The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-03-02
Remarkable Artesian Well.

The artesian we'll ut Prairie du Chen,
Wis, was commenced in October last.
The work was performed by Maurice
O'Conner aud d. Garfield, from the oil
regions OF Pennsylvania, at a cost to the
well company of about SO, 900. The bore
is five and three -eighths inches in di-
ameter. This well has been bored to a
depth of 960 feet, going down at the
bottom 357 feet below the level of the
ocean. In many respects this we'll is
entitled to be classed with the most
noted wells of the world. The water
rises in the tubing about sixty feet above
the hill where the well is situated, and
about eleven feet above the level of the
Mississippi river. The amount of water
discharged is very large. BY actual
measurement it discharges, at an alti-
tude of ten feet above the level of the
ground, 869,616 gallons of water in
twenty-four hours. The famous we'll at
Grenelle, in Paris, discharges 743, ,760
gallons in twenty-four hours, making
the Prairie du Chen well discharge
1875, $50 gallons day more than the
Grenelle well. The measurement was
made in the most careful manner, except
that considerable loss occurred by
leakage of the pipe used, of which nc
account is made in the foregoing state
mens.
The water is mild, sparkling, anG
crystal like in appearance, is little
brackish to the taste, but is relished by
stock. Its temperature at the surface il
fifty six degrees Fahrenheit. Its specif,
gravity, as ascertained by John Newton
| &c I
grains more than gallon of rain water
1t is highly charged with minerals, bu
as there has been no analysis made, it i
not certainly known what mineral prop
critics it possesses. The well was com
menced in sand'and gravel, which con
tinued to the depth of lat feet from tb
surface before rock was struck. Thi
whole distance was tubed with
wrought iron pipe five and five eighth
inches in diameter. This pipe was in
serted eighteen inches into the rock an,
entirely shut off the surface sand. Thi
sand and gravel was an old river bed
The rock struck is supposed to be il
the lower portion of the lower magne
; sian limestone, and the most of the roc
bored through, the Potsdam sandstone
which proves to be of a mixed characte
in the valley Of the Mississippi. Th
strata of rock penetrated in making tn
) bore and the thickness of each We're a
} follows: Below the gravel, about tw
inches of fine, light, blue clay; two fee
hard, arenaceous limestone; six fee
, blue grit; 107 feet bluish-green argills
: ceous shale 118 feet white friable SAND
| stone, alternating with hard st,eaks ii
this rock, at depth of 26S feet frol
tue surface, water flowed to tie top c
the tubing, continuing to increase th
, whole depth of this sand rock); thirty
five feet blue grit; sixty five feet slat
e rock; six feet reddish and yellow-ocher
. sandstone, with increase of water; tive,
, ty.four feet slaty or shaly rock, no WI
D ter; four feet white sand rock; vein {
t brine struck Chloride of sodium); se'
| enty-fve feet slaty rock; 80 feet san
3 rock, with strong increase of water a
through; forty-fiv feet red sand rocl
, more water; five feet conglomerat,
e composed of white, water-worn quart
+ pebbles; increase of water; ten fe
!. coarse sand rock; increase of water 1
{ the bottom. Sections of all the roc
;. have been preserved, and will be fu
4 nished to parties desiring them f'
@ scientific purposes.