The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-04-24
DEEPEST WELL IN FHg WORLD.
That IL what It IL Desired tOmRko the Tes
well Of the wheeling Development Com
49, -. fa.n,. ra,,,

That 10 what Il 10 Desired tOmhko inc Eest
Woll Of tho Wheeling Development com-
pany, on BOgEs run.
Prof. 1. o. White, OF the chair Of &c.
ology at the State University at Morgan.
town, arrived here from Washington
City yesterday on an interesting and
important mission. he bears a PROPOSE
ton from the authorities Of the Ma
tional Geological Survey to bear por.
ton OF the expense Of sinking the test
well for oil or gaS now being sunk out
Bosgs run by the Wheeling Develop
ment Company, to depth Of one mile
$3.50 feet. The well was started by
subscriptions Of local manuiactur-
ers for the purpose Of definite
" settling whether oil or gas
can be found here. It has already been
sunk 70 the unusual depth Of 4, 100 teet,
There are few wells In existence as deep
as this, the deepest ever sunk being
4, 600 feet. Prof. White interested the
Government geologists in the project Of
going down 70 the greatest depth ever
attempted, for the purpose OF ASCERTAIN
ing in the interest OF science number
Of things concerning the state Of affairs
in the Temotest bowels Of the earth, and
secured the subscription Of $500, to be
supplemented by q further one Of $40C
II It ia found 10 be necessary, on the
condition that the home company will
bear any further additional expense
necessary to go down to the depth Of
mile.
10 reach q milo deep It will be neces
sary to sink the hole 1,1s0 feet deeper
At the present depth it cOBts three dol
lars q foot to drill. That would make the
additional drilling cost $3.50. The
home company has about 5000 available
vet, besides subscriptions TO neat little
sun never paid in. twill be necessary
to raise about $1,000 here yet to accom-
pliah the desired reeult. There Is mo-
thought to be any great chance Of strik
| ing oil or gas in the further progress o
the hole, although there is {
possibility Of doing so. 1t vii
be q great thing, however, to slpl
the we'll as deep as the Ecienuf
interest makes desirable. II isproposet
| 10 keep careful measurement OF all the
strata gone through by the drill, ant
save samples Of each different formation
These will be arranged in glass tubes u
the proportionate thickness In which
they exist in the earth. This tube vii
be exhibited at the Worlds Fair a
Chicago in 1903, and afterwards pre-
served in Washington, and careful state
mentB Of what is revealed by the drill il
| It's decent will also be kept at Washing
ton for the information ofall the nation
OF the earth.
When the drill gets down to a create
depth than one has ever gone before
the temperature OF the earth at tina
point will be taken by q self,registeriul
thermometer, and minute observation
will also be msle Of the magnetic condi
tions and other peculiar characteristic
things OF which the acientific world ha
now no experimental knowledge. Twt
government ofgicers will come here 70
this purpose. It 10 desired also by tht
biologists that II the well is sunk to thu
depth Of mile without striking oil o
gas, the casing may not be pulled, bu
the well left intact, so that in the future
as soon as a sufficient appropriation f6
the purpose can be secured. the govern
ment may put the hole down eTel
deeper, in the interests Of science.
It is believed there will be no difficulty
! in securing the additional money. al
ready several Of those who had betort
subscribed have expressed their willing
ness to give more money. For instance
Mr. Anton Reymann, who has alread!
given $1,000 to company, offers to add L
this sum literally, and Q number o
others will do as we'll.
Aside from every other consideration
which makes this plan desirable, tbt
advertisement Of Wheeling as the loca
ton Of the deepest hole in the world
ought to be enough to arouse sufficient
local pride to put the scheme through