The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1891-11-28
THE ARTESIAN WELL.
An ABUNDANT SUPPLY OF PURE Va
TER ASSURED.
AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW WITH Mr.. J.
ARTHUR BURST, THE CONTRACTORS
OPENING THE LEAVES OF THE pom
DHBoUs BOOK OF NATURE.

'sHow deep is the artesian wells"
'Have they struck water YETI" '1s 1t
goode''
Such are the frequent queries pro-
pounded to the FLoRrDIAN man, and they
suggested the idea to him of seeking an |
interview with Mr.. ]. Arthur burst, the |
contractor who is boring the artesian
well for the Tallahassee Waterworks |
company. The idea was carried into
effect and Mr.. burst cheerfully answered
the questions asked.
The well is now. $40 feet deep, but, to
make doubly sure Of an abundant supply
Of water, the company viii have Mr..
burst bore 100 feet deeper.
There is plenty of water in the we'll
soft, clear aud pure it rises to with
in 100 feet of the surface.
The water is good, very good, 80 good
in fact that all who have tasted it are
more than pleased.
So much by way Of answer to the main
questions being asked.
But the people have manifested great
interest in the progress of the boring,
and for their information the FIoRIDIAN
man asked Mr.. burst if he would kindly
tell something about the different strata
Of rock through which he had drilled, as
well e. any other facts relative to the
well that might be Of interest to the gen.
eral public.
Certainly" said he, land to begin
with I will tell You that the drilling has
been continuously in rock since the mp
Per fosty feet Of sand and clay, which
| proves 4he foundation upon which the
Cafitas City is built 70 Be csrtainly e.
1t may be well to explain, however,
that these rocks are mot Of . uniformly
homogeneous character, but are sand
wicked together In alterations Of dense,
imperV5cus strata, with others more or
less porous. and through these last there
| is perennial percolation Of water from
the mountainous regions to our aerth-
| wacd-.and towards the lower levels Of
| the rivers and sea coast, which thus ex-
| plains the innumerabie springs Cor which
Florida b famed.
4sThess series Of layers OF rocks IN their
genesis were formed as Submarine sedi-
ments, Afterwards solidifed, and again
msre or less metamorphosed by the va
| gying conditions Of ages Of time.
tBy this manner Of origin these stsata
were filled with the remains Of organisms
Of their various periods-whieh have left
thar shapes IN the rocks - fossiIs, etc.
70 that the layers Of rock may be eonsid-
cred ~ resembling the leaves Of book,
whieh skillfal scientist readily reads BY
the fossils imbeaded therein, and serving
| thus - an alphabet Of the ages prehis-
tOric.
.sBut teeming with interest o. b this
huge volume, (which in opening begihseai
the end) we may bak glance q the contents,
and siimming over the details Of these ages
Of upcoath monsters, bearing names q uu-
canning g themselves. We viii endeayor 10
elicit the prominent practical facts relative
| to the .subterranean sources, and leave this
enticing reslm Of romantic speculation for
scientists TO tell about.
'Thus We read that these rod hillsare &C
credited 10 the pleocens period and o the
southern limit Of dry land Il the time,
once directIy'oysr looked that great shallow
- which then rolled over the enormous
Submarine reeE upon which the white and
yellow sands Of moro recent period ac-
stimulated and plainly indicates tho suc-
ceseive sea beaches - The land slowly
rose shove 90 levei. tho pfesens peninsula.
aNsxt ws md ths rocks Of the miocene
pasod which. ppon the loxer hui ode IS
tbe sifs Of 10 van Wers met 4 shout 20
lsst. These ~ identically the Same .
sesn upon o. nsr the slrface n this VI
ciuiiy, ahd Which Mn Ahelr dense nodulel.
ra6red csyitie1 and eeneral phoephalic
csesacter, ase anil ciently we'll knpSns o
m "a pariicuiss notice iarlhsr then a
ahat lle ~ ~ thele cavii
iU1l y 4e Mate s1al n ssli, d.
/ M = = n 81 q MI Ninile =
/ 49, a N r. "a
i ~ &1sir - fafrc& ~ f1aN eNuI1 r. 6fk