Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-09-30
Artesian Wells.

Artesian Wells.
i One Of the most remarkable Artesian
wells Of our own time is that Of Grenelle,
in the Paris basin. 1t was undertaken in
1884, up to which time no successful arte-
sian sinking had reached a greater depth
than about 1,000 feet. 1t was calculated
that after passing through the tertiary beds,
and the chalk, the upper greensand would
be reached at depth Of l,2O0 or l 800
feet. Operations were commenced with All
auger of unusual dimensions, viz. ! foot in
diameter; the borings brought up, in sue
cession, the alluvial soil and subsoil, and
IL tertiary sands. gravels, clays, lignite,
&c, until the chalk was reached. They
then bored through the hard upper chalk
down to the lower chalk with green grains
the dimensions of the auger being re-
duced at 500 to 8 inches in diameter at
l,l00 to y inches and at 1900 feet, to
inches in diameter In the course Of
these borings, numerous accidents occur
red. In May, 1887, at the depth Of AIS
yards, the hollow tube, with nearly 30
yards Of the boring rods attached to it,
broke and fell to the bottom Of the hn'"
""u niteen months were occupied in ex
tracing the broken fragments, of course
delaying the work for that period. H.
April, 1910, in passing through the chalk,
the chisel attached to the boring rod fell
off, and several months were occupied iu
recovering it. \ similar accident occurred
a second time, but instead Of attempting
to recover it, it was driven into the stra-
tum, which happened to be gravel. When
the calculated depth of 1,500 feet had
been reached without any result, the Gov
ernment became disheartened, and the
public patience exhausted. Ga the urgent
representation of NJ. Arago, the sinkings
were continued, until at length, on the
Goth of February, 1871, the rod suddenly
descended several yards. They had pierced
the vault of the sub,errancan waters, and
in the course Of few hours the water
rushed up violently from a depth Of | 800
feet. The first rush brought up an im
mense volume of water mixed with sand
and mud, and at high temperature. II
rose many feet above the surface, and the
force was so great that considerable inju-
ry was done to the boriugrods, and it was
some time before the shaft could be suiii-
ciently cleared for the full discharge to
issue without interruption. The pipe by
which the water reached the surface was
carried to height nearly on level with |
the source of the supply.
Since the tubes have been completed |
about half million of gallons of perfectly
limpid water have been supplied by this
well in the course of the twenty -four-hours,
at the constant temperature of SO Fahr |
The temperature Of the water Of Arte- |
sian wells is always higher than that of
the surface, according to Arago, in the !
ratio Of = for every GO or so feet of de-
scent but according to the observations
of DR.. Paterson ON eleven Artesian wells |
in Scotland, the mean increase is l for ev-
cry As feet Of descent; and the mean of
seventeen wells in other places gave l . for
every 53 feet of descent. In one observa-
ton the temperature Of the well WATERWAYS
that 80 ., while of the surface of spring
close by was at the freezing point.
Artesian wells have been sunk to various
depths. The greatest depth is that of
Grenelle, just noticed.
Artesian wells have not only been en-
ployed for providing houses with water,
bu, their waters have also been used as
moving power. In the village of Gone
hem, near Bethune, there are four bOrlngs
to the depth of l2O feet; the waters are
conveyed into the watercourse Of flour
mill, and are also made to subserve other
agricultural purposes. The little town OF
Roubaix, near Arras, was in danger OF
losing its principal means OF support
viz, its silk-spinuing and dys-Tcrk', from