Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-23
AN ENGINEERS FEAT.
Digging a Large Well on the Rivers
Bank for the Lucy Furnace.
SWAMPED ITHAMIGHTY STREAM.
Pumps Provided That Will Lift 5000, 900
Gallons in IL Hours.
BUILDING A TANK COSTING $4,000

A most remarkable water shaft, the first
ever made in the United States, is being
sunk at the Lucy Furnace, to cost about
S10,000 under the superintendent of
Samuel Harris, according to plans and
specifications prepared BY Manager Scott,
of the furnace. During the progress of the
work great difficulties had to be surmount-
ed, owing to the shaft being sunk at the
rivers edge. In the sinking of the shaft
three pumps were used constantly to keep
out the water.
The work began on September 2, with 20
men employed. After working three weeks
an immense cast iron cylinder, made
at the Twenty-ninth street works, weighing
80 tons, was placed in the we'll. The cylin-
der is 18 feet in diameter and 17S inches
thick. After the cylinder was put in posi-
tion by jacks, the ground beneath was re-
moved, and it sank of its own weight. The
cylinder acts in double capacity, as a sup
port to the ground and as receiver of the
spring water. The bottom section of the
cylinder is perforated. but at present the
holes are plugged They will be opened as
soon as the work is completed. At the top
of the cylinder is a projection IS inches in
diameter, upon which is built a circular
brick wall 13 feet deep and Is feet In
diameter, the wall being securely bolted.
A GREAT STREAM OF WATER.
After the cylinder was sunk % feet a
sand bottom was touched. In one minute
after the sand was reached, while the men
were still in the well and the pumps running
full, gush of water spurted up that filled
the shaft Is feet deep. 1t was by the veriest
hairs breadth that the men escaped drown
ing. Water impeded the work during its
progress, but it was not until the % feet had
been sunk that the great outpouring came.
This has stopped the work until they can
arrange for putting another pump in place.
The three pumps THAI are working cannot
begin to remove the water. In the we'll
there is centrifugal pump, with an engine
and two Cameron pumps, but it will be nec-
essary to attach another pump to remove
the water so that the gravel can be taken
out.
When the gravel has been cleared away
it is the intention still further to sink the
iron cylinder 8 feet, which will make it
depth of % feet from the surface of the
ground, and 20 feet from the waters sur
face. This will allow the water to pass
into the 200 holes punched in the sides and
bottom of the cylinder without becoming
muddy.
When the work has been completed, two
large pipes will enter into the shaft and
convey the water into receiver, situated
some 30 feet from the we'll. This will then
be distributed into two iron tanks, tempor-
arily placed, % feet high and 15 feet in
diameter. From these two tanks the water
will be drawn for the various furnace pur-
poses. The four pumps that will be used
are of the latest design. They will be able
to lift 5000, 900 gallons every IL hours.
AN ENGINEERING FEAT.
This we'll is great engineering feat,
which will greatly facilitate tine work of the
furnace. The water will be clear. Car
negies are building, in connection with this
we'll, an enormous tank, 80 feet high and 25
feet in width, which will be the largest in
this section of the country. It will be made
of iron, and will be circular in shape. After
it has been erected the other two distribut- |
ing tanks will be removed, and this will re-
ceive all the water from the receiver. The |
cost of this tank will approximate 500, 900. |
Upwards of 1000 tons of gravel had to be |
removed before the water was reached.
Samuel Harris, who has had charge of the |
work, has been connected with some great |
excavating schemes. He sank shaft for |
Colonel Andrews, in the State of Durango, |
Mex, at silver mine. He has also worked |
in France, Germany and Switzerland. |
While in the latter country he was superin-
tending the Howenstein tunnel, when 63 |
men and seven horses were suffocated by the |
shaft taking fire.