The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-11-26
TT GOES All LAST
AUGER AT PROSPECT WE'LL BRINGS
UP BLUE CLAY.


Up BLUE CLAY.
Yesterday the First Successful bays Driii-
ing was done at the Well which has Ac-
auired Almost National Reputation
The subterrsne.an River is at Last Shut
out and when the Shift was Made Last
Evening the Anger had Reached a
Depth of Ninety Feet-The Clay is Be-
coming Heavily Streaked with Gypsum.
Yesterday was pronounced by City
Engineer Jackson and Contractor Au-
st,n as the first real satisfactory day
they have had since the commencement
of the sinking Of the prospect well at
the corner of Lawrence avenue and FIJI
aeenth street.
When the work was stopped it was
determined that the only successful
measure that could be adopted would
be in securing the heaviest gas pipe
mains. which arrived last Thursday.
AN effort was then made to remove the
old tubing, but this was found inDossl-
BILE as the water and quick sand held
it firm. The center of the derrick was
then removed a few feet south and an
other hole commenced, about five feet
south oP the former hole.
AT the distance Of about eight feet
sH1e same body Of water and quick sand
was encountered as in the former hole,
lint the heavy gas pipe main was forced
down until d was embedded in the blue
clay to depth Of forty-two feet from
the surface. The water and sand was
then pumped out and at O'Clock yes
terdav morning began the first real
drilling that has been done. andat 3
o'clock the drill had reached depth
of seventy-five feet.
ARRANGEMENTS were then made for
continuing the work night and day. and
Contractor Austin stated to an Eagle
representative that he believed that for
the present. while drilling hole 10%
inches in diameter. he would be able TO
go down about 100 feet each twenty
four hours and when they began drill
ing a smaller sized hole he would be
able to so down a much greater dis
tsnce.
The blue c1a-, which is strpalzed with
gypsum. was REACHED at a depth of
about forty feet and ut twenty-five
feet.4he drill YVES EtIn WschnS in the
same strata.
Mr.. Austin safC that 1fe fEd been IN
fhe business of sinking wells for the
past fifteen years, and during that time
had sunk many oil wells through flint
rocks in Pennsylvania. but that the
present conflict with the subteranean
river and quick sand was by far the
worst substance with which he had
ever contended. and that he felt better
satisfied with the work now than at any
time in the past He believes that from
ahe appearance Of the clay that the
strata will continue for at least 100 feet.
and will end in blue soap stone and
probably a slate. He cannot think that
The idea set forth by DR.. McAdams that
Wichita is below the pockets of coal IS
well taken. as he has drilled several
wells at much lower altitude than
Wichita and mas discovered coal.
George McDermont Of st. Clair, Ark,
was at the well yesterday and was TAX
ing a deep interest in the output. and
was free to express it as his opinion,
after having been engaged in the min
ing business for over twenty years.
that there was nothing in the theory of
Wichita being below The coal strata,
and gave a number OF instances where
coal had been discovered at n much low
err altitude than at Wichita. He de-
clared that the semi-anfhracfte vein of
coal in Arkansas WIS at a lower alti-
tude than Wichita
Mr.. McDermont was much more inter
ested in the deep flow Of water beneath
THE city than he was in the coal pros
poet. and said that the experiments
mentioned by DR.. McAdams with refer
ence to proving the current OF the sub
teranean river to be toward the south
east was food for thought for every
person on the Arkansas river. and
showed that this entire country was
but a floating island from the Rocky
mountains to the Ozark mountains in
Arkansas and was fully convinced that
no country should suffer from drouith
which had beneath it thirty-four feet of
water, as the two holes now sunk show
ed that Sedgwick county was situated
At O'Clock the anger had reached a
depth of ninety feet. and the day force
was relieved by the night force put to
work by City Engineer Jackson. under
the supervision of Mr.. Austin's son.
A complete log is now being kept and
taken to the city engineers office in the
city building where those interested can
call and examine them. The last tax
en- out in the evening showed that the
clay was becoming more and more
streaked with gypsum as the auger de-
Ecends. and there IS considerable con-
lecture as to whether the clay will end
IN soapstone or in a bed of gypsum
From this time on the developments OF
the well will prove much more inter
esting than in the past.
Notwithstanding the inclemency al
the weather at least 100 persons visited
the well yesterday and grabbed in the
cold clay in the hopes of making some