The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1892-08-26
DEEPEST HOLE BORED.
1t Goes Down Mere Than a Mile
in she Inherent Of Science

Although mountains and cliffs have
indicated the formation Of Projections
Of the earth's crust, and mines have
shown to some extent the formation
underground, the very deepest mines
have not permitted the extensive and
minute researches that geOIogists and
scientists have desired. Behring'S are
limited, of course, BY natural obstacles,
like exceedingly hard formations, and
by the expense, unless the purpose be
to ascertain the location of minerals
worth mining, or get a 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, aud it
Is natural to suppose that interest has
been excited by the reports of observa
tlons in the deepest hole in the world.
The hole is at SChladebaCh, near
Ketchan, Germany. 1t is 5735 feet
IN depth, and is for geological research
only, B ring was begun in 1880, un-
der the direction of the royal mines
commission of Prussia. The work
was carried on under great difficulties,
and the accidents and delays would
have discouraged the engineers If it
had been a private enterprise, but it
being q state work the obstacles were
overcome, notwithstanding the ex
pense, and the boring was continued
for ak years at a cost of more than
$4,000. At the depth of 5735 feet,
however, the engineers had So many
mishaps that it was evident that for a
while, and until the ingenuity of man
could devise better means, opera
tlons would have to be discontinued.
Progress was slow, ana the expense
had increased beyond expectation.
The drills were Withdrawn, and the
thermometric measurements were
continued down to the lowest depth.
The initial diameter of the hole is
LIE inches. The first drilling appa-
ratus was of the drop-tOol form, aud a
casing was sent down as the drilling
progressed. At depth of 1877 feet
the casing of that s'ze would not go
any further and the drilling was con.
tlnued without it. Subsequently a
casing 90 inches in diameter had 10
be used through layer of loose ma
terlal Beyond depth Of STA feet
the boring was continued by means OF
Il diamond drill, 4 inches in diameter
that cut a core FIVE and a half inches
10 diameter. The size of the hole had
to be decreased gradually as the depth
Increased. AT the depth of 35lO
feet the diameter was 1862 inches and
5G55 feet, and beyond it was 1882
inches. Owing to two long interrup-
tons and other delays the average
daily rate of boring was about 4.59 fl.
The thermometer measurements
were begun after depth OF 1886 feet
had been marked, and were repeated
at every 100 feet. The latest observa
tions have been noted with great care
and during considerable periods Of
time, The thermometers were fxet
IN a waller chamber that was iDcloseC
IN wrought casting to prevent break
age Of the Instruments under tn
pressure at that great depth, wate
being used to clear ont the hole
Three thermometers were used for eael
reading, and the mean of the thei
indications was taken as the result o
their measurement. For each obser
walton the thermometers were left II
the hole about sixteen hours. Tn
observations showed that the temper
ature increased regularly and constant
Iy with the increase of depth. Ac
oording to the German method o
of reading the temperature at 1928 fee
was ass degrees Reaumur (l384
degrees Fahrenheit), and The increas,
was one degrees Reaumur for ever
46 90 meters (about ISL feet).