St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-04
THE WATER OF MINNESOTA.
Deep Wells and Their Analysis
What We Drink.

The Academy of Natural Sciences held
an interesting meeting last evening, the
hall being well filed. Prof. Cheney of
Carleton college of the section of micro
scopy gave a very interesting and instruc-
tive talk on the microscope and some recent
improved methods of the use of paraphine
III preparing specimens for examination.
Prof. Cheney is not only an Ineligible
graceful talker, but had his subject well IN
hand. -Four microscopes afforded means of
examining the various specimens on hand,
and most of those present aYailed them
selves of the opportunity.
Prof. Hewitt, secretary of the state board
of health, of Red Wing, followed from the
section of sanitary science with an address
on the subject of artesian wells. The
board has made over 300 analyses of the So
called artesian waters with view to deter
mining the connection between the waters
of localities and specific diseases. The
only difference between deep and artesian
wells is in the height of the source of sup
ply and the various strata through which
they pass. Artesian wells may yet solve
the problem of pure water. He had exam
ined the four arteSian wells in this city,
namely, at the Monitor plow works. on
Hennepin island, at Cooks quarry and at
the West hotel. They contained less than
eighteen grains of solid matter to the gal
lon, contained less deStructible matter and
less chlorine and less oXydizable matter
than the ordinary wells. The organic or
deStructible matter is what may be lost in
precipitation, and are principally made
up of lime and magnesia. The
speaker said chlorine, which exists in all
water and is the bugbear of bad water, is
found in Minnesota water in the proportion
Of not over grain and half to the gallon.
In ordinary well water chlorine is only a
test of purity, but in arteSian wells NAV
even constitute an element of disease. He
was a firm believer in well and spring
water as opposed to distilled or rainwatar.
and held that nature provided the spring
waters. which are all mineral, in one sense,
to quencn animal thirst.
On the subject Of deep wells he spoke for
some time, saying it was absolutely neces-
sary to go below the first impermeable
stratum, so as to avoid the surface water
which might soak through. The bore should
be cased and should be tamped at the begin
ming of the impermeable stratum. The best
easing is galvanized pipe, carefully closed
at the joints with asphaItum, as otherwise
the iron will rust and galvanic action enSue.
The best of all is to have the casing lined
with black eXyd of iron, converted by super
heated steam.
Tie matter of organic substance in water
is a very profound one. In Minnesota
water there is only one part of organic mat
ter in a million. Two parts in a million
would make the water impure, while three
or four would make it matter of grave
danger. The danger in such cases arises
from the decomposition of the organic mat
ter while contained in the drinker.
Prof. Hall of the university gave free
hand talk on the strata through which the
various deep wells of the state, including
wells at Mankato, Mendoza. Lakewood
cemetery, the West hotel, Red Wing and
others. flow. By means of chart, showing
the'sea level. the corresponding height of the
ground pierced and the several strata, in
colors, a very good idea was given. The
explanation and elaboration of this chart
occupied most of Prof. Halls time, though
he explained the declination of the strata
from Wisconsin to Minnesota in the st.
CroiX valley, which accounted for the
springs on the Wisconsin side and their alb
sence on the other