The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1861-03-27
Empiem eMts Used ian B0ring Oil
Wells.


AS oil is the absorbing topic at present, the
following description will be read with interest:
The derrick consists of four upright poles,
from thirty to thirty five feet high, made to
form square at the base o. six to eight feet
while at the top (the poles slanting) the square
is reduced to about five feet. On the top Of the
derrick, directly over the well is wheel around
which runs an inch rope, used for hosting the
tools out OF the well whenever their removal be.
comes necessary from accident or the accumula-
tion 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 togather for boring
from three to five hundred pounds.
The Spring pole IS made OF a straight hick-
ory tree, about thirty five feet in length, one
end fastened in the ground, while the middle is
braced up with q stout upright post, and the
other end extends directly over the we'll, to
which the rope is attached that sustains the au
CUR, stem and drill A foot board is nailed on
the end Of the spring poe, upon which man
stands when boring, supported in his position
by a strip running from side to side OF the der
rick, three feet above the pole, which answers
Tor hand hold A tread board, forming an in
clined plane oftweye inches, is also fastened to
the same end Of pole, which keeps one
man constantly busy with one foot, while along
side of the borer sits on a STOOL it is his busi-
ness to twist the rope at every rebound Of the
pole, in order that the drill may strike the rock
crossways alternately.
The boring tools consist ofa round iron augur
stem twenty feet long and two inches
thick, and five 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 drill)
used is chiel shaped, and makes the hole, which
is two inches wide. The other four general
lv STYLED 'reamers' and made bell shared, two
being three, and two four inches wide,) are in
tended to enlarge the we'll and smooth off the
rough edges Of the rock.
The opperatioa in boring consists simply Of
an up and motion, with fallof the drill of
from one to three feet.
The sand pump is composed ofa copper tube,
five feet in length and two inches in diameter,
with leather valve at the bottom, which opens
as the pump decends in the water and shuts as
it is hauled up. The tubing is made in sections
twenty feet long, Of cast iron or copper, fasten'
ed together by means Of brass screws.
The seed bag is intendedto prevent water
from running into the, ,well it is made ofleather
cut to fit tight aroundthe outside of the tubing,
perhapsa foot above the oil; the bag, three
fourths Of q yard in depth, is filed with fax
seed, and the top tied closely around the tube.
In this manner the tube is lowered into the
we'll, the water in few minutes swelling the
seed to such bulk that the space between the
tube and the walls of the well is entirely closed
and rendered water proof The pump inside oi
the tubing has two valves, which work alter
nately, the lower one being shut while the up
per one is open. -r