New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-31
THE CRATER OF KILAUEA, WITH A LAVA FORMATION

Ike. From commercial point Of view the wen
was a success long ago. comparatively few
feet below the surface both gas and oil were
struck in paying quantities. but the company
owning the plants determined 10 dedicate IL To
science. and invited Professor William liallock,
OF Columbia College to carry on "A series Of TEN
pcraturc Investigations "a the hole is carried
deeper and deeper into the earth The result
OF thcs" Investigations ~ interesting. and II ~
the opinion OF several scientists that the uti-
mate result Of the boring viii prove to be OF
economic as we'll as OF scientific value. II Is the
intention OF the company To continue the boring
process until something entirely new and origi-
nal IS developed. This may seem crude way
Of putting the statement. but II has long been
theory among we'll men that II 1t is possible 70
20 deep enough some new geologic condition or
economic feature would be- found To exist. Al the
very least they claim natural steam would De
encountered or the Well walls would finally be
come so hot that water could be- pumped down
cold and pumped up in the form OF steam, ana
thus the natural power OF the future b" OBJ
tancd. There Is material for much speculation.
and the interest becomes greater in increased
ratio a. the drill dcsce nds. one remarkable feat
ure Of the well Is that the gas found near the
surface is now used - operate the engines
which do tho drilling. Thus the natural power
already issuing from the well IS uti.Zed Tor the
purpose 81 deepening H.
Professor IIallock estimates that at lOVu
fcct-thc proposed depth Of the wc-the tenn
pcraturc will be 22S degrees. As al a tcinpcra-
turc Of d. degrees water ~ converted into
vapor. he expects that his well VIII afford an
ample supply Of natural steam that VIII prove
to be the cheapest power availahl" To man.
II ia generally believed by scientific men that
the tcrnporature OF the earth Increases one de-
gree for every sixty feet Of depth and II is upon
this basis that Professor IIallock has made his
estimate But. like all general rules. 1t Is SUD
jet to exceptions. and in this case to very ma
tcrIal ones. because the Increase "i temperature
Is not uniform.
Comparatively little has been asccrtained re-
garding the interior Of the earth ana the con
dltions that prevail there Yet IT Is known that
the crus. Of the earth is exposed to quite rs
various conditions as It's surface. Granite, foi
instance especially II it carries much feldSpaf
gives off more heat than slate or other rock
containing "A high percentage Of hornbend'
Lime gives off still more heat. at any time ana
I'm almost any condition. but especially when
Stacked" or decomposrd by sudden contact
with air or water. or both
These varying conditions cause widely diverg-
inc cffetts vet Professor iIallock claims a tenn
nrratu,e nj 1000 feet depth Of .,2S degrees he
is correct according To- theoretical knowledge
If the increase of temperature were UNIFORM. IL
could be- depended upon that It "oD feet me
heat would the surface temperature" being
neutraIZcd he about 10 degrees. AT boH Feet IL
would bc 100 degrees; at 10000 feet about
1876 % degrees
increase In temperature Is governed by condi-
tons such as mentioned above. and instances
Of exceptionally high temperatures al compara-
lively shallow depths are not wanting
ON the Comstock In Nevada, when tn" saw
age and Gould & Curry mine workings were
connected at their 2tDo level about twenty
vears ago the temperature Of the connecting
drifts-that from the north in the Gould curry
and that from the south in the SaNage-wa
respectively. 10 degrees in the former ana ia
degrees in the latter The temperature IN me
CouId G Curry mine would have indicated an in
crease of one degree for about every II feet ~
deplh other workings in the comstock odS
technically referred 10 As not ends ana as
shalloWcr depths were sun hotter.
r.,,ncoa ~ the effects Of local conditions
unon temperature might he multiplied but
those will suffice to demonstrate the soundhcSS
of the ALLEGATION that the temperature varies
-, ,,ith drpth This will not. however. de-
tract from the value Of the work Professor tial-
lock is doing II h obtains vapor or steam ~
commercial quantities by his hole IN the giounu
he will render benefit to the "oi'o 'ha' WIN W
Of inestmable value.