The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-05-18

Of attending furnaces or CRATES or
stoves.
Boise was kept so warm last winter
by hot water and steam from the
bowels Of the earth that 900 families
came to town and lived in tents for
several months, awaiting the resump-
ton of building operations. They
were like boomers" squatting on a
claim in the days of invasion Of Okla
homa. And it was all on account Of an
assurance of saving money for coal
or wood, and of being made comfort
able by using the "direct pipe line
from the center Of the EARTH"
This economical godsend for Idaho
that's what they call it out in Boise
came about through singular interest
which Colonel Demming has always
taken in the welfare of men working
in mines.
About four years ago, on looking
over reports upon the famous Com
stock silver mine In Nevada, he learn
ed that though the miners were work.
ing only at depth of from 5000 to
$500 feet their suffering was severe on
account Of the heat from the earth.
The temperature averaged about 100
degrees. and the men were kept capa-
BILE only by having their heads and
shoulders drenched frequently by cold
water.
About the same time Professor Will
lam Hallock Of Columbia college. whom
Colonel Demming had not met, but In
whose work he was greatly interested
had drawn the attention Of the German
government to the scientific value Of
experimental borings.
Researches by the German govern
ment, especially at Schadebach, show
ed that the average rise of temperature
was one degree Fahrenheit for every
sixty-f1ve feet.
One Degree for Each Sixty Feet.
Colonel Demming, hearing Of the re-
suits, inquired as to experiments in
England, and learned that the deepest
borings there showed an average Of
one degree for every Ga feet.
Then he turned his attention to the
United States, and found that east Of
the Rocky mountains the average was
one degree for every sixty feet, and,
somewhat in his establishment, one de-
gree for every fifty feet Of the Rockies.
He investigated particularly the
Tamarack copper mine in northern
Michigan. The shaft, 20 by feet in
side measurement, is now over $500
feet deep, and is to be sent to 5000.
when it will be the deepest hole in the
| world.
| Today blasts Of cold air are forced
down upon the miners, and cakes Of
ice in barrels are lowered. and ice
water is constantly thrown over the
shoulders Of the workmen. No man is
permitted to remain below more than
two hours at time. Even during that
short period the miners must have
thick-soled shoes, especially made for
them and sometimes the heat Of the
ground is 80 intense that the men must
stand on ice cakes.
"The comparatively low temperature
Of the Michigan mine at such great
Depth" said Colonel Demming, "pux-
zled me. It set me to thinking for q
while. But was certain from person.
al investigation that the earth's crust
In Michigan must be exceptionally
thick. The Tamarack mine, that q good
test In itself, was not, to my mind. In
dicative. had made good study Of
the whole northwest-and IN southern
Idaho, prospecting for metals. / came
to be sure, through small boringS ana
q knowledge Of the soil, that hot water
could be found within 1000 feet below
the surface"