The herald., 1898-01-22
WATER FOUND
Famous ArteSian Well
Springs a Leak
A GREAT SCIENTIFIC TRIUMPH
Is ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO
,CALIFoRNIANS
A Well That Discouraged Many Con-
tractors-Nearly 1000 Feet Deep.
Cost a Small Fortune

sian well has succeeded in obtaining a
heavy flow of icy cold crystal water.
Since the we'll was first started there
have been several contractors engaged
upon the job but all have failed save
George w. Durbrow, who. through the
use of an ingenious contrivance OF his
own invention, has succeeded in mas
tering the numerous difficulties which
| had caused the loss of much time and
money as we'll as filling those who had
previously undertaken the task with
despair.
Mr. Durbrow does not follow the oc-
! cupation of we'll boring as profession
In the present instance his services have
been strictly of an expert nature. Those
who had previously failed in doing what
Mr.. Durbrow has accomplished attempt
ed to reach water through the same we'll
without success. One after another was
engaged by Maier & Zobelein, but after
few weeks drilling each in turn gave
the matter up as bad job. The prin-
cipal obstruction encountered in the
latter stages was the presence of what
is known as "heaving'' sand. At
depth of 1866 feet this was found in un-
limited quantities. Sand pumps were
put to work and for several days the
contractor labored in a vain attempt to
exhaust the subterranean supply.
Finally, after over 400 wagonloads of
the sand had been pumped up and cart
ed away, the idea of removing the sand
was abandoned. Thoroughly discour-
aged. the contractor declined to proceed
further with the we'll and work was for
Ant
The attention of Mr.. Durbrow was
called to the repeated failures to obtain
water and soon after a contract was
entered into between that gentleman
and Maier & Zobeein. So confident was
Mr.. Durbrow that he could succeed in
getting water that he agreed to stand
all the expense in the event he proved
unsuccessful The problem of contend
ing with the "heaving" sand which had
discouraged his predecessors was solved
by the introduction of an entirely new
system of we'll boring. The principle is
explained in the accompanying dia-
gram.
The old system, which was adopted by
previous contractors, was to run a sim
gle line of pipe through the ground until
| the water vein had been reached. Thls
plan was all we'll enough until the sand
stratum was tapped. Along with the
sand there was found a water pressure
of several hundred pounds, which re-
suited in the pipes being clogged to tha
point of practical uSelessness. TO over
come this difficulty Mr.. Durbrow sank
two additional lines of pipe-one on
either side of the original line. Around
these pipes several feet below the sur
face was placed in infiatable rubber
band. Upon the application of hydrau-
lie pressure this band expands so as to
fill the open space between the outer
casing and the pipes, thereby creating
a vacuum below the band. Thus, 1t will
be seen, the pressure from the water
and sand, with the pipes properly
plugged, would be effectually relieved,
as there would be no avenue of escape.
This accomplished, water Is forced down
through the pipe to the right and the
accumulated sand at the foot of the drill
is sent up through the center pipe,
thereby permitting free use of the drills.
In this manner about one-third of the
sand stratum, which is over 100 feet In
depth has been penetrated. and good
quality of water has already been OBJ
tanned. At the bottom of the sand
stratum there lies a deep bed of gravel.
When this is struck the full flow of wa
ter will have been reached and one or the
most expensive, as well as one OF the
most prolific artesan wells in the south
ern part of the state will have been
completed.
At the depth of 1900 feet it was found
that there was a pressure of 49 pounds
to the square inch, at the surface, or
6Ss pounds pressure at the bottom. There
are at present over IA tons of casing
beneath the surface of the ground. Add
ed to this immense amount of metal
there are nearly five tons of tools.
Samples of the water have been sub
mitted to scientific tests and pronounc-
ed to be of the very best quality. In
deed. the hope of securing water of su-
perior quality to that now supplied the
city, has been the only incentive to the
enormous outlay made by Maier &
Zobelein in completing the well.
In speaking of the undertaking yester-
day, Mr.. Durbrow stated that he un-
dertook the task largely in the nature
of a scientific experiment although he
was satisfied at the outset that he would
meet with success.
Il first discovered the plan upon which
I have been working while engaged by
the Southern Pacific company to obtain
water on the southern deserts. AS in
| the present instance repeated trials had
been made without success on account
of the presence of 'heaving sands. In
every trial l succeeded, using the same
class of tools and operating on the
same principle as on the Maier & Zobe-
| lein we'll
I'm practice I have found that where
a stratum of quicksand is encountered
with pressure of water in it, the quick
sand will be forced up into
the casing if the we'll is being
sunk in the old style of sand
pumping, and it has been Impossible
to get these sands out of the well cas-
ing with only sand pump for the reason
/ that when the we'll has been sand
pumped close to the bottom of the cas-
ing the sands will run in again and
fill the casing. I have known it to fill
from 80 to 300 feet"
Many wells have been abandoned on
account of quicksands or what are
known as "heaving" sands. In the well
in question the sands are held by plug
from. rising into the CASING. which Is