The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-11-25
Artesian Wells Would BE SUM Only
in Localities Where a Flow
Was Assured.
Conditions in This Vicinity
for in Unlimited supply Of
Water for all Purposes.
Operations soon to Begin on Well.
Some Information Regarding
Those Sunk Elrwherp.

.hrtesian water has long been spoken
Of for irrigating purposes in Montana.
In different localities wells have been
sunk. but in not a single instance can it
be recalled that a site was selected where
the conditions we're favorable. At Hell
ena, for instance. the well was begun on
the side of Mount Helena. a high noun
tain west of the city proper. Passengers
on the electric line to B~roadwater we're
able to see the derrick. while about mid
way between the city and the hotel. 1t
stood on the mountain side several hun
dred feet above. like a sentinel tower.
Visitors asked what it was and the resi-
dent replied ian a~rtesian we'll" This
response invariably brought IA smile to
the face of the questioner and a feeling
Of discomfort to the informant.
In the immediate vicinity of Great
Falls the conditions are favorable for a
supply OF artcsian water. In the mOun-
tairs to the east and south large streams
rise and after flowing through CANYONS
andgulches sink into the earth and are
lost to sight. \ few miles below the
subterranean tinw cmerges in a spring
whose waters constitute a river. II is
certain, therefore that underneath the
thousands of acres lying between this
city and the foothills there is a body of
water which can be easily reached and
which will yield as great d flow as may
be needed by giving it an outlet on tie
surface. 1t has been determined to
sink a well in this neighborhoud, and in
a short time the machinery for drilling
will be in operation.
The operation Of drilling is an inter
esting one. 1t is familiar to all who
have ever visited the oil regions of west
ern Pennsylvania, and the following rel
alive thereto will repay careful reading.
The BORN" tools are Of various shapes.
adapted to the different kinds of rock.
clay or sand Of various degrees of con-
solidatiOn. For hard rock the most gen
orally useful tool is a HAT chisel: for clay
and for soft rock. Il long scoop.shaped
bit with "a slanting cutter or with IA
tapcring. twisted spiral band somewhat
ike a gim!ct screw at the lower end;
for sand. the same, or should it be very
clean and damp, Il bit resembling a com
mon wood augur. with broad spiral
tiarges. In the case OF soft rock. clay
and sand. the augur-bit is attached to
stiff bars of wood or iron connected by
screws and provided with a cross handle
al the mOuth of the well whereby they
can be rcyolvcd 10y the workmcn.
The whole is suspended 10y a
rope working over Il pulley AT
tachcd to the top Of a tall tripod.
or derrick. and winding on a windlass or
whlm; the connection between the rope
and the head Of the augur being So ar
ranged that the latter is not twisted by
turning the former. Thus. whenever by
boring the augur has become 81 full as
to threaten clogging. if is readily hoistcd
out with It's contents AMI the latter dis
charged. Whenever the depth of the
bore exceeds the height of the derrick
it becomes necessary t. unecrcw sue
ccssiycly the sections OF poles or bars as
they are drawn W, while a collar at
Tackled to the pole Al the mouth Of the
wei! prevents il irDuI falling back.
When working It. great depths the orcr-
alton Of tischargIng tn" buriug- thus
becomes Il very tedious one. consuming
far more time than actual boring
In mugt cases tine use Of tuning Inc
comes necessary, The cheapest and
most durable tubing Is the wooden.
The tubes ar" madr in lengths O. about
six feet, scr"Wiug into rar.. uln2rO con
uectcd hyuutsiir thimhI"s rivpted To the
lower and successfully attached by screw
Tlvuts to the upper section as the tuhcis
lowered into the well. If after tubing
any portion ot Il well the boring i t. be
continued from below, II must ordinarily
hp don" With a ruU"srrudlnEiy dimir-
i-hcd diamptur. both ot drills Hr., tub
M-. IL the latter w. required. \ deep
wei thus sometimes contains three or
four different SuCcCSsir" sets Ot tubing.
aud even more. 50 that. although begun
with It clear diameter of eight OF Mn
inches. it may he diminished down to
two ur three. Expanding drills are some
times used To Undcrcut It set Of tubing
and thus lower it. but this Is Il slow pro
cess. and somewhat uncertain Of success.
II II not often on the whole, that tn"
sides az an artcsiau bore are suf
i~i.icutil solid and impcrviuus
to remain unprotected throughout
some OF the noted %rtesiau wells Of
the world are those in CHINA which nave
been in use for centuries and the deep
well at Grcnclir. Paris. II is Leo feet
deep and discharges a half million gal
Ions per daN. Its temperature is - lie.
grees and il has To b" cooled for drink
ing purposes. In New York. pcnnsyi
vHniH. Virginia. \.ahama and Mississippi
!, a~rtrsian wells arr very numerous. The
r oil region Of Pennsylvania. With is
numerous wells. has its parallel in North
eastern China. whore tine wells are said
to count hN tens Of thousands, soma 81.
them approaching Il depth ~ 5000 feet.
\ number II wells Of moderate depth
have been sunk at the city of New Nnr;