The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-21

BOSTON. Oct. 2o.-ln the geological
laboratory OF Harvard University an In
teNsting series OF experiments is being
carried on to deternrine the age Of the
Garth. The question is an Old one. and
many guesses OF more or less scientific
eYaetness have been made in the PAST
endeavors to solve IT. These have been
based for the most part on the situa-
ton and formation Of rock deposits or
the Decay OF vegetable matter. Prof, 3.
o. Pierce and r.. w. Wilson, who are
carrying on the present tests. are work.
ing by a new process, which involves
rae use Of mechanism for testing the
conducuvtty OF different grades Of
rock taken from different places In
Guiding the deepest hole that has ever
been sunk in the earth. Incidentally
the process also involves interesting
mining problems, namely, the getting
of gUid from very deep levels and other
ouestlonis OF deep shafting. twill prob
ably seitle the question Of why certain
parts OF the INFERIOR OF the earth are
hotter or COLDER than other parts, laying
down rules Of scientific accuracy.
The Investigations are being carried
on under the auspices Of the Rumford
fund, and the professors who are con-
ducring them are being supplied with
material for the research BY Prof. Al
exander Agasslz. Prof. Agassiz is chief
owner Of the Calumet and Hecla mine,
the deepest In the world. The upper
Levels OF this mine have. BEEN worked
out, but as the shafts have been driven
deeper and deeper the ore continues us
plentiful as ever. Immense fortunes
have been taken out OF this great hole,
and It is of value to scientists because
tihe shaft now being nearly a mile
deep has permitted examination OF the
interior OF the earth such as has not
been had before. It has been agreed
among scientists generally that raging
fires no longer exist in the interior OF
the earth. They believe that the CEN
ter OF the earth Is very hot, but that
this latent heat Is what remains Of the
cooling process which has been going
on for millions Of years, Like a fallen
cannon bail, the earth Is cooling on
from the surface toward the center, but
the general pressure on all sides pre-
vents the confiagratiou from raging
within. According 10 this hypothesis,
the temperature ought to increase
gradually but surely as the earth Is
penetrated. This has proved to be the
case in every deep hole which has been
dug in the earth except In the Calumet
and Hecla mine.
In a well which is over 5000 feet deep
near Pittsburgh, Prof. Hallock, Of Co
lumbIa College. found that the temper
allure rose one degree for every fifty feet
the thermometer was lowered. AT 5000
feet the temperature was found to pc
1908 degrees Fahrenheit AT 5,5O2 feet
the temperature was 12S degrees. In
another deep we'll, near Wheeling, w.
Va. the temperature at 1850 feet - ITO
degrees. In the Sperenberg salt well,
rear Berlin, Germany, the temperature
at 4,1T0 feet Is ITO degrees. The Schala-
dabach salt well, near Lelpslc, has a
Temperature Of 1855 degrees at 5,f4O
feet. Yet these temperatures are sur
passed, as far as the rapid rise Is con-
eerned. in holes bored in geyser regions.
In the. Sutro tunnel, which does not so
far beneath the surface. the heat Is so
intense that the men employed therein
are compelled TO work in twenty-min-
ute shifts.
Now, all this directly In contradls-
tlnction to what has been found to exist
In the Calumet and Hecla mine. AT
depth OF mile the laborers work all
day Is a temperature Of seventy degrees,
which condition, It must be added, is
not brought about by any elaborate sys-
TEN OF ventilation. Seventy degrees Is
the natural temperature at the bottom
Of the mine. Prof Agasslz has made
some elaborate experiments in testing
for NJ the mine
He caused 20 be placed at regular depths
a number Of Thermometers. He had
them walled up inches in the rock, and
left them there months at a time. These
Thermometers were clustering.
That is, the mercury would ascend to
the point of the highest temperature
which acted upon them during their
stay in the rock but q crook in the ner-
curry tube prevented the mercury from
ever descending. 1t could always rise,
but It could never go back. So It was
compelled 10 stay at the point OF the
greatest temperature When Prof. Ag-
ASST unearUhed his Instruments, how
ever, he found great uniformity In
the general temperature OF the mine.
Evidently the gradual rise In tempera-
ture did not hold in the Lake Superior
district, in which the mine is located,
as It did elsewhere.
The question now arose, "Wihy was
this so?" ."Did IT not have a strong
bearing on the manner In which the
earth cooled during geological ages?"
Could NOT the condition be expert
nented upon, and the RESULTS be utilized
In some economic manner?" Clearly
the condition surrounding the copper
minis in Michigan was the result OF
the very low conducdvity OF the sur
rounding rock. Evidently this rock had
not the power Of conducting cold and
heat to the degree manifested by rock
in other parts OF the Garth. The inter
mai heat Of the earth does not rise up
through 10 as easily. for instance, as 1t
does in the rock surrounding the well
upon which Prof. HGllOck experimental