Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-08-19
DEEPEST EVER BORED,
A SHAFT SUNK MORE THAN
A MILE INTO THE EARTH.
German biologists Reach Depth of
5,132 Feet After Six Years Work,
and at an Expenditure of
More Than S53,OO0.

Although mountains and cliffs have
indicated the formation of projections
Of the earths crust and mines have
shown to some extent the formation
under ground the very deepest mines
have not permitted the extensive and
minute researches that biologists and
scientists have desired. Behring'S are
limited. OF course, by natural obsta-
cleS like exceedingly hard forma-
tons and by the expense unless the
purpose be to ascertain the location
Of minerals worth mining or get
supply of water as in artesian wells.
Holes for geological research need not
be very large says the New York
Sun. but they must be very deep and
it is natural to suppose that interest
has been excited by the reports OF
observations in tho deepest hole la
the world.
The hole is at Schiadebach. near
Ketchan. Germany. 1t is ., 1872 feet
In depth. and Is for geological re-
search solely. Boring was begun in
1880 under the direction of the royal
mines commission OF Prussia The
work was carried on under great diff
dculties ard the acc dents and delays
would have discouraged the engineers
II it had been private enterprise
but it being a state work the obstacles
were overcome. Notwithstanding the
expense, and the boring was contin-
ued for six years at cost of more
than $50. 900. At the depth of > 1872
eet however the engineers had so
many mishaps that it was evident that
Tor while and until the ingenuity Of
man could devise better means opera
lions would have to be discontinued
Progress was slow and the expenses
had increased beyond expectation
The drills were withdrawn aud the
thermometric measurements were con-
tinued down to the lowest depth.
The initial diameter OF the hole is
LIP inches. / he first drill ne appa.
ratus was OF the drop tool form. and
a casing was sent down us the drilling
progressed. At a depth OF 1S7 ieet
the casing OF that size would not &C
any further and the drilling was con-
Linued without it. Subse luently a
casing g. inches in diameter had to
be- used through Il layer Of loose ma.
terial. Beyond a depth of 574 ieet
the boring was continued by means o.
diamond drill 8. inches in diane.
ter that cut core inches in dame
ter. The size of the hole hao to be
decreased gradually as the depth
increased. AT n depth Of 3, 80 feet
the diameter was l.G2 inches and at
g. sos feet and beyond it was LISP
inches. Owing to two long inter-
ruptions and other delays the average
daily rate of boring was t. 81 feet
The therlnometric measurements
were began after depth of 3. $50 feet
had been marked. and were repeated
at every 100 feet The latest observa-
tons have been noted with great care
and during considerable periods OF
time. The thermometers were fixed
in a water cham Der that was inclosed
In wrought iron casing to prevent
breakage of the instruments under
the pressure at the great depths water
being used to clear out the hole.
Three thermometers were used at each
reading. and the mean of their indi-
cations was taken as the result of the
measurement For each observation
the thermometers were left in the hole
about sixteen hours. The observa-
tons showed that the temperature in
creased regularly and constantly with
the increase OF depth. According to
the German method OF reading the
temperature at ). 62S feet was 45. !
Reaumur )l33. s degrees Fahrenhek),
and the Increase was l degree for
every 46. o. meters (about 151 feet).