The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-11-05
THE FOOLS WELL.
A Hole Nearly Four Thousand
Feet Deep.
Over Three Years Consumed IN sinssing II
Said to he the Deepest Well in
the World, Yet 1t Gives
No Water.

the world, Yet 1t Gives
No Water.
Perhaps not hundred St. Lousans
are aware of the fact that their city is
famous the world over among geolo-
gists and scientists as having the
deepest we'll ever sunk. It is known as
the fools" we'll and is located at
the city insane asylum. in the south
western portion of the city. It was
ordered to be sunk by the county court
in 1866, before the separation of the
city and county, with the view of OBJ
tanning a supply of water for the in
stitution, then in course of construc-
tion. Work was commenced on 1t
March 81, 1865, and was steadily pushed
forward month after mon tn and year
after year for the space of three years,
five months and fifteen days, says the
st. Louis Republic. when, the drill
striking ledge Of granite that con-
tinued to hold out after a penetration
Of 40 feet, the work was abandoned at
depth of 8,S43 l-5 feet
Various strata of rock and earth
were penetrated in the descent, and at
1,700 feet granite was struck, which
should have precluded any hope OF
ever striking water, as it is we'll
known geological fact that water does
not exist below the granite.
A stream OF water was struck at a
depth of 1890 feet which rose to with
in 1877 feet of the surface, but no
farther, as there seemed to be some
lateral outlet for the water. From
1,448 to 1886 feet below the surface
sulphur water was drawn, strongly i'm
pregnated with sulphuretcd hydrogen
gas. A little distance below this a
vein Of saline water was discovered Of
blush cast and containing per
| cent. of salt. AS no tubing was used in
the well the water from these various
streams continued to low in during the
boring, but, as stated, never raised the
| water nearer than 1877 feet of the sur
face.
At a depth Of some 8, 200 feet stratum
| of rock known as the Potsdam sand
stone Of the lowest silurian system was
struck, and in penetrating it the drill
unfortunately stuck and was broken
off. This for time was regarded as
putting an end to further boring, but
the ingenious engineer, after week OF
two of meditation, devised contriv.
ance that's successfully removed the
broken drill. A new difficulty soon pre-
sented itself, however, that still more
seriously threatened to prevent further
progress. 1t was found that while the
drills were made of the very best steel,
the weight of the iron bars extending
down from the engine to which the
drill was attached was so excessive
that drop of even one foot was power.
erful enough to batter the point of the
drill and consequently prevent any
however, the ingenuity Of the engineer
solved the problem. He reasoned that
the we'll being nearly full of water the
substitution Of wooden poles for the
iron rods to which the drill was at.
tached would not only lesson the weight,
but the wood would act as float in the
water and furnish the necessary resist
ance to overcome any excessive weight.
He accordingly procured stout poles
S3 l-3 feet in length, furnished with
solid screw joints, and on testing the
experiment was rewarded with success.
The work continued to the depth stated,
when it was abandoned by order of the
court as an Improbable job.
This depth OF 3,Sd3 l-5 feet compared
with the next deepest well in the world,
that located at Pesth, which is 3,1s2
feet, shows a difference in favor of the
St. Louis well of 66l l-5 feet.
The next in depth of st. Louis wells
is known as the Belchcr well, located
at the Belcher sugar refinery. It was
commenced in the spring of ls49 anG
prosecuted at intervals till March, 1855
when steady work was commenced anG
maintained for thirty-three months, ant
flowing vein was struck at depth o.
2,197 feet. While the vein was found IL
be strong enough to discharge seventy
five gallons per minute and raise ths
water seventy-fve feet above the sur
face. 1t was SO strongly impregnateG
with sulphur as to be unfit for the pur
poses of the refinery. The water was
discovered to contain medical virtues
and to this day is quite popular drink
with st. Louisans. This well is exceed
ed in depth by the one at Pesth, hereto.
| AOfC uICuIiouSet, tiic La SHdpcilc Wcll VI
Paris, which has depth of 1850 feet.
1t is interesting to note in this con.
nection that the Chinese and Egyptians
were early acquainted with artesiau
wells, and that the oldest known one in
Europe is at Lilliers, in Artois, whence
the name artesian is derived. This
we'll was sunk in 1926, but there is nc
record as to its depth. The Grenelle
we'll of Paris, while having a depth OF
only l,700 feet, is the most famous well
of Europe on account of it's wonderful
flow Of water 1t is estimated to yield
5l6 gallons of water a minute and raise
it thirty-two feet above the surface.
Owing TO the improved machinery
used in driving artesian wells in the last
few years they are becoming quite com
mon, but they rarely exceed depth oi
1900 feet, and usually range from 500 to
800 feet. Louisville has one well of 9