The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-11
LIGHT in DEEP WELLS
NOTWITHSTANDING INVENTION FOR
THE GAS AND OIL FIELDS.
Indications Are for n Good Supply
at Low Prices.

Charles d. Jenney, the well-kncwn cleo
trical inventor. of the Jenney Electric
Motor Company, has found a new and
novel use for the electric light. Some time
ago while in the oil fields of Jay County,
Indiana, Mr.. Jenney conceived the idea
of improving upon the methods there en-
ployed for pumping Oil wells and according
ly he devised a special type of pump to be
put at the bottom of the well and special
means OF operating same with an electric
motor. A well was selected and an expert
mental pump made and put down, but 1T
was found that it would be necessary to
take out the pump, together with the pip
Ing and rods leading to it, in order to
clean out the well. After taking out about
800 feet of the piping and rods, the over
head tackle used for removing 1t broke and
allowed the remaining $50 feet of pipe and
rods. with the pump, to drop back into
the well. After repeated attempts were
made to take hold of the pipe and rods with
fishing tools usually employed. the work
was abandoned and the old oil contractors
and well workers predicted that the piping
and rods such as used could never be with
drawn. Mr.. Jenney, at this juncture, con-
ceived the idea of lowering an electric light
down into the well in order to examine the
exact condition and position of pipe and
rods where broken.
The apparatus made for this purpose con-
sisted OF a modern reel on which was
wound a coil of insulated copper wire, one of
the inner ends being connected to a contact
ring on one side of the spool. and the
on the other side OF the spool. Two con-
tact springs were adjusted to bear on the
two rings respectively, thus insuring cleo
trical connection with the coil while it was
being unreeled.
The two outer ends of coil were connected
into the well. TO protect the lamp from
injury while lowering it was enclosed in
a pint fruit Jar, which served as a vapor
the cap OF the jar and tightly sealed. The
lamp was slowly lowered into the we'll and
carefully watched by a powerful field glass
jar served as a shield. keeping the direct
rays of the light from view. The lamp tm-
Illuminated the space ali around and below
the lamp so that when the. ends of the
pipe and rods were reached their exact
position was determined. Although the rods
were only three-eighths OF an inch in diam
eter and the pipe oae inch, they could be
adjusting the lamp at the proper level the
hole I'm the end OF the pipe was plainly
visible. The pipe was found to be wedged
over to one side OF the hole and the three
steel sucker rods had a spiral position With
their ends several feet below the end OF
the pipe. Knowing exactly what he had to
deal with. Mr.. Jenney lowered a speuial
clutch device of his own design and secure
" clutched the pipe and rods at the first
attempt, and by means of an electric motor
applied to a windlass pulled the remainder
OF the pipe and rods out OF the well without
further difficulty.
The well men in the vicinity were very
much surprised at this result. as they quite
often are compelled to fish for months for
lost tools In a well. 1t was also found
that the electric light was advantageous
for another purpose, that OF settling n long
disputed question OF determining whether
wells were drilled straight or inclined more
or less.