bull. 138 15

Page. 

Atsion, N. J., well prospects ............. 109

Augusta, Ga., wells ...................... 208,222

A voca,:N.C., well........................ 191,194

Babylon, Long Island, well............... 24

Bacon, Job, well at Greenwich, N. J ...... 64

Baisleys, Long Island, wells ............. 24

Baker, E. A., aid by...................... 134

Ballenger, Josiah, wellnear Marlton, N. J. 72 

Ballenger.Levi, well uear Marlton, N.J.. 72 

Baltimore, Md., geology of............... 136-137

listof deep wells .................... 137-141

Baltimore region, horizons, wells, and 

prospects in............................ 136,150

Bamberg, S.C., wells..................... 210,221

Barnegat Landing, N. J., well...... 43, 51,106,1.07

Barnum Island, Long Island, wells...... 24,32-33

Barnwell County, S. C., well prospects.... 221

Barrow, Va., well........ 151,152, .165,177,180,184

Bay head, N. J., well.................... 43,51,104 . Bay Ridge, Md., well............. 127,133,149,150

Bay Shore, Long Island, well............. 24

Bayside.jSLJ., well.............'........ 43,52,115

Beach Haven, N.J., wells....... 43,51,89,106,109

Beaufort County, K C., wells......... 191,192,195

Beaufort, N.C., wells .................... 192,200

Beaufort, S.C., wells..................... 210,217

Belemnitella mucronata, New Jersey.... 49,79,80

Belhaven, N. C., wells.................... 196

Belleview, Va., wells............. 165,175,182,186

Berkeley Arms, N.J., wells........ 43,53,106,107

Bertie County, N. C., wells............... 191,194

Bethesda, D. C., well..................... 156

Bivalve, N. J. See Port Nbrris.

Bladen County, N. C., wells.............. 205

Bladenboro, N. C., flowing wells.......... 205

Blacksville, S. C., well................... 210

Bluffton, S. C., well...................... 211,216

Bolton,"W. H., wellinDistrict of Columbia 156 

Bordentown, K J., wells............ 43,53,99,112

Bothwell, Va., Potomac beds near........ 163

well.............................. 165,179,187

Bowen, Ezra, well near Burlington, N. J. 55 

Bowery Bay, Long Island, well.......... 24, 36

Bowie, Md., well................. 127,133,149,151

Bowlers Wharf, Va., well........ 165,175,183,185

Bowling Green, Va., well prospects...... 185

Branning, J. "W., well at Edenton, N. C... 194 

Brentwood, Long Island, well............ 24

Brick, Henry, well near Marlton, N. J.... 72

Bridgeton, N. J., outcrop of diatomaceous 

clay at..-.....-.....-..---..--.:....--.. 49

well................................ 43,54,115

Brigautine,:N'.J.,well................. 43,54,107

Brightwoodv D. C. v well.................. 156,

' '."' ''.' ' . 225
226 INDEX. [BULL. 138.

Page.

Brooklyn City "Water Department, wells. 24,26,31 

Brooklyn, wells................ 23, 24, 25, 26,34,36

Brooks, E. T., information given by ...... 134

Brunswick, Ga.,wellB.................... 222

Brunswick County, N. C., well prospects. 206 

Bryn Mawr, Pa., wells.........'.......... 116

Bryson, John, well record by............. 31

Bulow Mines, S.C., well..............:.«. 210,216

Burgaw, N. C., well...................... 192,204

Burlington, N. J., wells.'.... 43,54,55,90,100,112

Burlington County, N. J., well prospects. 71>

109,112 

Bushwood, Md........................... 127

Buxton, J. H., aid by.................... 128

"Cairo" flats, Washington, D. C., well.. 156,160 

Calvary Cemetery, Long Island, well.... 24

Calvert County, Md., well prospects..... 150

Cambridge, Md., wells... 127,132,136,149,150,153 

Camden, N. J., wells......... 43, 55, 81,99,100,101

Camden County, N. C., well prospects... 194 

Camden County, N. J., well prospects... 113 

Canton, Baltimore, Md., wells.../....... 137,142

Cape May, N. J., well prospects... 43,57,107,109 

Cape May County, N. J., well prospects. 108 

Cape May Point, N. J., wells .......... 43,57,107

Carman, M. W., well at Newborn, N. C-. 199 

Caroline County, Md., well prospects.... 154

Caroline County, Va., well prospects.... 185

Carter, "W. S., well at Fairfield, IT. C.... 198

Carters Creek, Va., well............. 165,175,182

CarteretCounty, N. C., wells............ 192,200

Cassin & Sons, I. S.,-aid by.............. 66

Cecil County, Md., well prospects........ 152

Centerville,Md., boring.................. 133

Chandler, "W. A., water analysis by..... 223

Chamberlin, T. C:, cited.................. 19

Chapel Point, Md., well...... 127,136,149,151,181

Charles City County, Va., well prospects. 187 

Charles County, Md., well prospects..... 151

Charleston, S. C., wells.......... 208,210,212,221

Cheeseman, Joseph, well at Harrisonville, 

N.J.................................... 65

Chesapeake City, well prospects......... 152

Chesapeake formation, Delaware......... 117,

119,122,123,124 

Maryland '. .......... 124, 126,127,128,130,132,

133,136,149,150,151,152, 153, 154, 155 

North Carolina ...................... 191

New Jersey.......................... 39,41,

42,43,44,45,46,47,48,50, 51, 52,53, 57,

60,62,63,65,66, 70,73,75,78,82,83, 84,

85,88,91,93,.94,95,96,105,106,109,115

Virginia.... 20, 162,163, 164,165, 166,167, 168,

169,172,173,174,175,176,177,178,179,

181,183,'184,185,186, 187,188, 189,190

Cheraw, S. C., Potomac beds' near......... 208

Chester, F.D., cited...................... 117,118.

Chesterfield County, Va., well prospects.: 189 

Chew, C. B., well in Marlton, N. J........ 71

Chowan County, N. C., wells ............. 191,194

Cinnaminston, N. J., wells.......... 43,57,101,112

City Point, Va., basal Chesapeake outcrops at................................ 187

Claghorn, J. S., wells at Grahaniville, S. C.'.. .216 

Claiborne, Md., wells.'........ 127,132,133,144,153

Clark, J. P., wells in District of Columbia. 156

Clark,"W.B.,cited ..................... 39,40,102

Claxton, Ga., wells....................... 222

Clay Bank, Va., well.............. 165,174,183,186

Clay ton, Del., wells .............. 119,120,122,124

Clayton.N. J., wells.................... 43,57,114

. Clear Creek, Long Island, well........... 24

Clear Stream, Long Island, wells......... 24

Clifton, Va., wells........................ 165

'Clinton, N. C., depth of Potomac sand at. 200 

Coan.Va., wells.......... '....'........ 165,182,183

Coastal Plain, geologic structure of...... 18-19

Cochran, George, well at "Winslow, N. J.. 95 

Coscinodiscus excavatus, New Jersey.... 53

Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island, well... 25 

Coles Point, Va.; well ............ 165,177,182J184

'Collingwoodi N. J., well........ 43,58,102,112,113

Collins.Va., well......................... 22

'Colonial Beach, Va., wells.... 149,165,177,181,184

Columbia formation, Delaware ........... 117, il9

District of Columbia................. . 155

Maryland.!.................. 124,126,135,137

New Jersey.......................... 40, il2

South Carolina. H..^................. 208,210

Virginia'."..................... 20,162,164,183

Columbia, S. C., Potomac beds near...... 208

Columbus, N. J., wells.. 43, 58,99,100,102,103,112 

thickness of Earitaii beds at......... 39

"Columbus County^ N. C., wells . .... 192, 206

Commac, Long Island, wells............. 25

Cardita granulata, New Jersey .......... 62

Cooper, Benjamin,wellnear Marlton, N. J. 72 

Cooper, Deborah, well near Woodbury, 

N.J.................................... 96

Congaree Creek, S. C: , Eocene on Potomac. 208 

Couway, S.C., wells................. 210,220,222

Cornfield Earbor,' Maryland', welK... 127,149,151 . Courtland, Va., wells."' 165, '179, 182,183,190,194,195 

Covington's Mill, Tatesville, N. Cu well.. 195 

Cowart,Va., well..................... 165,177,182

Crab Island.'N. J., well. ............... 43,89,106

Craven'County, N. C., wells.............. 192,199

Cretaceous, Delaware".'................... 118

Longlsland.......................... 23

North Carolina."................. r _... 191

New Jersey. See Baritah, Severn,

Maiawan! 

New Jersey, upper' horizons ."........ 103

Bipley/6f North Carolina............ 206

South Carolina........... 207, 208, 209, '213," 219 .

Staten island ........................ 37

Crisfield, Md'., wells..'........,........... 127,

128,133,149,"150,"154,170,183,189 

Crystalline rocks, general relations".".'.... 18, i9

Baltimore'......:............-,-.- 136,137,138,

. 139,140, "141,142,143,144,145,146,147 ' 

Delaware ................ 117,118,119,120,123

District of Columbia..... 155,"156;i57,'159,"l60

Georgia".............................. 222

Longlsland'.................. 23,31,32,3%36

Maryland ........... 125,136,137,138,139,140,

141,142,143,144,145,146,147,148,154 

New Jersey......... 39,40. 43,44,45.46,47,54,

55,57, 67,75, 81, 85, 86, 98, 99,'lil, 112" 

New York ........................... 38

North CarolinaV...................... 191,203

Philadelphia......................... 115,116
DARtON.] INDEX. 227

Page. 

Crystalline rocks Continued.

South Carolina.............I..... 207,208,220

Staten Island ........................ 37

Virginia................. 162,163,164,165,106,

170,171,172,173,178,180,183,184,189 

Cumberland County, N. C., well prospects. 205 

Cumberland County, N. J., well prospects. 109,114 

Currituck County, If. C., well prospects.. 194 

Curtis Bay, Md....................... 140,143,147

Ball, William H., cited................... 130

Dare County, IT. C., well prospects....... 197'

Darien, Ga., well......................... 222

Darlington, S. C., wells........... 208, 210,219,221

Dawson,'Thomas, well near La Grange, 

IT.C.................................... 203

Delair,N.J.,well...................... 44,59,100

Doboy Island,Ga., well.................. 222

Deer Park, Long Island, well............ 25

Delaware ................................ 117-124

deep wells............................ 119

Delaware and Chesapeake Canal, exposures along............................. 118

Dendron, Va., well........... 165,179,183,189,190

Denton, Md., well........ 127,132,136,149,153,154

De Varona, I.M., cited................... 27

Diatomaceous clay, Delaware.... 119,121,122,123

Maryland............................ 126,130

New Jersey.......................... 41,42

District of Columbia..................... 155,161

list of wells.......................... 156

horizons and prospects............... 160

Ditchley, Va., well....................... 165

Dorchester County, Md., well prospects.. 154 

Donner Brothers, wells on Halls Island, 

S.C .................................... 211

Dover, Del., well......... 119,120,121,122,123,124

depth to Potomac waters at.......... 124

Drift. See Pleistocene.

Dudleys Ferry, Va., wells........ 165,175,182,186

Dupliii County, N. C., wells .............. 192,204

Dundalk.Md., well....................... 141,147

Dunphey, H. B., well in Marlton, N. J.... 72

Dymer Creek,Va., well........... 165,176,182,183

Easton, Md., wells....... 127,133,149,150,153,154

Eckington, D. C., well................ 156,158,161

Eden, Ga., wells.......................... 222

Edenton, N. C., well.................. 191,194,195

Edgecombo County, N. C., wells'. ......... 192,201

Elizabeth City County, Va., well prospects 188 

Elizabeth City, N. C., wells........... j.. 191,193

Elwood, N. J., well prospects............. 108

Emig, Clay ton, information given by..... 157

Englishtown, N. J., well ................^ 44

Eocene, North Carolina.................. 191

South Carolina ...... 207,208,209,213,221,222

in well at Charleston, S. C........ 209,221,222

See also Pamunkey formation. 

Essex County, Va., well prospects ....... 185

Estill, J. H., well on Mays Eiver, S. C.... 211,216

Evans, Amos, well near Marlton, N. J.... 72

Evans, Ellwood, well near Marlton, N. J.. 71 

Evans, Joseph, well near Marlton, N.J... 71,72 

Evans, W. J.,well near Marlton, N. J..... 72

Eves, S. J., well near Marlton, N. J....... 72

Exogyra costata, New Jersey........ 49,74,89,92

Page. 

Fairfield.N.C............................ 192,198

Fairport, Va., well..................:. 165,177,182

Fairfax County, Va., well prospects...... 183

Farmingdale, L. I., wells................. 25

Farnhurst, Del., wells............ 119,120,121,123

Far Eockaway, Long Island, well........ 23,25

Federalsburg, Md., well...... 127,132,133,150,154

Fellowship, N. J., well............. 44,59,103,113

Fenhurst, Long Island, well............. 25,33,34

Fiflelds, N. J., well.................. 44, 49, 60,107

Florence County, S. C., marine Cretaceous

in...................................... 209

Florence, S. C., wells................. 210,216,221

Fontaine, "W. M., on well at Fort Monroe, 

Va............................I........ 168

Forest Stream, Long Island, wells........ 24

Fort Monroe, Va., wells................... 163,

164,165,167,180,181,183,188 

Frankford, Philadelphia, wells........... 118

Franklin, Va., wells.. 165,179,182,163,190,194,195 

Fredericksburg, Va., Lafayette formation 

at...................................... 164

Freehold, N. J.,wells........... 44,60,103,110, 111

Freeport, Long Island, wells............ 24,25,26

French, E. W., well at Port Eepublic, N. J. 83 

Gabel's Mill, Va., well................ 165,175,182

Gates County, N. C., well prospects...... 194

Georgetown, S. C., wells.................. 211,222

Georgetown County, S. C.,"marine Cretaceous in................................ 209

Georgia, eastern.......................... 222

Gibbsboro, N, J., well.................. 44,62,103

Glacial drift.............................. 23

Glassboro, N. J., wells.. 44,62,103,104,105,106,114 

Glassboro, N. J., thickness of beds in well 39 

Glenhead, Long Island, wells............ 25

Gloucester, N. J., wells... 44,56,62,99,100,101,113 

Gloucester, Va., well......... 165,175,181,183,186

Gloucester County, N. J., well prospects.. 114 

Gloucester County, Va., well prospects... 186 

Goldsboro, N._C., well....'................ 192,202

Good Hope Hill, D.C................. 155,156,160

Grahamville, S. C., wells................... 210, 211

Great Neck, Long Island, well............ 25

Great Sedge Island, N. J., well..... 44,62,106,107

Green, G. G., well at Woodbury, N. J..... 96

Green. L. M., well at Woodbury, N. J..... 96

Greene County, N. C., well prospects..... 201

Greenlawn, Long Island, well............ 25

Greenville,N.C., well.................... 192,201

Greenwich, N. J., thickness- of beds in 

well.................................... 39

Greenwich, N. J., well,........ 44, 64,104,105,114

Gregorie, J.B., well at Yemassee, S. C-... * 211 

Gryphaea convexa, New Jersey.......... 49

Halifax County, N. C., well prospects..... 193

Hall, James, on Charleston, S. C., borings. 213 

HaUsIsland, S.C., well................... 211

Hampton, S. C., wells..................... 211

Hanover County, Va., well prospects..... 186

Hansell, A., well near Kancocas, N. J..... 84

Hardin, M. B., water analysis by......... 218

Harford County, Md., well prospects..... 152

Harnet County, N. C................_.. 191

Harper,T.B., information by............ _ 115
228 INDEX. [BULL, 138.

Harris, N. J., well prospects.............. 109

Harrisia, N. J., well......... 44,65,82,106,107,109

Harrisonville, N. J., well............... 44,65,103

Hartford, N. J., well.........'... 44,66,103,112,113

Harvey Cedars, N. J., wells............... 44,105

Hawkins Point, Md., well........:....... 133,140

Hempstead, Long Island, well............ 25

Henrico County, Va., well prospects...... 189

Hertford County, N. C., well prospects... 194 

Hey ward, T. K., wells on Mays River, S. C. 211,216 

Hicksville, Long Island, well............. 25

Highland Station, D. C., well............. 156,160

Hightstown, N. J., wells.... 44,66,99,100,102,112

Hincliman, Joseph, well at Medford, N. J. 75 

Hog Island, Va., wells.................... 174

Holgate, James, well at South Beach 

Haven, N.J............................ 90

Hollis Station, Long Island, wells........ 24

Holmdel, N. J., well........ 44,67,100,101,102,103

Holmes, J. A., on wells in.North Carolina. 191 

Homewood, Va., wells........ 165,174,182,187,189

Horry County, S.C., marine Cretaceous in. 209 

Hughes, R. P., information supplied hy... 177 

Hummocks, N\C., well................... 192,207

Hyde County, 1ST. C., wells............ 192,196,197

Ice works, Washington, B.C., wells.. 156,157,160 

Indian Head, Maryland, well..... 127,134,149,151

Irby, Richard, information supplied hy... 179 

Isle of Wight County, Va., well prospects. 190 

Jacksonville, N. C., wells................ 192, 200

Jamaica, Long Island, wells............. 24,25,31

Jameco, Long Island, wells........... 24,26,27,28

Jameco Park, Long Island, wells......... - 24

Jamesburg, N. J., well...... 44, 67, 99,100,102, 111

thickness of Raritan beds at......... 39

James City County, Va., well prospects.. 187 

Jamestown, Va., well......... 165,174,182,187,189

Jayne, E. C., well at Ocean Beach, N.J... 77 

Jekyl Island, Ga., well................... 222

Jenkintown, Pa., well.................... ' 116

Jericho,Long Island, well................ 25,35

Jessup, Ga.,well......................... 222

Johns Island Perry, S. C., well........... 210, 215

Jones County, N. C., well prospects...... 200

Keller, Ga., wells.................:....... 222

Kent County, Del., well prospects........ 124

Kent County, Md., well prospects........ 153

Kent Island, Maryland,.well prospects... ' 153 

Key East, N. J., well................... 44,68,104

Keyport, N. J., well............. 44, 67, 69,100,101

King George County, Va., well prospects. 184 

King and Queen County, Va., well prospects.. .................................. 186

King and Queen Court House, Va., well.. 165 

Kingtree, S. C., wells .................... 211

King William County, Va., well prospects 186 

Kinsale.Va., well...........-.....:.. 165,182,184

Kinston, N.C., well...................... 192,203

Kitts Hummock, Del., well...... 119,120,122,123

Knox, C. C., information furnished by.... 171

Kreischerville, Staten Island, well...... 37

Kunz, Jules, well at Jericho, Long Island. 35

Lafayette formation, District of Columbia 155

Maryland............................. 124,126

New Jersey.......................... 40

North Carolina....................... 202

Page. 

Lafayette formation Continued.

South Carolina............... 208, 209, 219, 220

Virginia ................. 162,163,164,176,183

La Grange, 1ST. C., well.................... 192,203

Lake City, S. C., wells................... 211,219

Lake Comfort, N. C., well................ 192,197

Lake Corno, N.J., well............. 44,69,104,110

Lake Landing, N, C., well............... 192,197

Lakewood, N.J ................. 44,69,87,104,110

Lamberts Point, Va., well........ 166,172,183,188

Lancaster, Va., wells ................ 166,176,182

Lancaster County, Va., well prospects ... 185 

Larkins, W. W., well at Long Creek, N. C. 204 

Latham, L. C., well at Greenville, N. C-. 201 

Laurel, Md., well.............!.......... 127,135

Lavender, W. B., well at Lake Landing, 

N. C................................... 197

Lawrence, Long Island, well............ 23,25

Le Compt's store, Maryland, well........ 127,

132,149,154 

Leffman, H., water analysis by.......... 64, 67

Lenoir County, N. C., wells.......... 192,200,203

Leonardtown, Md., wells. 128,136,150,151,182,183 

Lester Man or, Va., wells......... 166,174,181,186

Lewes, Del., wells ............... 119,120,123,132

Lewis, Elias, jr., cited.................. 32,34,35.

Lewisetta, Va., well ...".................. 166,182

Lexington, S. C., Potomac beds near...... 280

Longport, N. J., well................... 44,70,107

Lippencott, B. S., well near Marl ton, N. J. 72 

Lippencott, Samuel, well near Marlton, 

1ST.J.................................... 72

Little Neck, Long Island, well........... 25

Little Plymouth, Va., well........... 166,182,186.

Long Branch, N. J., outcrop at........... 49,53

Long Creek, N. C., well.................. 192,204

Long Island City Gas Company, wells ... 25 

Long Island, conditions in drift.......... 22

geologic relations.................... 23

horizons and prospects............... 36

rainfall............................... 37

wells of.............................. 23

Long Point, Maryland, well.............. 128,133

Lorillard, Pierre, well at Columbus, N. J. 58 

Lower Marl, Delaware................... 117,118

Lower Marl, New Jersey......... 39, 40,42, 43,44,

45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51, 60, 61, 62, 64,

65, 69, 70, 71,72, 74, 77, 79, 80, 84,

87, 89, 90, 97,103,104,110,111,113

Lucas, J., well at Goldsboro, N. J......... 62

Lucaston, N. J., well..................... 44

Lumber City, Ga., well................... 223, 224

Lynbrook, Long Island, wells............ 25

Magnolia Station, New Jersey, well.... 44,70,104

Magoth'y formation, Delaware ........... 118

Maryland............................ 125,127,

128,130,132; 134,149,151,152,153,154 

Virginia........'.............,.......'170,180

Mahon Eiver, Del., well.......... 119,120,122,123

Malarial diseases, abatement of.......... 17,

* 126, 216, 219, 221, 224 

Manasquan formation. See Upper Marl. 

Mantoloking, N. J., wells................. 44,

45,70,103,104,106,107.110 

Maple Shade, N. J., well...... 45,70,7(5, 99,100,102

Marion County, S. C., Eocene.............. 209
DABTON.] INDEX. 229

r

Page. 

Marion, S.C.,well................... 211,219,221

Marlboro, Md., well.............. 128,134,149,152

Marlton, N. J., wells... 45,71,103,104,105,112,113 

Martin County, N. C., well prospects..... 195

Martin, G. G-., well at Temasseo, S. C..... 211

Maryland................................ .124

conditions of underground waters in 22 

descriptive notes on wells............ 128

geologic relations................ 124,137,141

water horizons....................... 148

wells................................. 126

well prospects by counties........... 149

Matawan, N. J., well..'..... 45,73,100,101,103,110

Mataw.an formation, Delaware........... 117

New Jersey........................ 39,40,42,

43, 44, 45, 46,47,48, 49, 51,54,57,58, 

59, 60, 61,62, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 

73, 75,76, 80, 83,84,85, 86, 87, 90, 92, 

97,98,101,102,110, 111, 112,113,114 

unconformity in Maryland and Delaware ............................... 40

Mattapony Ki ver, Va., wells along........ 174

Mathews County, Va., well prospects.... 186

Mays Landing, N.J., wells....... 45,73,93,94,106

Mays River, S. C., wells.................. 211,216

McGee, "W. J., cited on Potomac of South 

Carolina............................... 208

Mechesatanlun Creek, 2s". J., well......... 45,74

Medford, N. J., wells....... 45,74,75,104,105,113

Meldrim, Ga., well....................... 223

Mercer County, N. J., Matawan formation 

in...................................... 40

well prospects.......'................ Ill

Merrick, Long Island, wells.............. 25

Merrill, F. J. H., cited.................... 34,35

Metropolitan power house, "Washington, 

D. C., well'.......................... 156,157,161

Michaelsville, Md., well prospects........ 152

Middle Marl, Delaware................... 118

New Jersey ........................ 39,41,44,

49,62, 65,74, 79,80,84,97, 98,103,131 

Middlesex County, N. J.,.Matawan formation in................................. 40

well prospects ....................... Ill

Middlesex County, Va., well prospects.. 185 

Middleton, N. C. ......................... 192,198

Middletown, Del., wells.. 118,119,120,122,123,152 

Miles Kiver Neck, Md., wells ........ 133,149,153

Milford,Del., wells.................. 120,123,132

 Mills, J. S., well near^Medford, N. J ...... 74

Millville,N.J., well.'.......... 45,75,106,109,115

Mineola, Long Island, wells.............. 25

Miocene, North Carolina ................. 202

South Carolina................... 208, 209, 219

See also Chesapeake. 

Monaskon, Va., well................. 166,175,182

Monatico Creek, Va., well ........... 166,175,182

Moncks Corner, S. C., wells .............. 211

Money Point, Va., well.......... 166,173,183,188

Monmouth Beach, N. J., wells............. 45,

61,73,75,83, 85,103,110 

Monmouth County, N. J., Raritan-Matawan beds in........................... 102

well prospects........................ 104,110

Monmouth Park, N. J., wells............. 39,

45,61, 75,83,85,99,100,103,110, 111

Paga 

Moore County, N. C........... 1.......... 191

Moore, Mr., information supplied by..... 164

Moorestown, N. J., well..... 45. 75,99,100,102,112

Mount Carmel Church, Va., well. 166,179,183,190 

Mount Ephraim, N. J., wells........... 46, 76,113

Mount Holly, N. J:, thickness of Matawan at................................. 39

well ............ 46, 76, 99,100,102,101,103,112

Mount Sinai, Long Island, well........... 25

Mount Vernon, Va., well prospects ...... 183

" Mount Vernon " flats, Washington, D.C.,

well............................... 156,160,161

Mullica Hill, N. J., well............ 46,77,105,114

Nanjemoy,Md., well................. 128,149,151

Nansemond County, Va., well prospects. 190 

Nassau Gas Works, Long Island, well.... 34

National Capital Brewing Company, 

Washington, D. C., well............... 156,157

Navesink formation, Delaware .......... 117,118

New Jersey. See Lower Marl. 

Naylors, Va., well... - 166,175,176,181,182,184,1'85 

New Kent County, Va., well prospect.... 187

Newark formation, Staten Island, N.T.. 37 

New Jersey......................... 39,40,111

nearBothwell, Va.................... 163,179

well at Florence, S. C................. 210,218

Newbern, N.C....................... 192,199,200

Newcastle, Va., well...................... 166

New Hanover County, N. C., wells....... 192,206

New Jersey.............................. 39

geologic relations .................... 39

formations of southern............... 39

wells................................. 42

water horizons in southern .......... 98

well prospects by counties........... 108

Newport News, Va., well................ 166,172

Newtown, Long Island .................. 23

New York ............................... 22

New York City, wells.................... 38

Nimmo, J., information furnished by .... 35

Norfolk, Va., borings........ 164,166,173,181,188

Norfolk County, Va., well prospects..... 188

Norristown, Pa., well.................... 116

Northampton County, N. C., well prospects ............................... 193

Northampton County,Va., well prospects. 188 

North Carol ina, geologic features........ 191

list of wells .......................... 191

notes on wells........................ 192

North End Point, Va., well...... 166,171,180,183

Northport, Long Island, well............ 25

North Takoma, D. C., well............... 156,160

Northumberland County, Va., well prospects.. ................................. 185

Oakley, Md., wells....................... 128

Oakley Depot, S.C., well................. 211

Oak Springs, Va., well.................... 166

Ocean Beach,N. J., wells................. 46,

52, 70, 77, 87, 90,104,110 

Ocean City, Md., well............ 123,132,150,154

Ocean City, N. J., wells........... 46,50, 51,60,64,

 77,78,80,82,88,93,105,107,108,121 

well prospects........................ 109

Ocean Grove, N. J., thickness of marls in

wells............................... 39

wells ....... 46,49, 70,77, 79,87,90,103,104,110
230 INDEX. [BULL, 138.

Pago. 

Onancock,Va.,welL............. 166,173,183,188

Onslow County, N. C., wells.............. 192,200

Orangeburg, S. C., wells.......... 208,211,220,221

Orient, Long Island, well................ 25

Ostrea bryani, New Jersey............... 62

Ostrea falcata, New Jersey............... 49

Oyster Bay, Long Island, wells .......... 25

Palais Royal, Washington, D. C., well. 156,159,161 

Pamlico County,N. C., wells ............. 192,199

Pamunkey formation, Delaware.......... 117,119

District of Columbia................. 155

Maryland ................... 124,125,127,128,

132,133,134,135,136,149,151,152,153 

New Jersey.......................... 50,94

Virginia. 162,163,164,165,166,169,172,174,175,

177,178,181,184,185,186,187,189,190

Pasquotank County, N. C., wells..... 191,193,194

Patton, George, information by........... 158

Patterson, H. T., water analysis by....... 131

 Pavonia, N. J., wells ..... 46,56,81,99,100,101,113

Payne, G. F., water analysis by.......... 224

Pearce, P.E., information supplied by.... 164

Pecten jeffersonius....................... 129

Pecten madisonius....................... 129

Peedee Ri ver, N. C., P&ornac on......... 208

Pender County,N.C.,wells............... 192,204

Pennsylvania....................:....... 115

Perquimnas County, N. C., wells in....... 194

Perth Amboy, N. J., wells........... 46,81,99, 111

Philadelphia region, wells............. 99,115,117

Piney Point, Md., well....... 128,136,149,151,182

Pitman Grove. N. J., wells.......... 46,81,106,114

Pitt County, N. C., wells.................. 192, 201

Pleasant Mills, N. J., wells... 46, 64, 82,93,106,107 

Pleistocene, Delaware.................... 117

Long Island ........................ 23,32,36

Maryland............................. 124

146,147,148,149,150,151,152,153,154 

New York Island .................... 38.

Plum Point, Va., wells ........... 166,175,182,187

Point Pleasant, N. J., well...... 46,82,103,110, 111

Possums Nose, Va., well.................. 166,177

Port Eaton, Long Island, well............ 25,35

Port Jefferson, Long Island, wells........ 26

Port Monmouth, N. J., well......... 46,83,103,110

Port Norris, N. J., wells........ 46,83,107,109,115

Port Republic, N. J., well...... 46,83,106,107,109

Port, Royal, S. C., well.................... 211,216

Port Chesapeake, New Jersey, horizons .. 108 

Potomac formation, Delaware ............ 117,

118,120,121,123,124

District of Columbia. 155,156,157,158,159,160 

Maryland............ 124,125,127,128,131,133,

134,135,136,137,139,142,143,144,145 

North Carolina........... 191,193,195, 205,206

Pennsylvania ........................ 115,116

South Carolina....... 208,210, 213,219,220, 221

Virginia.......................... 20,162,163,

165,166,167,168,170,171,172,175,177,

178,180,183,184,186,187,188,189,190

Potomac River, wells along .............. 177

Potomac sands, depth in Sampson County, 

N.C.................................... 200

depth in Greene County, N. C........ 201

Prince George County, Md., well prospects. 151 

Prince George County, Va., well prospects. 189

Page.

Princess Anne County, Va., well prospects. 188 

Prince WiliiamCounty.Va., well prospects 184 

Providence Forge, Va., well............. i 166

Puritan Bay, Va., wells ...'....... 166,175,182,186

Quantico, Va., well .............. 151,166,177,184

Queen Anne County, Md., well prospects. 153 

Queens. County Water Company, Long 

Island, wells........................... 25,33

Quinton, N. J., wells .... 46, 77, 83,98,105,106,114

thickness of Middle Marl.............. 39

thickness of Redbank formation...... 39

Ragged Point, Va.,.well................. 166,182

Rancocas, N. J., well .:............ 46,84,102t 112

Rancocas formation, Delaware........... 117,118

See also Middle Marl.

Rappahannock River, Va., wells along... 175 

Raritan formation, Delaware............. 117,118

Maryland............................ 124

New Jersey........................ 39,40,43,

44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 51, 53, 54, 55,56,57,

58, 59, 63,67, 68, 69, 71, 73, 74, 76, 77,81,

86, 91, 97, 98, 99,100, 111, il2,113,114

Philadelphia......................... 115, 116

Redbauk formation, Delaware ........... 117,118

New Jersey... 39,41,44, 45,46,65,71, 72,74,77,

84,89, 97, 98,103,104,105,109,113,114

Red Bank, N. J., wells................... 46,61,

70, 73, .75, 84, 86,87, 90, 97,103,104,110 

Reform School, District of Columbia, 

well................................ 156,159,160

Richland, N. J., well prospects .......... 108

Richmond, Va., infusorial series at....... 170

wells...........'.................. 166,178,189

Richmond County, N. C., well prospects- 191,205 

Richmond County, Va., Avell prospects... 185 

Richwood, N. J., well..................... 46,85

Ridgewood, Long Island, wells ........... 24,27

Ries, H., cited ........................... 37

Riverhead, Long Island, well............ 26

Riverside, N. J., wells'. ......... 46,85,99,100,112

Ri.verton, N. J., well................ 46,86,99,100

Roberts, S. C.. well at Hartford, N. J.... 66

Robeson County, N. C.,' well prospects... 205 

Rock Point, Maryland, wells ........ 128,149,151

Rocky Point, Long Island, .wells......... 26

Rockville Center, Long Island, wells..... 26

Rockwood, C. G., well on Mechesatanken 

Creek, N.J.......--................... 74

Roclmap, W. B., Washington, N. C., well. 195 

Rogers, Davis, well near Marlton, N. J.. 72 

Rogers, W. B., on well at Fort Monroe, 

Va.................................... 167

Roper, N.C.,wells....................... 192,196

Rose Bay, N. C........................... 192,198

Roslyn, Long Island, well................ 26

Rousby, Md., well........................ 128,136

Rude, L., information supplied by.... 127,164,175

Rumsen Neck, N. J., well.......... 46,86,103,104

Runyon .Station, N. J., well............... 46

Sag Harbor, Long Island, wells.......... 26

St. Catherine Island, Ga., wells........... 223

St. Elizabeth Asylum, D. C., wells.... 156,157,161

St. George Island, Maryland, wells ....... 128,

136,149,151,182 

St. Helena, Md........................... 141,147

St. Inigoes, Md., wells....... 128,136,149,151,182
DARTON.] INDEX. 231

St. James, Long Island, wells.......... 26

St. Mary County, Md., wells.............. 136

well prospects........................ 150

St. Simon Island, Ga., wells............... 223

Salem County, N. J., well prospects....... 114

Salisbury, Md.; , wells............. 128,131,150,' 154

Sampson County, N. C., well prospects.. - 200 

Sand Point, Long Island, well............ 26,36

Sandy Point, Va., wells.......... 166,182,183,184

Santee beds,'South Carolina.... ^......... 209

Sotterly,Ma.,well........................ 128

Savannah, Ga., wells..................... 222,223

Sayreville, N. J.,wells............ 46,47,86,99, 111

Scranton.N.C., wells..................... 192,198

Seabright, N. J., well's":..........-.....-. 47,

61, 73,83, 85,86; 90, ]J)3,104,110 

Sea Cliff, Long Island, well............... 26

Sea Girt, N. J., well......... 47,87,102,103,104,110

Sea Island City.N. J., well......... 47,87,106,109

Severn formation, Delaware.............. 118

Districtof Columbia................. 155

Maryland........................ 129,131,134

New Jersey.......................... 50

Virginia ............................. 170

Sewell, N. J., thickness of Lower Marl at. 39 

well.......... 47,76,89,92,101,103,104,105,114

Shamong, N. J., well prospects........... 109

Shannahan, T. H. K., information given by 120,127 

Shark Eiver formation, New Jersey ..... 39,41

Sharps Wharf, Va., wells.... 166,175,176,182,185

Shelden, S. C., wells...................... 211

Shopard, C. TJ., cited on analysis of 

Charleston, S. C., water.... 213,214,215,216,217

Shepard, L. "W., information supplied by. 177 

Sheppard's Warehouse, Va., wells. 166,175,182,186 

Shrewsbury, N. J., well............ 47,90,104,110

Sineaths Station, S. C., well.............. 210,215

Snyder and Mittle, well on Mays Eiver, 

S.C.................................... 211

Solomons Island, Md., wells....... 28,136,149,150

Somerset County, Md., well(prospects ... 154 

South Amboy, N. J., well........... 47,90,99, 111

Southampton County, Va., well prospect. 190 

South Beach Haven, N. J., well........ 47,90,106

South Carolina, geologic relations........ 207

deep wells............................ 210

notes on wells........................ 211

water horizons and prospects ........ . 221

Sparrow Point, Md., thickness of Potomac beds....................... 137,141,147,149

Spesutie Island, Md., well............... 149

Spottsylvania County, Va., well prospects ................................... 185

Spring Creek, Long Island, wells....... 24,26,27

Springer Lumber Company, N. C ........ 192, 199

Springfield, Long Island, wells .......... 24,29

Spring Lake, N. J., well... 47,52,70,80,87,104,310 

Stafford County, Va., well prospects ..... 184

Stanton.T.W., cited..................... 130

Statenlsland............................ 37

Statesboro, Ga., wells.................... 223

Stockton, N. J., wells.....* 47, 56,81,90, 99,100,101

Straight Creek, N.J., well......... 47,91,107,115

Sumter, S. C., well....................... 211

Surry County, Va., well prospects ....... 190

Sussex County, Del., well prospects ..... 124

Page. 

Sussex County, Va., well prospects...... 189

Swan Point, Va., well...................: 166,'i79

Swanquartef.'N. C., wells ............... 192,198

Swansea, S.'C.", well...................... 211

Talbot County; 'Md., well prospects...... 153

Tarboro, NVC., wells ................ 192,195,201

Taylor, C. S., well at Burlington, N. J... 54 

Taylbr, Mrs. J. D., well near Laurel, Md. 135 

Taylor, N. & G., well inThiladelphia.... 116

Terebratula harlani, New Jersey.... 41,49,79,80

Tertiary on Long" Island'................. 23

Tilghman Island, Md., wells......... 128,149,153

Trenton, N. J., wells................ 47,91,99,112

Trenton gravel .......................... 40,112

Tunis Mills; Md!, well............... 128,149,153

Tudmey, M., studies in South Carolina .. 207 

Turritella sequistriata, New Jersey...... 62

Tyrre'l County, N. C., well prospects . '... 196 

Tipper Marl, New Jersey................. 39,41

Van Buren, Dr., well at Shrewsbury, N. J. 90 

Varnsville, S. C., well.................... 211

Vineland, N.J.,well............... 47,91,106,115

Vineland, N. C., wells ................... 192,206

Virginia Beach, Va., well................ 167,183

Virginia, geologic relations............ 20,22,, 162

wells in eastern...................... 164,179

list of wells in eastern............... 165

water horizons in eastern............ 180

Walkerton, Va., wells............... 166,174,180

Walterboro, S. C., well................... 211

Waretown, N. J., well............. 47,91,106,110

Warririgton, Joseph,, well near Mount 

Ephraim, N.J.......................... 76

Warsaw,N. C.,well...................... 192,204

Warwick County, Va., well prospects.... 187

Washington. See District of Columbia. 

Washington, N. C., well............. 191,192,195

Washington County, N. C., wells........ 192,196

Washington, W.d'H., information by.... 38

Water analyses. See Analysis.

Watts Pond, Long Island, wells ......... 24

Waycross, Ga., well...................... 223

Way.Lumber Company, N. C., well...... 192,195

Wayne, Pa., well........................ 116

Wayne County, N. C., wells ............. 192,202

Ways Station, Ga., wells................. 223

Weems, Va., well ........................ 166,175

Weldon, N. C., Potomacformation....... 191

Wenonah, N. J., thickness of Matawan at 39 

wells............. 47,76, 90,92,101,103,104,114

West Creek, N. J., well........ 47,92,107,109,115

West Point, Va., wells....... 167,175,182,186,187

Westbury, Long Island, well............ 26

Westerson, Joseph, analysis of water from 

Indian Head by ........................ 135

Westerley Hill, Long Island, wells ...... 26

Westmorland County, Va., well prospects ................................... 184

Weymouth, N. J., wells ..... 47,74,93,106,107,108

Whealtons, Va,, well................. 167,175,182

White House, Va., wells ..... 167,174,181,186,187

White, Uriah, well at Asbury Park, N. J . 49 

Wicomico County, Md., well prospects ... 154 

Wiese, Mr., information by............... 53

Wilber, "F. A., water analyses by......... 61,80

Wijdwood, N. J., wells .......... 47,48,94,107,109
232 INDEX. [BOLL. 138.

Page.

Wilkins, Mrs. John, well near Marlton, 

1ST. J.................................... 72

Willets Point, Long Island, wells ........ 26

Williams, B., well at Burgaw, K C ....... 204

_Williamsburg County, S. C., Eocene...... 209

marine Cretaceous................... 209

Williamsburg, Long Island, wells ........ 26

Williamsburg, Va., wells..... 167,173,181,182,187

Wilmington,Del., wells ...........i...... 119,123

"Wilmington, N. C., wells .................. 192,206

Wilson Cotton Mills, N. C., well.......... 192,206

Wilson County, N. C., wells.............. 192,202

Wilson, J. G., well at Fellowship, N. J ... 59 

Windmill Point, Va., well............ 1C7,176,182

Winslow, N". J., wells .... 48,53,66,95,106,107,108

Wood, A. C., well at Cinnaminson, N. J... 57 

Woodbury, Long Island, well............ 26

Woodbury, N. J., wells... 48,76,90,96,101,103,114

Page. 

Woodhaven, Long Island, well.... 23,26,31,32,36

Woodsburg, Long Island, wells .......... 26

Woodstown, N. J., thickness of beds in 

well.................................... 39

wells.....'........ 48,77,97,99,101,103,105,114

Woolman, L., cited...... 42,48,49,50, 51,52, 53, 54,

55,56,57, 59, 60, 62, 63, 65, 66, 67, 69,70.

71, 73, 74, 75,76, 77, 78, 79, 80,82, 83,84,

85, 89, 91, 92, 94,95,96,97,98,104,105,

107,108,113, 116,119,121,122,130,131

Worcester County, Md., well prospects.. 154

Worth, W. E., wells at Wilmington, N. C. 207

Yatesville, "N.C., well.................... 192,195

Yemassee, S. C., wells ................... 211

York River, Va., wells along............. 174

York County, Va., well prospects........ 187

Zuni, Va., well............... 167,179,182,183,190