New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-12-23
From the Farmer Register.
arteaErD Wells I'm Ala hanna.

clear across the States of Alabama and Mississip-
pi in directone little north of west in this State,
and in belt of some 80 or DO miles, living princi-
pally between the attitudes 80 and SO degrees
north. They are composed of black cacareous
clay, in which the carbonate of lime is fosnd in
considerable excess in some instances as hig asoO
per cent. The larger proportion of this descrip-
ton of soil is covered ty dense forest of oak ASH
hickory, elm, cottonwood, and, in quite consid-
cradle portion, there are large forests of cedar,
which no doubt vie in size and beauty with the far
famed " cedars of Lebanon" Some OF them square
feet at the but, and ere of great height. Tie
most of this back-land country, particularly where
the oak and ash prevail, was originally covered
with dense cane and hence the whole of it is usu-
ally denominated the canebrake,' though very
few vestiges of cane are still remaining. The gea-
eral surface of the country undulating, and the
rotten limestone rock, which invariably forms the
substratum to the soil, sometimes approaches
within few inches of the top, and is frequently
entirely denudsd by the washing rains, which con-
stitute The greatest obstacle 10 keeping them in
permanently improving state.
the difficulty of procuring water in this region
presented an insurmountable obstacle in the eyes
of the first settlers, and as the soil is excessively
wet and disagreeable in the rainy months of winter
fort were at first induced to settle upon II. When
the more wealthy class Of planters, however, be-
gan TO come in, The allurements of gain were too
tempting to be resisted. So great desideratum,
however, as water not long to 5e endured ;
and the idea of boring Artesian wells entirely
through the rock was, | believe, first successfully
carried into practice BY man named Cooper,
native of Connecticut, who possessed considerable
mechanical genius, and that particular turn Of
mind which is always on the qui uive for some
thing new and striking
The prairies in this country extend up as high
IA Erie and Greensborough, the east side of the
Warrior river; and about half way between the
two places is the largest atthe head of which is
nv summer residence. When [ first came 10 this
part Of the country, settlers we're deferred from
going lower down in the prairies account OF the
scarcity of water. In the course of the last year
OF two, however, that has become the finest water
ed portion of the country, by means Of Ariesian
wells. Indeed every planter has it now in his
power TO have much water as he wants and in
whatever place he wants it; if it is on the top of
the highest hill on his plantation. Well-boring
has become trade, and contracts are almost uni
versally made, +" no water, no pay" For the first
or 5 miles from the head of the praires it isusu-
ally obtained in great abundance by boring about
300 feet In this distance they generally go through
or strata of rock, and just before reaching wa
ter, the rock becomes hard that steel pick
has to be substituted for the auger with which the
rotten limestone rock is bored The hole perfora-
ted is generally about inches in diameter and the
auger is worked by pipe poles connected together
by head and socket, which are successfully added
until the object is attained. To obviate the diff
Guilty of drawing up the poles caused by the suction
and pressure of the atmosphere, small aperture
left near the centre of the auger, by which the
air can get belowit. The quantity of water some
times thrown up from one of these augur.holes is
almost incredible, and shows the great pressure to
which it must be subjected beneath the stratum
perforated. have seen one which threws up so
gallons per minute, or feet above the surface,
though in a very diminished quantity. There are
several others in the Immediate vicinity nearly as
bold and in few instances the water has forced its
way out through the natural crevces in the rock,
and runs all the year, thoush in comparatively very
diminished quantities. The auger used is about
20 feet long, with shank one inch gin diameter,
TIN ough which q half-inch hole is bored to admit
the air.
The number of Artesian wells in Greene and
Marengo Counties is probably nearly 500. The
great quantity Of water they throw out is supposed
to have made the canebrake much more unhealthy
than it formerly was, as it stagnates in the deep
holes and ravines, which otherwise are generally
dry before the sickly season. The dip of the bot
tom stratum Of rock, beneath which the wafer Is
generally procured, averages about 20 feet to the
mile, in going from North to South across the
praries, though there is great uniformity In IL,
water being found in the same vicinity at very
different depths. In Demopolis there is running
well 500 feet deep, and very near it there is one
bored TO the depth of 600 feet without getting
water. These are about the customary depths on
the south side of Big Prairie Creek, though on
Cottonwood Creek, one of its southern tributaries,
the borings have been carried upwards of 600
feet in some instances without getting through the
rock. To whatever depth, however, the rock is
perforated it is found to contain the fossils,
consisting mostly Of scollop, cookie, and oyster
shells, though not of the same species we now
find in Mobile | have been shown some very
perfect specimens lately which were bored up $40
and $40 feet below the surface. Pyrites sui
phuret of iron is also frequently bored out from a
great depth, and as the little balls, called sui phur
balls in which it is found, are very hard they fire.
quently interfere very much with the boring.
The water procured from those wells is always
impregnated pretty strong with sulphur, and from
the deep ones appears quite warm in winter. Per-
sons accustomed TO prefer it to any other, though
It Is unpa atable TO those who are not. Stock OF
all kinds very fond Of il, and will swim
q creek in winter to get to it.
ROBERT w. WRITER'S.
GKEENgoRo, Ala, Oct %, 1912.
u Spencer announces TO gentlemen that bis arrange
ments completed for supplying according pre-
vious intip,ation, FINE Fun HAT price (S3 2jt
which shall render emphacally the cheapest well as
lowest priced Geptlemen's Fur Hat sale in this
city. is prepared in the style which characerizes
finest article and like that article is offered at al
which il be continued without unusually rapid
sale The undersigned with all confidence atrms he
the gentleman and economist the most desirable Fur
Hat yet offered. (o2Ot0 SPENCER, 2t5 Broadway.