New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-11
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OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
AN ARTEsIAN WELL in BOSTON.

-.
Ian ARTEsIAN WELL IN BOSTON.
A. Ffgbth Of q Mile Below the Surface
six Hundred Feet of Solid Ledge
Tnteresting Description of the Opera
sso. fFrom the Boston HERALD
The Boston Gaslight Company, in getting
its water by meter from the Cechituate
water pipes, pays nearly ten thousand dol
lars for this commodity yearly, the quantity
used during the winter, when most gas is
used. costing about thirty-fiye dollars per
day. An idea of the amount used may be
reckoned by the curious when they are told
that the flow through three-inch pipe is
only sufficient for their purpose. The d.
rectors and officers of the company, believ-
ing they could obtain water by another
method, and not only be independent, but
be free from heavy burden of regular
taxation, contracted with Mr.. e. r. Pierce,
of East Boston, to sink a well of sufficient
depth to obtain all the water necessary.
Instances are very rare where water Id
abundance has not been obtained at a depth
Of less than one thousand feet.
One. however, in st. Louis, is recorded
which was sunk to the depth of over
twentv-eight hundred feet, when cavern
was found, through which the heavy tools
7eseended five hundred feet more before
any obstruction was met. The first con-
tract with Mr.. Pierce was for fifteen dollars
per foot for the first six hundred feet and
work was commenced early in March, by
means of large anger, turned by hand, as
if in piece of timber. 1t was removed at
every foot or two and cleaned of the clay
which chung to it, and wrought iron tubing
five inches in diameter and quarter inch
in thickness, was driven down, being
screwed together in sections of from eight
to fifteen feet in length. Black clay, hardly
varied by the presence of any othex sub
stance, and almost entirely free from peb-
bles, was penetrated for distance of
eighty-one feet, and then came about foot
of coarse gravel, having the appearance of
being washed by water, and, in fact, water
rose from this point to within eight or ten
feet of the top, where it has since stood, but
the supply is quite limited.
This stratum of gravel laid upon bed of
solid slate, into which the contractor plunged
with an apparatus similar TO that used Tor
boring oil wells. This is worked by ten
horse power steam engine, and consists of
heavy plunger. upon the end of which is
hardened steel tool, similar in shape to the
drill used by the stone-cutter at the quar-
ries. This tool is attached to a long bar of
iron, fastened together in sections, and
weighing about eight hundred pounds.
Connecting with this by sort of loop or
link is another section OF iron, weighing
about the same. The whole length of iron
is about fifty feet. This is attached to a
walking beam by a fve-and-a-half inch
cable, which has weight of some five him.
bred pounds more, making in all over two
thousand pounds of dead weight, which, by
the motion of the walking beam, falls TWEEN
ty-eight inches about fifteen times per min
ute, the tool being turned by an attendant
at each descent. This entire weight does
hot
tom.
Only the eight hundred pounds directly
attached does this. When this broad chisel
strikes against the hard ledge, nearly seven
hundred feet away, the portion of iron
above the sslink" spoken of yields its
pressure and descends some three inches
independently. On it's return this weight
Of half a ton strikes against the top of the
link, knocking the tool or drill out from its
bed, and suffering it to rise for another
stroke. This is necessary, as a steady drill
would not release the tool, as it sticks in
the pulverized stone at the bottom. This
drill does not cut the full size, five inches.
but, after it has cut as far as it is practical
BILE to work it without a change, another
tool is put down. This is a sort of rammer,
with blunt edges, round, with the excep-
ton of a little cavity on the sides, and not
wedge-like, as is the first This brushes
down the rock, leaving q cylinder just five
inches in diameter. No tubing is needed
down here, the solid rock being selfsup-
porting. Besides, if tubing were run at so
great depth the friction would become SO
great that the tools could not be worked
with any degree of efficiency.
While working through this black slate,
occasional layers of white quartz, very hard,
have been encountered. These strata have |
been about an inch in thickness, as nearly |
as can be judged. At a depth of five hun |
dred and twenty feet two layers of pure |
black clay, about an inch thick and a foot |
apart, were found. When five hundred and |
sixty feet were reached third layer of |
honeycombed quartz was found looking as |
though it had been washed by the permea- |
ton of water, and since this the water has
been somewhat salt, leading to the belief |
that at some former period there has been a |
direct connection with tide-water, which is
now nearly or partially stopped by the filing |
in of clay or sand. When the depth of |
six hundred feet had been drilled, and no
supply of water obtained, new contract |
was made, at an increased price per foot |
mot exactly determined, however, or if de-
uermined, to be subject to change by cir
for six hundred feet more; and |
still the drilling goes on, until, last evening, |
the depth attained was about six hundred /
and eighty feet, six hundred of which have |
been in the solid ledge.
: The progress at present is about four feet |
per day. Small fragments of the rock, |
from the size of pea to that of goose
egg, are brought to the surface occasionally,
showing that the slate is broken into some
what beyond the diameter of the well. The
writer has a small specimen, taken out YES
terday. 1t is dark, quite even in color, and /
of q medium degree of hardness, and this
is true throughout the whole extent of this
quarry. After drilling for ten or twelve |
hours the debris is removed by means of
sand pump, which is let down, the plunger
being forced in by the immense weight
above, and the suction being sufficient to
draw the tube full of the sand and frag-
ments of rock, and as soon as the
pump lifts from the bottom the
valve closes, and it is drawn to the top by
steam. In case of an accident, the machin-
cry is ample for any emergency, there be-
ing instruments to cut off or seize the end |
Of the rope, or even the tools themselves.
The rope did break at the depth of one hun
bred and seventy feet, and but little diff
Guilty was experienced in recovering this
and also the tools. There is little to be seen
n the operation, the machinery above
ground being simply steam engine and a
huge walking beam, with rope attached.
If water is reached its fountain may not be
elevated enough to force the water to the
surface, and in that case, should the.supply
be ample, lifting pump will be employed.
We copy the following from the Latourahe
Times.
Perhaps there is no parish in the State