The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-03-28
8oramg 0ig wells.

AS "oil' IS the absorbing topic at pres
eut, the following description OF tbs i'm
plements used in boring for it viii be read
with interest
The "derrick" consists Of four upright
poles, from thirty to thirty-five feet high,
made TO form a square at the base of six
to eight feet, while at the top (the poles
slanting) the square isreduced toabout FIVE
feet On the top Of the derrick, directly
over the well, is a wheel, around which
runs an inch rope, used for hosting the
tools out OF the we'll Whenever their re
moyai becomes necessary, from accident or
the accumulation Of sand.
The "windlass' attached to the derrick,
about three feet from the ground, affords
an excellent leverage IN hosting the tools
from the well, which weigh, when screwed
together for boring, from three to Eve
hundred pounds.
The ''spring pole" is made OF straight
hickory tree, about thirty-fve feet III
length, and fastened in The ground, while
the middle is braeed up with "a stout up
right post, and the other end extends di-
rectly over the well, to which the rope is
{
drill. A foot board is nailed on the end
Of the spring pole, upon which a man
stands when boring, supported IN his po-
sition by strip running from side to side
Of the derrick, three feet above the pole,
which answers for hand-hold; a tread
board, forming an inclined plane Of twelve
inches, is also fastened to the same end Of
the pole, which keeps one man constantly
busy with one foot, while along side of
the we'll tie borer sits on q stool 1t is his
business to twist the rope at every rebound
Of the pole, in order that the drill may
strike the rock crossYays alternately.
The boring tools consist Of u round iron
augur stem, twenty feet long and two
| inches thick, and 1--WE bits, two feet long,
the same thickness as. the stem, which are
made so that they can be readily screwed
on the stem at pleasure The first bit Cor
more properly dril9 used isa chisel shaped,
and makes the hole, which is two inches
wide The other four Generally styled
'"reamers," and made bell-shaped, two be-
ing three inches and two four inches wide)
arc intended to enlarge the well and smooth
off the rough edges CT The rock
The operation in boring consists simply
of an up and down motion, with fall of
the drill OF from one to four feet.
The .'sand pump is composed Of cop
per tube, FIVE feet in length and two inches
in diameter, with leather valve at the
bottom, opening as the pump goes in the
water and shutting as it is hauled up
The tubing is made in sections twenty feet
long, of cast iron or copper, fastened to-
gether by means Of brass screws.
The ''seed bag" is intended to prevent
water from running into the well it IS
made Of leather, cut te fit tight around the
outside of the tubing, perhaps foot above
the OF; the bag, three-tourths Of a yard
in depth, is filed with faz-seed, and the
top tied loosely around the tube. In this
manner the tube is lowered into the well,
the water in few minutes swelling the
seed to such bulk that the space between
the tube and-walls of the we'll Is entirely
closed, and rendered water proof The
pump inside the tubing has two valves,
which work alternately, the lower one
being shut while the upper one is open.