The Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1854-1855, 1855-08-30

FREEDOM FROM DANGER IN DESCENDING
WELLs.-Quite number have lost their lives
from gas by descending into wells for the pur-
pose of cleaning them out and the Cleveland
60. Herald gives an account of a case which
recently occurred in Columbus, in that Sta,e.
where four persons, after being nearly depri-
we'd of life in we'll were only rescued from
their perllous situation at their last gasp
The cause OF death in such cases is carbonic
acid gas, or as Il Is Familiarity called Choke
damp Il prevents respiration; it exiting ui>h-
es flame, and IS generally found at the bottom
Of wells, II being of greater specific gravity
than air. is generated by vegetable decom-
position, and also by combustion. and com
monty finds It's way into wells from seams in
the strata of the earth, from djacent places
where chemical action is going on. ANY well
NAV be descended with perfect safety by the
of quick or fresh burned lime, recently
Stacked, or without being Stacked. When
there is choke damp in we'll it can easily be
known by letting down lamp or candle by a
cord. If the light burns freely. 1t is sign
that no choke damp is there. and the we'll may
be entered with safety; butt the candle burns
dimly, or is extinguished, it is sign of dan
ger. TO remove this gas To render il
innoxious to the person entering the well, all
that has to be done Is simply TO throw down
some pieces of fresh burned lime into the wa
ter. and a.itate it with the bucket on the rope,
or with pole. Another plan is to slack the
lime in a small heap, mix it with water in a
tub, and throw down three four pailsfull
into the we'll Or if it is desired TO enter the
we'll and not disturb the water in ii, take
about half palfull of Stacked lime. mix it
quickly with cold water in a small tub. and
lower it down into the well by cords attached
10 It's lugs as TO rest on the surface of the
water The contents of this tub must be
stirred up ten minutes with a pole in the well.
aud then left suspended for an hour When
drawn up, any person may descend the Wed
with safety. The philosophy of this Is, that
moist lime has great affinity for carbonic acid
gas, and it therefore absorbs il rapidly from
the atmosphere. If we take some fresh
Stacked lime, and stir it in a vessel contain
ing cold water, and allow it to remain for
five or six hours, a hard scale, like that OF thin
ice. will be found on the top of the water
This scale is carbonate of lime, formed by
the absorption of carbonic acid gas from the
atmosphere Ia very small quantity Of carbon
ic acid is mixed with all the air we breathe, J
and the scale is thin pellcle of stone-mar-
BILE. The lime of good mortar becomes hard
by returning to its former condition of lime
stone, by the absorption of carbonc acid gas
rom the atmosphere, and the formation of a
thin scale of carbonate OF lime on lime vat,
affords evidence Of the manner in whi, h some
of the sedimentary rocks were formed. No
person need be afraid of descending into "A
we'll if he pursues the directions given. By
letting down candle into the well, after the
lime has been allowed to play its part, It's
light will indicate when it is safe to descend
For the safety of life. hope this informa
ton will be circulated far and near. .Scientft
inierican