The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-09-07
The Gas Wells of Pennsylvania.

Gen. Neal Dow communicates to the
! Boston Congregationalist the following
account of natural gas wells:
In many parts Of the Key Stone State,
| wells, bored for the purpose, yield an
| abundant flow of Illuminating gas-idcn-
| teal in character with that manufactured
| in our cities from bittlminouS coal. These
| wells are from two hundred TO seven hun
| dred or eight hundred feet deep, and from
| three inches to five or six inches in diane
ter They are ''bored" through the vari-
| Gus strata Of earth and stone, and are
lined. like oil wells. with wrought-iron
| pipes made for the purpose. In many
| places these wells are of great value,
at1ording sufficient fuel for driving the
machinery of large manufacturing estab-
lishments. In some places the supply OF
gas is sufficient to repay the entire cost OF
| the well nd'iiNtures in single year OF
| less
At Erie. | saw several of these gas
| wells employed in this way. Directly on
| the shore of the lake are located the works
for the supply of the city with water
| The water is forced into 4 stand pipe, two
hundred and thirty feet high, by which il
| is distributed with sufficient pressure ovel
the entire city. Two enormous engines
do this work, being driven by steam gen
Grated by gas flowing from q well sunk
upon the premises. We were permitted
| to look into the furnaces, which were all
aglow with 4 brilliant flame, issuing from
a series OF small pipes connected with the
| gas well. There was no dust nor smoke,
| and no fireman was required. The only
| attention necessary was to turn on or OH
| n little GAS according to the indications OF
the steam gauge. The works were about
to be enlarged, and another we'll was in
progress, to furnish gas tor the additional
| boiler
| These Gas wells are found also in oper-
alton for domestic purposes; | saw 1t EN-
ployed in Il gentlcman's house. In the
| library was an open fire place, and wood
| lire-or what seemed to be such-tor the
terra Gotta upon the andirons was an adj
| mirtble imitation of hickory wood. A
low fire was burning, for the morning
was not cold the lady of the house turned
a small tap near the Fireplace, and the
flame instantly increased III volume, and
continued to increase, as the Gas was turn
ed on, until the fireplace was full of flame,
issuing from the terra Gotta, and we had
what seemed to be 4 roaring hickory fire.
The gas was then slowly turned Oft, and
the fire gradually diminished and finally
expired The lady then with Il match
lighted a piece of paper and threw it up
on the wood. turning on the gas at the
same moment and we had instantly the
low fire which we found in the beginning.
In every room in the house, except the
kitchen, was 4 similar apparatus, and fires
could at any moment be lighted with as
much facility as the chandeliers in the
same apartments, supplied with gas from
the same well.
In the kitchen was 4 large and complete
range, sufficient for 4 family OF thirteen
persons. When we entered. 4 low fire
was burning, and sundry vessels were
Simmering over the flame The cook
turned = tap, and instantly the range was
filled with fire sufficient for all culinary
operations up to the full capacity of the
apparatus. Nothing is employed in that
house iur heating and illumination eX-
cept this gas
The we'll is in the back yard, sufficient
" removed from the mansion, and is
covered by 4 small house. The bore is
five hundred and twenty feet deep, lined
with iron pipe, and furnished with a safe
ty-valve, like that of :. steam-boiler, and
the gas is brought into the house and con
Quoted over it. in the same mode employ
ed in the case Of ordinary street gas or
water. The entire cost of this we'll and
the fixtures, ready for use, was twenty
five hundred dollars, and the supply of
gas was sufficient, | thought for two or
three lirst-class houses. Nothing can
possibly be more perfect than this arrange
ment; the fuel supply being rs convenient
and abundant rs that Of writer and illumi-
mating gas from the public works.