The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1891-09-30
colo IN eARrA,s INTERIOR.
Schemes in Congress to Bore Deep for
stores of Precious Metals.

A scientific scheme of much impor-
tance has been agitated in Washington
recently. During the last two con-
crosses there have been number of
representatives and two or three sena-
tors who have used their influence in
favor of an appropriation for boring
hole in the earth several miles in
depth. 1t has long been recognized
that an inconceivable amount of value
in the shape of precious metals and
other mineral substances is locked up
out of reach beneath the crust of this
planet. All of the riches dug out of it
represent merely the most superficial
and ineffective scratching of the sur
face. Once render accessible the inter-
nal recesses of the sphere and it is
plain that every human being might
be thousand times Monte Christie.
Biologists are agreed that the inte-
rior of the earth is largely composed
of metals. Whereas the surface mat
ter of the planet weighs only about
two and one-half times as much as
water. it is known as fact that toward
the center the average weight of things
is eleven times that of water. This is
due to the circumstance that while
this sublunary orb was cooling and
condensing, the heavier particles
sought the middle. Therefore, it is
probable that the great mass of the
sphere is iron. But there are other
metals more heavy than iron, and
these would naturally form an accu-
mutation Immediately about the center
of the globe. Among them may be
mentioned most importantly gold.
Geolcgist Gilbert of the geological sur
yev, said the other day that he would
rather expect to find a vast accumula-
tion of gold at that point than any
where else, his notion being that such
of the yellow metal as is found on the
surface of the earth is only an acci-
dental detritus. However. there are
two or three substances known even
more weighty than gold, and one OF
them is platinum. which has doubled
in market value within the last year or
two, owing to the increased cost OF
production.
So it is not unreasonable that certain
members of congress aud other per-
sons of keen judgment should con-
slider the ACCESSIBILITY of boring hole
in the earth for the purpose of extract
ing some of it's metallic contents. For
scientific purposes a pit has recently
been sunk at Spelling in Germany, to
the depth of a mile. Unfortunately,
water has been struck. and no results
which add very materially to human
knowledge have thus far been obtain
ed. Another we'll has been driven al
Wheeling, w. Va, as far down as
three-Quarters of mile. 1t is dry
and the boring process is proceeding
at the rate of about ten feet a day
The management will be disguised i
oil or something is not struck before
the hole comes out at the antipodes
and somebody tumbles into it at the
other end.
No really scientific person has beer
so foolish as to imagine that possible
results, commercially speaking. coule
be secured without digging much fur
ther than this. Estimate is made tha
at twenty miles from the surface of tn,
earth every known substance-metals
rocks and all-becomes fused anC
liquid. Once let this point be reached
and naturally whatever is below mus
spout up of its own accord, withou
expense of mining. Immediately the
price of metals in the market would
be reduced to little or nothing, and q
new age would dawn upon civilization
1t has been suggested that such ar
artificial conduit would be, to all in.
tents and purposes, volcano; but any
dangers which it would otherwise
threaten might be obviated easily by
establishing the works on an oper
prairie-W WdsltS7aqto72 Star.