Middletown transcript., 1871-11-11
rmE oAs WELLS or rnsssrLvAsaA.

Hon. Neal Dow communicates 10 the
Boston Congrcga.ionalst the following
account Of natural gas wells:
In many parts Of tho keystone State.
wells. bored for the purpose, yield an a
bundaat aow Of illuminating gas--iden.i-
cal in character with that manufactured
in our cities from bituminous coal. These
wells are from two hundred to seven hun
dred or eight hundred feet deep. and from
three inches 10 five or six inches in diameter
They are "bored" through tho various
strata Of earth and stone, and are lined.
like oil wells. with wrough,-iron pipes
made for the purpose. In many places
these wells are Of great value. nffording
sufficient fuel for driving the machinery
Of large manufacturing establishments. In
some places the supply Of gas il sufficient
to repay the entire cost Of tho well and
fixtures IN single ycnr or 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 i forced into stand pipe. two
hundred and thirty fee, high. by which II
is distributed with sufficient pressure over
the cutirc city The enormous engines do
this work, being driven By steam gcucr.
a'ed by gas flowing from a well sunk upon
the premises We we're permitted to look
into the furnaces which were all nglow
with a brilliant fame, issuing from a
series Of small pipes connected with the
gas we'll. There was no dust nor smoke,
and 10 fireman was required. The only
attention necessary was 10 turn on or of
little gas according 10 the indications of
the steam guage. The works we're about
10 be enlarged. aud another well was IN
progress 10 furnish gas for the additional
boilers
These gss wells are found nlso in opcr.
alton for domestic purposes; saw it en-
pnyed IN II gentleman house. In the
library was an open fireplace. aud n wood
iitc--or what seemed tn b. such for the
terra gotta Eppn tie a.tlir"as wns M ai-
mirahle ln,milaiinn ui i..esary wood 4
low fire was burning for the morning was
nat cold the lady Of ,l,e house turned IA
~nall tap near the fireplace, and The fame
instantly igereaacd in volume. aud cun,in.
ued 10 increase ~ IT,. gas was turned on
until the fireplace was lGll of flame. -su-
ing from terra Gotta. aud We had What
seemed 10 be roaring hickory who'd fire.
This gas was then slowly turned oil.
and the Ire gradually diminished aud
finally expired. The lad then with a
match lighted piece af paper aud threw
il upon the wood, turning on the gas at
the same moment, and We had instantly
The Low fire which We found nj the begin
ning In every room in the house. ex.
eepi tte kitchen, WIS similar apparatus.
aud irrs could nt any moment bc lighted
with NJ much iaeiliiy as the chandeliers
IN The same apartments, supplied with gas
trnn the same we'll
In the kitchen was n large mud complete
range, sufficient for u family Of 30 persons
When W. entered. low fire was burning
and sandry vessels were snmering over
the flame The cook turned tap. and
Instantly the range WAS filled with fire
Fuilieien, t1f all culinary operations up to
the tnll earaei,y of the apparatus. Moth.
ing i. employed in that house for heating
ana illumination exeer, this gas.
The well il IN the back yard, sufficient.
" removed from the mansion. and is coy
erea b, small aanse The bore is five
hundred and twenfy feel deep. lined with
iron ppr. and furnished with safety
valve. like that OF steam boiler, ard the
gas is brought into the house and con.
Quoted over it, in the same mode employed
in the case Of ordinary street gas or wa.
ter. Tha entire cost af this well aud fix
lures. ready for use. was twenty five hun.
dred dollars. and the supply of gas was
sufficient. thought. for two or three
first. class houses Nothing can possibl,
be more perfect than this arrangement
the fuel supply being as convenient an
abundant as Tia, # the water and llumi
mating gas from the public works
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