New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-05-03

latest most successful and shalleSvest were dug
few DAYS ago Il Clear Stream They are Only
about 335 feet deep but flow at a rate OF nun
bred to three hundred gallons minute INo
stratum al this depth has not been called upon IoI
water heretofore. The chef one used mere
has been the JameCo gravel stratum, Whlch Is lo-"u
a. depth of about a hundred and seVen'y-nVe
feet Deputy Commissioner Cozier estimates that
he viii he able TO get 1000 600 gallons of water
dav from the vicinity of Clear Stream
One interesting discovery made regarding the
underground conditions on Long island Is ina
there is a fight of physical forces contnuaIE
going on-a fight I'm which holds the balance
of power The fresh water in the spengy soil now
ing for the most part probably rom the Ne"
England hills is a high static pressure his Is
evident when the blue clay stratum IS punctured
nv, the deep well drivers for the water imme-
diately rushes up and springs three or four feel
from the surface All the great body OF water
under the island is making a constant efforr 10
ooze through the sand into the ocean At the same
time the ocean is trying its best to perculate down
through the sand into the ground under the island
Hence the contention that is always going on The
salt water is dense and heavy, and 1t sits tightly
on the lii, when the tide is in. and then the water
squirts freely from the driven wells of the Water
Department. But when the tide is out and the lid
is free move. the pressure at the mouths Of
the wells is relieved. The water level drops down
eight or ten feet and pumps have to be resorted
to in order to bring fluid the surface again
Just here is where holds the balance of power
in the struggle between the fresh and salt water
for the possession of the sponsy strata OF the
island. Only certain amount of water can be
forced from the wells If too much is taken from
them. the salt of the neighboring ocean will
be able 10 force back the fresh current. and then
the fluid that VIII come from the wells Will be
brackish, and pumping will have to cease alto
gether until the fresh water again overpowers and
drives of the soil its salty antagonist
\ question often asked in reference to deep
wells is, how can the water, be drawn in condi-
tion fit To give the people to drink This problem
has been solved. When tubular well is being
constructed. brass slotted strainer the end of
a 2o-foot pipe. is let down Then the well pipe is
drawn up unit! the strainer pipe extends into the
earth and The sand and gravel within short
distance of the top of the strainer itself
The next move is 10 let down a hard object 10
spread the strainers packer The packer is a
ring of soft lead that is easily forced out.
ii presses tightly against the well pipe all around
the straner anG cCmpels the water 20 ooze through
the small slots of the appliance in order to find
its way up TO the surface OF the ground. This
straining process easily ribs the Of all sand
as the engineers see To IL that the end OF the
well pipe rests in stratum of coarse material
that cannot possibly get through the slots or even
stop them up. The slots only about two-nt-
tieths of an inch wide There is fifth or npuri-
ties in the tubular wells feet below the
surface
Deputy Commissioner W. G. Crozier has made a
peculiar discovery recently In reference to the
ancient movements OF the island. he said yesterday
that he had found evidences that part of the shore
IS beginning 10 rise again-probably part of the
age lorg sequence Of sinkings and risings Back OF
MassapeqUa, where he lives, the marshes have
dried up within the last three or four years and
where the tidewater formerly flowed the farmers
are able TO raise crops Of hay, This change In
altitude has had effect the watershed how
ever. and Is not likely 10 have any-not for =
couple Of thousand OF years any way.
The connecting OF the deep wells will mean that
the increase of water needed Tor four Years in
Brooklyn Will bee provided Brooklyn now uses
about lio,UOOo gallons of water daily Each wear
tie daily demand increases about S5ooO go gaIlnns
The borough now has supply of about 100 0aG D
gallons day, and by the middle Of summer when
the deep wells have been connected With The svs
tem the supply Will be S5,Ooo0oo gallons a day a
big enough supply 10 satisfy the wants of Brook
Ign untA 1919 IL il estimated
our hopes of the future in the deep wells"