Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1893-08-31
THE FOOLS WE'LL


deepest we'll ever sunk. It is known as
the fools" well and is located at
the city insane asylum, in the south
western portion of the city. 1t was
ordered to be sunk by the county court
in 1866, before the separation of the
city and county, with the view of OBJ
tanning supply of water for the in
stitution, then in course of construc-
ton. Work was commenced on it
March 81, 1866, and was steadily pushed
after year for the space of three years,
five months and fifteen days, says the
st. Louis Republic, when, the drill
striking ledge Of granite that con-
tinued to hold out after a penetration
of 40 feet, the work was abandoned at
depth of 3,s43 Is feet.
Various strata of rock and earth
were penetrated in the descent, and at
1,70O feet granite was struck, which
should have precluded any hope OF
ever striking water, as it is a we'll
known geological fact that water does
not exist below the granite.
A stream Of water was struck at a
depth of 1920 feet which rose to with
in 127 feet of the surface, but no
farther, as there seemed to be some
lateral outlet for the water. From
1,449 to 1856 feet below the surface
sulphur water was drawn, strongly i'm
prcgnated with sulphureted hydrogen
gas. A little distance below this a
vein of saline water was discovered of
blush cast and containing per
cent. of salt. AS no tubing was used in
the well the water from these various
streams continued to flow in during the
boring, but, as stated, never raised the
water nearer than 1877 feet of the sur
face.
At n depth of some 5000 feet n stratum
OF rock known as the Potsdam sand.
stone of tho lowest silurian System was
struck, and in penetrating it the drill
unfortunately stuck and was broken
Or. This for time was regarded as
putting an end to further boring, but
the ingenious engineer, after IL week or
two Of meditation, devised contriv-
ancc that successfully removed the
broken drill. nov difficulty soon pre-
scntcd itself however. that still more
seriously threatened to prevent further
progress. 1t was found that while the
drills were made of the very best steel,
the weight Of the iron bars extending
down from the engine to which the
drill was attached was so excessive
that n drop of even one foot was power
erful enough to batter the point Of the
drill and consequently prevent any
Roadway being attained. Again, how
however, the ingenuity Of the engineer
solved the problem. lie reasoned that
the well heinz nearly full Of water t. +
substitution of wooden poles for the
iron rods to which the drill was au-
tachcd would not only lesson the weight,
but the wood would act as Il float in the
water and furnish the necessary resist
ancc to overcome any excessive weight.
He accordingly procured stout poles
33 1-3 feet in length, furnished with
solid screw joints, and on testing the
experiment wus rewarded with success.
The work continued to the depth stated,
when it was abandoned by order of the
court as an Improbable job.
This depth of 3,S43 Is feet, compared
with the next deepest well in the world,
that located Mt Pcsth, which is $3.50
feet, shows difference in favor of the
st. Louis well of GIL Is feet.
The next in depth of St. Louis wells
is known us the Belcher well, located
at the Bclchcr sugar refinery. 1t was
commenced in the spring of 1e40 md
! prosecuted ut intervals till March, 1855,
when steady work was commenced and
! maintained for thirty-thrcc months, and
! flowing vein was struck ut a depth OF
! 2,107 feet. While tho vein was found to
: be strong enough to discharge seventy.
five gallons per minute and raise the
water seventy-fve feet above the sur
face, it was SO strongly impregnatcd
with sulphur as to be unfit for the pur-
poses Of the refinery. The water was
discovered to contain medical virtues,
and to this day is quito q popular drink
with st. Louisans. This we'll is excecd-
ed in depth by the one at Pesth, hereto.
fore mentioned, the La Chapclle well OF
Paris, which has depth of =, 1850 feet.
1t is interesting to note in this con.
ncction that the Chinese and Egyptians