Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-12
AETESIAN WELLS.
How They Could he Made to BENEFIT
Savannah at a Small Expense.

Savannah at a Small Expense.
Ealtor .Morn,u Ne,CS: The subject of
artesian wells being before the commu-
nifty any remarks bearing upon the mat
ter may not be out OF place.
As we all know. arteslan wells take
their name not from the fact that they
flow above ground but from the Province
Of Artois, France, where they have for
long time been in use.
The oldest well in existence is at Llllers
! (Pas-de-C aIaIs), France, bored in 1l26,
and is still flowing. When once started
the flow is permanent unless the well be-
comes imperfect, as at Passy, France,
where the external pressure burst the
tubing. In 1858 a French engineer sunk
the first well in the desert of sahara, from
which there flowed 1000 gallons OF pure
water a minute. In 1872 10 of these wells
in the desert were yielding 600 600 gallons
an hour, the average depth OF the wells
being about 200 feet.
In and about London and Paris these
wells are quite common, aud although
the boring of a large number in the same
vicinity diminishes the pressure to some
extent it never stops the flow
In Onarga, IrOquOis county, H., 80
miles from Chicago, there are 200 flowing
wells ia a radius Of % miles, the average
depth berg 20 feet, with total daily
yield OF %, 400, 900 gallons.
In the Province On-IOng iEiaO, China,
in a district 30 miles long and II miles
wide, these wells may be counted by the
| tens Of thousands, sunk at very remote
periods, for the salt water and bltuminOus
matters whicn they emit.
In Savannah the geological formation Is
such as 10 indicate Tree supply OF good
water, viz: alterations OF porous and I'M
peryiOus strata beneath the surface soil.
From the surface to depth Of 30 feet
is found the yellow and white sand one
can see "a any surface excavation is made.
From 30 to 50 feet ia a bed Of quicksand
resting upon a bed of heavy mari 30 feet
in thickness; at this depth, 115 feet, the
irst rock is struck, which is four feet
thick. From this point to depth of POO
feet mari Is again encountered, when
second rock is found six feet In thickness.
These rocks are not always located the
same. Then comes a dark fine sand with
mari, which continues until the bed rock
IS struck at go feet. From this point the
drilling is through the solid rock, with al
ternate layers of hard and comparatively
soft strata. 1t is in this rock that the ar
lesian flow is found. The soft layers con-
sist OF lime rock. The various arteslan
streams are finding their way to the ocean
through the soft rock; the flow being held
down by the hard stratas, which are SO
dense in texture that the drill pounds a
whole day and only succeeds In penetrat-
ing few inches.
The above description proves two things:
/. That with such = vast amount OF dense
rock covering the flow there can be no
danger OF the surface water getting into
It; OF with sucn a powerful pressure as
the arteslan flow has upon it-a pressure
Of sufficient strength TO force it to the sur
iace-auy crevice that might exist would
be filled with the stream coming up IN
stead OF tlterng down.
,. That our surface water, circulating
"a it does in quicEsand, affords not the
| slightest protection against any kind Of
animation. The great and pressing
need OF Savannah is not to replace our
| presen water supply as drawn from the
river, but to substitute tor each and every
| pump a reservoir OF arteslan water. This
| can be done at a comparatively slight eX-
| pense. We're well placed in each of the
| Bull street squares pipes could be led OF
! TO each slope of the city, thus cOnstitut-
| ing a flowing well; for it has been demon
| strated by the wells already in existence
that alta depth OF $50 feet we can get flow
| fl feet above mean low water mark. The
main pipes leading from the wells could
! connect with a reservoir OF the capacity
| OF barrel, and the pipe led on from that
| 70 another, until each pump is replaced by
| l reservoir from which pure water could
| DE obtained by means OF Il pump; the sur
| plus water overlooking on the arteslan
| level at the east ana west slopes OF the
| city.
| At my residence / have in operation the
same system, and, although the capacity
u the reservoir is but two gallons, the
! 1900 people, with barrels, kegs, jugs.
| buckets, pitchers, bottles and cups, that
visit it daily are unable to exhaust it. As
the artesiau water before reaching the air
viii not rust iron, | would suggest that
metal as the proper one with which to
make the reservoirs.
GEO. II. STONK.
SGoamah, July3.