Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-07
ARTEsIAN WELLS.
The Philosophy Of the Ever Flow
ing Well.
The Driven Wells at the Glucose Factory,
Their Construction and Operation
Peculiarities Of the Soil forma-
ton in That Locality.
A STUDY OF A NEW WATER SUPPLY.

An impression has gotten afioat and, fos-
tered by the recent water difficulty in the
city, has attracted considerable attention,
that an Artesian well was in operation at
the new glucose factory in the Eighth ward.
The impression is an erroneous one, as was
learned by a REGIsrER scientist during a
visit to the works yesterday morning.
AN ARTEsIAS WELL
cannot exist without certain prerequisites.
In the first place there must be cup-like
formation of the strata, to give the water a
head or elevation, in consequence OF which
the water by the natural law, will seek its
level and rise. When stratum of alluyial
deposit, or sand and gravel, is walled in
above and below, by strata OF rock, the
water contained in il is confined and may
have no outlet. When we'll is sunk or
bored at the dip OF the cup like formation
and the alluyial stratum is reached, the
water contained in it will rise TO the level
Of the highest point or summit OF the
stratum, less such distance as. the water is
retarded by friction. These cup-like for
nations are the result of volcanic action,
and are not reached except at great
depth, BY striking the silur:an strata The
hills in this vicinity might be supposed TO
give the required elevation, but such is
not the fact as our carboniferous
strata are fat and the alluyial deposits,
which conduct the water do not admit OF
its being confined. 1t is possible that Ar
tesian wells might be sunk here and water
obtained which takes its head thousands of
miles away in the Rocky mountainS-pos-
sible. but scarcely probable, rs it would re-
quire, to a certain extent, continuous al
luYial stratum.
THE GLUCOSE FACTORY WELL
is not. therefore. an Artesian we'll i'll the
accepted sense OF that term, but its history
would be interesting in this connection.
In the manufacture of sugar solu-
tons perfectly clear water is re-
quiSite and river water, as too
well we know, is not always crystalline. 4
we'll to connect with the river was sunk
for the purpose OF obtaining water for
general use, as will appear. This well IS
81 feet in depth and from the bottom six
inch pipe connects with the river, from
which, by WorthingtOu pump, water Is
forced into the factory Tor the boilers,
condensing. &C. At the bottom OF this
well are the so called Artesian wells. Two
iron pipes. 4 inches in diameter, are sunk
to a depth Of SIS feet making them go feet
from the surface and SoUe 10 or 20 feet
beneath the bed OF the river. The manner
of sinking them was simple and expeditions.
The firstScctions were pointed and pcrfora-
ted and driven down by blockpile driver,
operated by horse power. When sunk to
the head. second sections were screwed oa
and again driven down; and so on until the
required depth was reached. Pumps were
then applied, and after forcing away the
sand and gravel, water was obtained, and ever
since then has stood at q level of 10 or L
feet below the upper ends OF the pipes.
The supply seems inexhaustible, as was
proven by experiment. A pump was at
tached to one pipe, and after days steady
work it was found the water had
remained az the same height con-
stantly in the second pipe. At
tachments were made to both pumps
pumped away, the level of the water had
not been lowered an inch. This seems &c
settle the question OF a supply OF clear
water.
TIE QUALITY Of THE WATER
was a question of interest, thought it mat
tiers not in the sugar process whether the
water be hard or soft. However, for gen
eral city purposes, this point is of moment
and the scientist looked il up. From the
taste, one would Judge this water to be soft
that is to say, free Of limestone. Prof
Dwight has not vet analysed it and cannot
say that it is absolutely free OF lime, but j:
of the opinion it is. Ordinary we'll;
sunk in this vicinity are. morally
sure to be filled with hare
water and why this is not. was something
of q problem. In the hill directly east o.
the glucose factory, large vein OF lime
stone is plainly exposed, and as the watel
obtained from wells percolates through the
alluvium from the hill, the presence o.
limestone is easily accounted for; but 1T is
expected that the constant drain on this
particular well will cause swift current, II II
may be so termed, in the alluyial stratum
and q consequent freedom from limy mat
ter. 1t is fact that in prehistoric times
DURING THE GLACIAL PERIOD,
this basin in which Wheeling is located
was a glacial causeway and the limestone
thereby cut away. The present bed OF the
river is by no means its original one. Near
Moundsyille at q considerable distance be-
low the surface, stumps and fish skel-
etons have been found, evidencing
the fact that the stratum which
contained them was once the riyerhsd. II
the pipes in the glucose factory well have
penetrated this substratum, the absence Of
calcare ous matter is easily accounted for
There is some doubt whether this would bt
found the same north of the creek. The
Island is entirely alluvial in its nature anc
water could be obtained there at an insig'
niicant depth.
THE REYMANN WE'LL.
Our readers will doubtless we'll remem
Der the effort made by Mr.. Anton Rey
mann to sink an Artesian we'll in hi:
brewery. He bored to depth of some SIX
or seven hundred feet and struck-no
water but oil, which baffled any further
effort The boring tools, in his case, were
driven through the solid rock, bu
in the glucose case the pipe
we're sunk in about four hour:
each by pile driver Mr.. Reymann ha'
since struck water by boring Literally int
the hill, meeting a store house Of the fluid
probably supplied by springs.
1t must be not understood that the vel
at the glucose factory is a flowing well
! The water stands stationary in the pipe:
snd is brought into the building by mean;
of small Cameron pump.
The cost of such wells is inconsiderable
and if the city or any corporation or indi
yidual wishes to experiment he may easily
| do so. A two or three inch pipe may b