Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-04-16
BORING FOR WATER.
The Drilling Process at Mitchell &
Lynde's Well.
The Machinery Employed in Reaching
the Artesian Depths..-The Temper
airy Castle of Construction and what
contains.

The site of Mitchell & Lynde's pros
posed artesian well on the the west Sev-
enteenth street side of the postoff1ce, is q
constant place of interest and curiosity,
and daily people throng about to see how
the we'll is bored and how far it has pro-
crossed. The ordinary observer is apt to
be surprised that the boring is not done
with a rotary motion of the bit, like
that given to an anger in boring hole
into board, but it seems that experience
has demonstrated that the method in use
Mississippi valley. Upon inquiry it is
learned that rotary diamond tipped drills
are excellent in prospecting as for iron or
copper in Wisconsin, where it is desir-
able to obtain a solid core, but for deep
drilling we presume the expense for the
rig. and for operating rotary drill would
be considerable.
As many have observed. tower OF
planks and boards was built about 60
feet high. This has pulley at the top
over which runs wire cable, which is
connected at the bottom TO a wooden
drum which is operated by the steam en-
CINE. This arrangement is for the pur-
pose of hoisting the poles, sinker bar and
drill from the hole when it is necessary
to do so 10 clean out the chips
ninnS Of hn Ir,n
or for any other purpose The drill is a
piece of steel bar five inches wide and
about three inches thick, which is made
about as sharp uponEits lower edge as the
| corner of house; that is at about 45
degrecs-seldom sharper, and sometimes
it is made considerably more obtuse.
The driller seems to get his instructions
| upon the best shape in which to keep his
| drill by telegraphic communications from
the working drill at the bottom of the
hole through the siBker bar and drill
poles by way Of, his arms. The driller
constantly maintains his hold upon the
poles for the prime purpose of keeping
himself informed of what is going on
down below, and of governing himself
| accordingly IN operating what to the
gazer on looks like an aggravated case
of old fashioned churning.
The wooden poles do not endure the
conclusion of striking upon the bottom,
as they would be soon shivered The
blow is given by cylinder of steel about
forty feet long aud weighing about 1850
pounds, to the bottom of which the drill
is secured and to the top of which are at,
tsched two links which suspend it. when
it is being lifted, but which allow the
poles which are attached to them to slip
| away AT the moment of conclusion.
The poles are 30 10 IS feet long,
are o. ash. and have an iron screw at each
end by means of which they are joined.
one after another, as the increasing depth
demands. After boring five or six feet
ii becomes necessary TO take out the drill
and remove the clippings of rock, which
| have been made. This is done by at
taching the poles to long steel tube with
of which lifts upward as the tube is
pushed down, and closes when the tube
is raised. Churning this short time in
| the boring it is lifted out full of water
and rock clippings. when the drill Is re-
turned for further work. An ARGUS
representative was informed by the
operatives that this is not the
method pursued in the eastern oil
| drlllings. where rope is used
has been found to work unsatisfactory
| in western drilling. The operatives here
| claim that this is a new rig with all the
modern improvements, Notwithstanding
that several corners of their outward
architecture may be little off, and that,
in their hurry, they have been obliged to
lay down unmatched flooring and must
be contenIed with the little light that Sits
through the cracks between the siding;
and hat their best chandelier consists of
what looks like tin kerosene can, with
an inch rope for wick stuck through the
bune thereof.
| Several ladies have visited this unique
cast e, and doubtless more would like to
do so. The ARGUS suggests 20 the boss
castelar, thereof the propriety of exclude
ing male visitors upon pleasant after.
moons, and of reserving, from 8 O'Clock
to D upon such days, the use of the par
quet chairs exclusively for the ladies.
The drill has so far reached depth of
175 feet having made an average of 40
feet day, and operating day and night.
Prof. j, FL. Southwell, upon the results of
whose scientific investigation this
well as in fact every one that has been
bored in Rock Island county was decided
upon, expects that the flow of artesian
water will be reached at about 900 feet,
perhaps few feet before and n aybe a
little deeper. He expects to bore at
Least GEO however.
Police Points.
Marshal Miller and Officer Kramer ar
rested pair of colored damsels for fast