The evening times., 1896-05-23
BORING FOR PURE WATER
Artesian Wells Would Furnish
an Unlimited Supply.
COULD BE REACHED cHEAPLY
Prof Darton of the United States Geo.
logical Survey Has Conducted
Number of Successful Experiments.
Pure Water Found Little More
Than Hundred Feet Below Ground.

u. " II
Geological Survey has placed in the hands
oil the Public Printer for publication very
important and exhaustive treatise on the
subject of artesiau wells and the water
supply from this source. The result of
Prof. Darton's Investigations, as well as
Prof f. H. Newelrs, who has acted as
the formers assistant, is of special i'm
portance to Washington as well as to near
by States.
One OF the gre atest disgraces tothe Capital
City is its water supply. Many recent sue
cessful trials have already clearly proven
the advantage this city possesses for an al
most unlimited supply of artesian well
water. While it would doubtless be i'm
possible aud impracticable to utilize the
supply thus obtained for all purposes, yet
the boring of this class of wells, the pro-
fessor thinks, should be encouraged.
Not only is n pure quality of water oh
tanned, but the ease with Which it can be
reached in this vicinity make the subject a
matter worthy of consideration. At depths
of 200 aud 800 feet and even in some
instances of little more than 100 feet,
streams of pure water have been struck,
underlying which are thick beds of clay
that form a perfect basin for holding the
water While the force acquired is not
great, yet il has been able to raise the
stream TO u sufficient hcighth above the
surface.
ALONG THEATLANTIC COAST.
From the experiments which have been
made, il is determined that similar layers
of strata underle the surface, but varying in
thickness at different points, from Long
ISla n bT MI n .nn on ha A T..
lantic sea coast. This formation, which
was deposited by the ocean during pre-
historic ages, extends from the seabed and
outcrops as the Allegheny Mountains are
approached. The rain falling upon the
slopes gradually finds its way in between
the layers of strata and forms the great
submarine streams flowing toward the sea.
The greatest success of the experiments
and the exceptional value of this kind of
water supply will be in the low, marshy
lands and regions where the surface water
is impure and gives rise To sickness and dis
ease. In the low lands OF Eastern Viz
ginia and North and South Carolina, where
many of these wells have been established
after repeated trials, Prof. Darton's re-
port will show a noteworthy diminution in
the death rate, and a corresponding degree
of healtbfulneSs due to supply of pure
thinking water.
The sinking of the first well in a given
locality, about which the formations are
liable to be practically the same, has been
for the most part more of a test, and the
cost of these wells has beenincreasedo on that
account.
The borngs are usually eight inches at
the surface, which is continued until a
stream is reached, which. if undesirable in
point of quality or insufficient in supply. is
passed by means of inserting an iron pipe
IN the drilled hole six inches in diameter and
forming Il sort of Joint in the clay bed atthe
bottom OF the stream. This process is pnr-
sued by diminishing the size of the boring
and keeping out the undesirable streams
until suitable flow is reached.
COST OF DRILLING.
oftimes the size of the holes have to be
rcadiuStcd when streams are passed. and
this largely increases the cost. However
after the condition OF the strata in any To-
cllity is learned. the boring of additional
wells is Il compa arativcly easy matter. The
depths at which water is obtained vary in
different regions. according to the thickness
Of the underlying foundations, from 90 to
-D'V ittb.
The formation OF the rocks has much to
do with the success and cheapness of sink
ing artesian wells, and Prof. Dorton, in his
report cites statistics showing the nature
and thickness of the bed rocks at points
along the Atlantic coast. The power gen
Grated by these streams is from fifteen to
twenty pounds pressure to the square
inch, but is inconsideratc in this region,
where water power aboGnds.
Starting at point in New York, the
crystal plane formation broadens as it
is followed South, until almost the entire
State of Georgia is taken in, and Prof.
Darton has given the entire region par-
ucular attention in his report, which it is
expected will he out in fewday
Prof Darton viii continue his experi-
ments during the summer in Iowa, Ne
braska and the Dakotas, where great sue
cess has heretofore been attained, In
some instances in the States named the
force of a stream from artesian wells has
been sufficient to use as motive power
'or mills and electric light plants. The pro-
lessor expects his experiments in these Sec
tons to develop into a system of irrigation.
whereby the great arid plains of the West
may be made fertile