Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1872-07-05
.sRTEsE.S.y' WELLS.

Artesan wells take their name from
province anciently called Artesium, more
recently Arlois, in the northern part of
France, where they have long been used
But these deep borings were by no means
introduced there. They were long before
made in Italy, and there is at least proba-
bic evidence that:many centuries earlier |
still they were in use in Egypt Yet earli-
er, there is hardly Doubt they were
known in China, where, 10 this day, they
are more numerous and deeper than any
where else in the world. A missionary
speaks of one small province where they
may be counted by the tens of thousands,
many of them sunk in remote ages"
The principle depended on for their sue
cess is simple. Probably two-thirds of the
surface of the earth rests on "stratiied
rocks" which are everywhere found ar
ranged in the same order. The convul-
sions OF other ages have, in certain places,
lifted these up, and broken through them
in the mountain ranges; as If pressure
from beneath should break through sever
al sheets of paper, and leave the folds tilted
up at various inclinations. Some of these
strata are nearly impervious to water, while
others allow it to pass quite freely through
them. The consequence is, that much Of
the rain which falls upon the hills and
mountains instead of running off in the
surface streams, passes between these diff
ferent strata, and follows them down into
the distant valleys. Often it will thus hap
pen that some of these subterranean
streams, when at the lower points OF the
far Oft basin, are several thousand feet be-
low the surface, while others, which had
run between different strata on the noun
tains, are founl at less depth below the
surface when arrived in the valley. A
little reflection upon the upheaval of
the mountains will show how those
strata found out-cropping near its top
should be lowest beneath the surface at the
bottom consequently, the water confined
by them would have the greatest pressure,
aud rise highest if the stream were tapped.
On this account it is that in boring wells, if
the first water found does not rise to the
top of the well, the boring is continued;
aud ofen II has to be carried down past
several streams or subterranean lakes, till
one is found upon which there is sufficient
pressure to bring the water to the surface.
A good illustration of this diffusion of wa
ter between the differ ent layers of rock was
found in one locality in the North OF France,
where, in digging in search of coal, seven
distinct sheets of water were passed the
first AT seventy-sx feet below the surface,
the second at three hundred and seven the
third at five hundred and thirty-seven;
the fourth at six hundred and forty-five /;
the fillh at seven hundred and sixty-eght;
the sixth at eight hundred and eighty, and
the seventh at one thousand and thirty.
In boring artesian wells, it is necessary
TO keep out water from reservoirs, which,
for any reason, are not satisfactory. This
is done by driving down tube, as the bor-
ing proceeds that fits tightly into the per
foration. If the well were twelve inches
in diameter, for example, as far as the first
water which would rise to the top, (but
which, from inadequate supply, or any
other cause, was not satisfactory, and then
were reduced to nine inches from thence to
the second supply reached, 1t is easy to sec
that tubes might be arranged, one within
the other, which should bring up the prod
uct of the two reservoirs separately. A
farther reduction of the bore might carry
the well down to third reservoir ant
another to fourth, and so on. Then by
fifth ng tubes from each to the top, we nigh
have several distinct streams pouring on
of the same well, the central one being un
der the greatest pressure, and the water ris
ing higher than the others. This is in fac
done, the water from the different spout
differing sometimes not n little in charac
ter. One point of difference is always ex
pected. The deeper we descend the warm
err the water becomes, though the rate O
increase in temperature varies in difieren
places. At Paris II was found to be abou
one degree Fahrenheit for every fifty-eigl
feet of descent. At st. Louis about one do
gree for every eighty-three feet; at Charles
ton, s. C., one lor fifty-two and half. WI
ter from the famous well at Grenelle, nea
Paris, Is of the uniform temperature of
degrees, while the mean temperature OF Ii
place is but 81 degrees. One use to whic
the water is put, is warming the hospita
located there. In Wurtemburgh lars
manufactures are warmed In simili
way, the water being carried through Il
buildings in metallic pipes. A consla
temperature of AZ degrees is said to be thu