The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1884-05-14
NO. sos
A CALIFoRNrA WELL.


g.
Guitar Salmon Of French Camp, not ia,
from Stockton, CAL, sum- !. well with {
'even-inch tube to a depth of about. $40
j FEET, and struck a copious stream of excel
lent water. Desiring to learn whether he
could increase the flow by going deeper,
and fearing that; should he continue the
well the same size, he might injure the
quality of the upper strata Of water, Mr..
Salmon hit on plan Of sinking four inch
tube inside the seven-ineh one, and thus
making what might be called the expert
mental well four inches in diameter. This
inner one he bored to depth of 1850 feet.
and then came to water again. This lower
stream came TO the surface, and, indeed,
rose in tube twenty-five feet above the
ground. The last water found was unfit
for drinking, and but for an accidental dis
covery of its wonderful properties might
have been considered nuisance. It was
found that there was a large amount Of gas
in this water from the lower depth. This
came bubbling TO the surface, making one
think of gigantic soda fountain.
Some one suggested the idea of seeing /,
the gas would burn. A coal-oil can was
put over the top of the tubing, and, having
few holes punched in it, an iinprovised
gas fixture was at hand. Only match was
required to complete the preparations. The
match was lighted and applied to hole in
the can, and flames shot up three or four
feet into the air and burned steadily. The
gas would burn. Mr.. Salmon had fire and
water coming out of the same hole in the
ground The tube of the outer WE'LL that
which was only $40 feet deep and furnished
the good water, was tapped, and sufficient
water for oil domestic uses and for the
stock, &C., was led off in pipes to the house
and other localities curbing was BULL
around the twin wells in such way that II
formed reservoir for the water from the
l,250-foot level, and that portion from
above which was not conveyed away in the
pipes. All through this water in. the reser
soir came bubbling up the gas, generated
somehow, somewhere down below. When
Mr.. Salmon next went to Stockton he had a
sasometer made with q stop-eock In the top,
and this he took home and fastened over his
wells. The bottom was beneath the surface
of the water in the reservoir, and the gas
speedily filed the bell-shaped receiver. The
next thing was to attach gas pipe. and
connect his homemade gas machine witt
The house.
lie put pipe perforated with small holes
across his large open fireplace, turned on
the gas, applied a match and the problem
of cheap fuel was instantly solved, After
that gas pipe was put into the fire box OF
the kitchen stove, and now the meals are
prepared with the new fuel. Mr.. Salmon
has also used this gas for illuminating, but
1t does not seem to entirely fill the bill, al
though II is great improvement on a tai
low dip. II has been suggested that, a.
his gas seems to be almost pure hydrogen,
il might be carburetted and its illuminating
quality improved. The gas throws on
great amount of heat, and, without doubt,
such well would supply large number
Of families with the manna of warming their
houses and preparing their fccd.-Sm
Francisco Bulletin