Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-04-22

wooden pipes the one terminating over n
shallow iron boiler, hundred feet long, ra 5 ID
on two parallel walls Of brlckwork, and the
other tenn mating in a Iurn0ce OF equal eLgth.
and of the width oi about live feet. The fur
mace resembled hall with an iron ceiling.
TO supply brine to this huge salt pan, ana
gas to the huge furnace beneath it, no other
labor was required than that Of turning faucets.
The superintendent of the works withdrew a
loose brlcK from the front wall OF the furnace
to allow us to view the scene Of combustion
taking place within. Exclamatons of woudel
and aslonlshment burst from the lips of each
one OF our party successlvcIs. on obtaining Il
first sight of the grand spectacle Of the coutlu-
grafton Of the gas. Blows of fire appeared
waving ana tossing beneath the non canopy
extended to IA distance Of hundred feet
This sub ime scene of continuous blllows OF
flame may be imaglned, by supposng large
burner connected with ,he gas works Of city
to emit b lze towering to the height Of a hun
dred feet. and spread out like tan flashing
and curllug in wreahs Of Respondent brl
/ hancy
Turning from this dAzzjing anl bewllderin1
spectacle and following branch Of the wood
en gas-ppc. we We're nest conducted to anOfh
cr furnace, INTO which stream If gas was dis
charged, and burnt beneath the boiler Of IA stealr
engine The engine was in vigorous action, t,
operate the drilling apparatus, used for boring
still an thcr Artc,un well.
4 fellow traveller on contemplating this eX
citing scene, ustri5ed 1t to the tmnnass Of the
crust Of the earth at this place, and a conso-
quent tapping of the internal regions by the
aurur-hOlp.
The furnace fires are kept glowing inccs
sanity by night and day, requiring no other al
Z ,,,,,, l. l,.,,,
the crystaIlznr brine into other shallowe
evaporatlug pans, through which the steam from
the great iron boiler is conducted in coppe
pipes.
The subsdng crystals Of salt are OCCASION
ally raked out, and arc packed in barrels fo
rano?ortatlona athroughout The valley of the Mis-
sSslppl.
The quantity of gas discharged each day
from one of these "gas weIls,' has been est,
mated by writer in Si,lmanS journal, to bt
sufficient to Ilght the city Of New York for j.
hours. THIS estimate Is, however, probab =
much too hlgh.
The superintendent ofthe drilling operations
in progress at one of the salt works, stated tina
a proprietor hid persevered in boring at anolh
~ spot, to ,ho depth of lc5O feet III an unsuc
Ccssiu attempt to obtain "A supply of gaseuu
fuel for boring bune. This eXtraordinary we.
Is therefore OF about the Spme dcp'h as the ce,
ebrded Alteslln well vi Grcnele, in the city
Of Pans.
The quality ofths gas is of the most refined
! purity, beng entirely devoid Of the nlus on
odor winch c'aracterizes the carburcttcd by
drogen produced in the gas works Of our cities
The first Artesan ga~ sprlnE, utter pourln.
| forth continuous stream Of gas during per
lod Of three or four years, has become gradual
| y exhausted but four or five similar well
havc been successfully made WITHIN two o
/ Three miles Of the original one.
The @rs Is now Liable 10 be suddenly cut of
from one well and to b. diverted In few min
u'es to another at distance, perhaps on til
other side Of the river.
The supply still continues adequrtc for tw,
sat works, one Of " h,ch has produced four hun
dred bushels Of salt per d1y.