The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-12-24
THE FOOLS WELL.
A Hole Nearly -Four Thousand
Feet Deep.
Over Three Years Consumed IN Sinking IL
Said to BE the Deepest Well In
the World, Yet 1t Gives
No Water.

gists and scientists as having the
deepest well ever sunk. 1t is known as
the fools" well and is located at
the city insane asylum, in the south
western portion of the city. 1t 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 supply Of water for the in
stitution, then in course OF construc-
ton. Work was commenced on it
March 81, 1866, and was steadily pushed
forward month after month 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 penetration
of 40 feet, the work was abandoned at
a depth of 3,S43 is feet.
Various strata of rock and earth
were penetrated in the descent, and at
1,7OO 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.
stream of water was struck at q
depth of 1920 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
LAS to 1856 feet below the surface
sulphur water was drawn, strongly i'm
prcgnated with sulphureted hydrogen
gas. A little distance below this a
vein of saline water was discovered of
a blush cast and containing per
cent. of salt. AS no tubing was used in
the well the water from these various
streams continued to flow in during the
boring, but, as stated, never raised the
water nearer than 1877 feet of the sur
face -.-gss.
AT depth of some 5000 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 a week or
two of meditation. devised contriv-
apce that successfully removed the
broken drill. A new difficulty soon pre-
sentcd 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
Roadway being attained. Again, how
however, the ingenuity of the engineer
solved the problem. lie reasoned that
the well 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
SO 1-3 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,s43 Is feet, compared
with the next deepest well in the world
that located at Pcsth, which is 1913:
feet, shows difference in favor Of thu
st. Louis well of 661 Is feet.
The next in depth of st. Louis well
is known as the Belcher well, locate'
: at the Belcher sugar refinery. 1t wa
commenced in the spring of 1s4o an
: prosecuted at intervals till March, 1856
| when steady work was commenced an
. 30. 3D. 1,ra he N
: a flowing vein was struck at depth c
Z 2,197 feet. While the vein was found t
' be strong enough to discharge seventy
: five gallons per minute and raise tn
water seventy-five feet above the SUI
face, it was so strongly impregnate
with sulphur as to be unfit for the pul
poses of the refinery. The water wa
discovered to contain medical virtues
and to this day is quite popular drin
C with st. Louisans. This well is exceed
o ed in depth by the one at Pesth, heret'
IS fore mentioned, the La Chapelle well {
T. Paris, which has depth of 1850 feet.
& 1t is interesting to note in this col
&c nection that the Chinese and Egyptian
he were early acquainted with artesia
y wells, and that the Oldest known one
r, Europe is at Lilliers, in Artois, when'
the name artesian is derived. TIL
If well was sunk in 1926, but there is l
&c record rs to its depth. The Grenel
a well Of Paris, while having a depth
p only 1,700 feet, is the most famous we
10 OF Europe on account of its wonderf
IN flow Of water. 1t is estimated to vie
'u SIC gallons of water a minute and raj
nc it thirty-two feet above the surface.
Owing 10 the improved machine
IT used in driving artesian wells in the Ii
gu few years they are becoming quite co
ur mon, but they rarely exceed depth
IT, 1000 feet, and usually range from 500
re 800 feet. Louisville has one well o
ty depth of 2,0S6 feet, and Chicago has 81
on eral ranging from 700 to 1000 feet. G
II weston is just now engaged in sinking
well that gives promise Of attain
some celebrity. A Milwaukee firm
III a contract at the sum of $4,000, ant
'ea has already attained depth of g.,
OF feet without having found water
ces