The Placer herald., 1860-03-10

Horizontal Wells.

SON. Horizontal Wells.
Why not, in billy aand mountainous re-
gions, have all out wells fountains, by dig
ging them horizontally into tie hillsiles
Mining after coal in Pennsylvania and gold
in California has clearly illustrated the fact
that wells may be dug into hillsides, or banks
or bluffs, as well level or horizontally or
down perpendicularly; so that every unlucky
thing falling into the water becomes a por-
ton of the contents of the well. Very many
Of the dairy farm houses in the Empire State
may be supplied with water from the hills
by means Of the artificial fountains we arc
describing Also dry pastures may have such
wells, and the water gathered in trough
rs naturally as if thad always flowed there.
Much dangerous and severe labor may
also be saved in drawing The dirt by windlass
from the WE'LL Water, so very troublesome
in common wells, has not to be baied in the
horizontal as it takes care of ITSELF The
certainty of discovering or cutting off veins
of water is greater with the horizontal we'll,
than the perpendicular, if it starts in near
the base Of hill or anywhere as much be-
low the surface as common shaft would be
likely to be sunk.
How much labor and cost in bringing
springs in logs or pipes from distant fields,
and in the end only having semi cold water
Of not half the value for the dairy it had at
its source, might have been saved by a trial
of the horizontal well. The California pa
pers endorse their efficiency, and urge tar
mers to construct them whenever practicable.
The construction is simple and need hardly
he described. When the location is chosen.
let il be so that the course of the well may
rise few inches as it progresses, that the
water, instead of running in may run out
II il should be sandy or gravely and the
arch incline to fall, plank must be used to
support il, The labor can be performed in
wet time or in winter. as the water runs
away from instead Of into the work. The
dirt is cry easily removed with a wheelbar
row. The stoning may be with an arch in
dimensions sufficient for the entrance of a
man, or only drain or gutter to conduct
the water Rural New Yorker.
A FApLE.-A gourd had wound itself
around n lofty palm, and in a few weeks
climbed to its very top.
"IIow old mayst thou be!" asked the new
conner. ea.
"About hundred years."
"About a hundred years, and no taller!
Only look: l have grown rs tall as you in
fewer days than you can count years."
II know that WE'LL" replied the palm;
"every summer of my life a gour' has climb
ed up around me, as proud as thou art and
as short.ived as thou wilt be-"
Fontenelle, describing the position of
friend who had involved himself in very
serious scrape, thus relates the method of
his extrication: "IIe got himself out of it
like clever man. Do you know what he
did? He died"
The BEsv LETTER IN THE ALPHABET
"Jane, what letter in the alphabet do you
like best"
"Well, don't like to say, Mr. Snooks"
"Pooh, nonsense! tell right out, Jane;
which do you like best!"
well" (blushing and dropping her eyes)
"I like U the best"
II she had been a true woman, and dis
regarded grammar, she would have said she
liked best.
NJ. Avil, President of the Statistical Socie-
ty of the Canton OF Nevers in France, esti
mates that drainage has increased the yield
of wheat on his estate 10 per cent, and that
the incrense in crops for two years repays
the cost of drainage.
EE- A young man, calling himself Davis
Ferguson, and other aliases, has been trav
cling recently through Wisconsin and Iowa,
and doing large business in the way OF
marrying young girls and appropriating
other peoples property. Within three
weeks he married no less than six wives
Es- A Milwaukee paper gives the follow
ing as an item of history: 'Pontius Plate was
Jewish sea captain-one of the ancient
shoulder hitter. His real name was Heenan,
but in fit Of malignty brought on by
malignant fevers, he used to punch his pilot in
the head: hence the nickname
CoAL.-It is said that an extensive deposit
of coal has been discovered about four miles
from Marti ez It has been tested and found
to be of excellent quality The vein from
which this coal was taken is very extensive,
and is easy of access for the purpose of
working it, The exact location of this mine
is for the present a secret, and known only
to parties Immediately Interested.
San Jose Tribune
Another coal mine has been found in
Amador county, near lone City. The Gala
veras Chronicle says that the best stratum is
thirteen feet thick, and equal in hardness and
quality to the Peacock coal Of Pennsy ylvauia
Several tons of the coal has been tested, and
found to be good and cheap substitute for
wood, and fit to he used for making steam
1t burns beautifully with a brilliant flame,
and leaves but little ashes. 1t is thought a