The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-01-25
The ArteSlan Well.

up large and steady stream of pure clear, soft
water, and may, therefore, be justly pronounced
success. Hence we have taken the pains to
collect the material facts that have been revealed
by the drill in connection with il, and to give
them to our readers, with few differences or
speculations that seem naturally to grow out Of 70
them. sA1
The rock passed through in boring the we'll
this far is as follows
LIST. Soil and alluvian, 9 feet. ....
I'd. ST. Peters sandstone, 161 feet. -G-.. l
I'd. Hydraulic cement similar to that found
at Utica, 8 to 10 feet.
4th. Magnetism limestone, containing silica.
about 100 feet.
9Th. A thin layer Of hard white flint
9th. A fine white sandstone, supposed to be
identical with what is called the Potsda1n
sandstone.
| The last named stratum Of sandstone lin which
the boring is now progressing appears to be the
real water bearing rock, although water was
reached in the magnetism lime rock and COM
menced flowing over the top OF the well at q
depth of about 2S6 feet, but the flow of water
was small and unsteady, until the lower stratum
OF sandstone was reached, since which the flow
of water has steadily increased f-'f fa
The cause for the flow of water to the surface
of the earth from great depths has been explain
ed in various ways. Some have supposed it to
be caused by internal pressure produced by
heated rock at great depth in the EARTH with
which the water comes in contact, and the con-
sequent production OF steam and gases by the
expansive or elastic force of which the water il,
forced to the surface whenever a vent can be
found.
The Geysers or hot springs near Mount Hecla
in Iceland the steamboat springs near the Rocky
Mountains. and many other hot springs, seem,
| almost conclusively, 10 show this 10 be correct
solution of the question in many cases
r. The flow Of water from artesian wells is also
explained oy supposing the water-bearing rock
from which the web is supplied TO be connected
with some lake or larger body OF water situated
at much greater elevation above the level of
the sea than that OF the well, and that tho water
in seeking its equilibrium flows to the surface of
the earth whenever it can find passage through
the superincumbent rock.
| The absence Of gases and the steady and uni
| form flow Of water from the artesian wells in
this vicinity would seem to refer their origin 10
the latter cause. s
An examination for the cause OF these arte.ian
wells would require knowledge Of the extent
of this water-bearng rock, and al.o Of the rocks
everything the same, and whether it is connected
with any large body of water
| The water-bearing rock in this case is a fine
white sandstone, soft and porous that the
water readily passes through it, and, together
with the magnetism limestone and St Peters
sandstone everything IT, belongs to the silurian
I strata tls
| The silurian strata are very extensive and are
4 found IN the regions north and south OF tho
Canadian lakes, in the States of New York,
4 Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, and
also around the shores of Lake Superior.
The Potsdam sandstone is described as a form
alton composed of fine white sand, usually Of
great thickness It is frequently found Of
thickness of 500 feet, and it has been found TOO
| feet thick in Canada sI-s,s.4 ba s.rss..3s.
II we examine the great lakes we find that
Lake Michigan has an elevation of thirteen fest
above Lake Huron; Lake Superior il about IS
feet above Lake Huron while the Lake of the
Woods and the string Of lakes lying north and
west of Lake Superior Ihavei IN elevation of
about $50 feet above Lake Superior. Lake
Michigan 10 several feet, higher than the surface
of the earth in La Sale county.
So that We find that there is Q stringsof great
lakes north or northwest Of US which have IN
elevation Of about 400 feet higher than we are.
4 Suppose that these silurian strata extend un-
interuptedly north to these lakes, and that this
j lower formation of Potsdam sandstonein which
the water is found forms the beds Of these lakes,
or some of them, land the reports of geologists
ahev that this is not at all improbable, the whole
stratum Of Potsdam sandstone connected with
these lakes would become flis,, with water and
form an extension of these lakes wherever this
sFPotsdam formation extended. The firm, close
texture Of the thick stratum Of magnetism lime
stone everything it would prevent the water from
coming TO the surface, except through assures
and porous places in the limestone.
The surface of the earth in this county being
from one hundred to four hundred feet lower
than these lakes, it would follow that wherever
well is sunk through the upper strata into
the Potsdam formation the water in seeking its
4 equilibrium would rise through the well to the
surface and prodocea psrman emit flow.
Wherever there. are assures extending through
| the oyerlyinu strata Howinp springs will be