The Globe-republican., 1906-05-31
STEAM FROM EARTH.
sUBTERRANEAN HEAT TO SUP.
PLY INDUSTRIAL POWER.
Investigation Which Leads to the
Belief That This Is Among
the Imminent Proba-
bilities.

IL ID prOml5ou NY pCiohcioto VI LAD
position that the internal heat OF the
earth may be utilized as source OF In
dustrial power in the near future.
A thermometer lowered into the
wells near Pittsburg and Wheeling
showed an increase Of degree for
every so feet. The temperature Of the
Pittsburg well at the bottom was 12S
degrees.
On the other hand, Prof. Agassiz
found the temperature at the 4,9OO-foot
level in mine at Houghton, Mich, to
be no more than 100 degrees. The
Schladebach well shows a temperature
Of 1876 degrees at the bottom, and the
Sperenberg well 11S degrees.
1t is proved beyond doubt that,
although it varies in different local
tiles, the heat OF the crust of the earth
grows gradually greater from the sur
face inward, and upon this argument
is the theory based for a new and
general source of power.
The great difficulty is not in obtain
ing steam from the interior Of the
earth, because that involves merely
little extra labor in boring down into
the hot area, and it is comparatively
as easy to bore down 10000 feet as
5000, but in order to give the steam
commercial value method must be
provided for dropping the water to the
hot area, allowing 1t time to heat and
yet having it returned to the earth's
surface without interrupting its flow
for moment.
Suppose two holes were bored direct
ly into the earth's surface, $4,000 feet
deep and so feet apart. According to
the measurements made in the Pitts
burg well, at the bottom there would
be temperature of more than 240 de-
grees-far above the boiling point OF
water.
If very heavy charges of dynamite
or some other heavy explosive were
to be lowered to the bottom of each
hole and exploded simultaneously, and
the process repeated many times, the
two holes might have sufficient con-
nection established. If only one av-
enue were opened between the holes
it would be enough.
The shattering of the rocks around
the base of the holes would turn the
surrounding area into an immense
water heater. The water poured down
one hole in the earth would circulate
through the cracks and assures, the
temperature of which would be more
than 24O degrees, and In its passage
1t would be heated and turned to steam
which would pass to the earth's sur
face through the second hole.
The pressure Of such column OF
steam would be enormous. Aside
from the initial velocity of the steam
the descending column Of cold water
would exert pressure of at least 5,OvO
pounds to the square inch, which
would drive up through the second
hole everything movable. This done,
the water heater would operate itself
and source of power be established,
which would surpass anything now In
use.
Judged by the Pittsburg and Wheel
ing wells, two such deep holes would
cost about $4,000 a mile, so that the
plan might possibly be carried out for
about $4,000. The benefit to science
would be many times that amount
1t might not be necessary to go far,
The estimate of depth is based on the
Pittsburg district, but there are many
places where the increase of heat
would be much more rapid. The yell
lowstone valley would almost surely
yield commercial temperature at COM
paratively shallow depths.