South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1873-10-31

tains are formed on exactly the same prin
ciple. The famous well at Grenele, in
Paris, which is OF about the same depth,
yields fourteen million gallons in twenty.
four hours, but the bore is ten inches wide
at the top and six at the base
we have our full share of the benefit o {
ar,esian wells, said |, flu the kerosene oil
they furnish us
'Why = cried Annie: 'Aro The oil wells
artesian wells 2
Not all Of them,' replied Ned, some nre
natural springs, but borings are beirg sunk
most valuable wells are thus obtained.
Sometimes the oil spouts up like fountain
when it is reached, aud at others it only
rises part way in the well, and is then
pumped up
'Doesn't it take long time to make the
borings?' asked Susie. How do they do it?'
DO you remember how the great rock in
the garden was blasted 2 asked Ned.
Yes she answered. odd Jimmy pound.
ded with his hammer and chiscl until the
hole was deep enough, and then put in the
powder and blew up the roak'
very well, said Ned, IAN artcsiau well
is bored in the same way as that hole was,
only the drill, or bit, as it is called, weighs
from six to twelve hundred pounds and in
stead of being driven by hand, it is lifted
by powerful steam engine and allowed to
! fall by its own weight. The distance cut
in day depends upon the hardness of the
rock. Ten feet is considered good DAYS
work, usually
what queer things the water in the
| llo ,,ou br;nr, 80 all
Yes, he replied, 'they have been the
means of many curious discoveries in vari-
Gus branches of science. The warmth of
the water at different depths helps to show
the rate at which heat increases as the CEN
tire of the earth is approached. The sub
stances cut by the borer show the charac-
ter and order of the layers in the surface of
the earth, and tho animal and vegetable
matter brought up By the water often tell
much regarding the course and origin of
the stream
'Animal matter? exclaimed Annie.
yes, live fish have sometimes been
] thrown up
How did they live down there p asked
/ Susie.
'ln the water, to be sure he answered.
Did you never hear ofthe fish found 10 the
streams running through the Mammoth
Cave, that have been so long in the dark
tina; they had become entirely blind 2
You were reading about them while a.
60, said Aunie, but they lived in cave,
and not in water trickling through rocks,
away down in the ground
The water can hardly be said to be
trickiing through rocks said Ned Some
times these underground streams seem 10 be
of considerable size, for when boring thro'
rock the Bit will suddenly fall, sometimes
several feet, if 10 hollow space, and the
water will rush up with great force, briog-
ing with it sand, shells and blackened veg.
etable matter. Sometimes the plants seem
TO have been in the water but few months,
and tho locality from which they came can
be determined by their species. When this
can be done it Is generally supposed that
the stream had lis origin in that place, but
often, 10 doubt, these underground cur
rents are fed By leakage from lakes aud
rivers
'Well, said l, whatever their origin, ;hoir
discovery has been a great blessing to the
! world, and is becoming more and more use
| ful. '-Ne0 York. Observer.