The silver messenger., 1908-04-07
FREEZING OF WELLS.
Reason Why the Deep Ones Cause
More Trouble Than Shallow Ones.


Throughout many of the northern
states the freezing Of wells and pumps
causes much trouble, and the greatest
ulIhculty is experienced in keeping
some OF the wells open for use during
the winter Strangely enough, the
SHALLOW, open wells give less trouble
than the deeper, drilled or double
tuoed driven wells, in which the inner
OF pump tube is carried below the out
er casing. The determination of the
cause Of the freezing and Of means
lor It's prevention is of so great prac-
tical Importance that a study of the
subject has been made by one of the
geologists Of the United States geolog-
ical survey.
Ihe freezing Of wells is practically
confined to districts where the air tenn
Deratures frequently go considerably
below zero and where the materials
penetrated are either porous or con-
tain actual openings and passages
through which the air can circulate.
A recent investigation of the wells of
Maine, a large number of which are in
granite, states and other compact,
close-grained rocks, discovered no In
stances of deep freezing. In Mime
sofa, North Dakota and Nebraska, on
the other hand, large numbers of wells
penetrating porous deposits or cav
ernous limestones, freeze every win
ter. In Wisconsin and Michigan
freezing, though less common, occa-
sionally occurs, and also in Iowa, Mis-
souri,, Kentucky and Indiana.
Many of the simpler devices adopted
to prevent freezing are complete fail
ures, while others are partially sue
cessful. The inherent difficulty lies
in the construction of the we'll The
following suggestions are made by the
geologist:
In open wells, where air obtains &C
cess through the soil and at the juno
ton of curb and cover, a cemen
cover should be tightly fitted to tn,
curb, and the curb itself should b,
coated with cement for some distancl
below the surface.
In drilled or double-tubed driver
wells the current of cold air drawn il
S at periods of high barometer betweel
|, the outer and inner casing near tn
0 surface and passing out in a porou
s bed at the bottom above the waite
I level will cause freezing if the waite
t is pumped so that it stands in tn
a inner tube above the lower end of tn
s outer casing; and long-continue
2 current of such cold air may caus
is freezing of the ground water aboi
IS and in the we'll tube. For this cond
a ton, says the Farmers Voice, it is SUI
X gested that the space between the ou
is er and inner tube near the surface
le packed with some impervious mat
Of rial. A filling of cement resting on q
to improvised plug is probably the mo
" effective. The homemade rag pac
ID ing sometimes used is too porous
serve the purpose.
The same treatment is suggestt
for wells with leaky castings, for dri
en- wells passing through rocks porol
n enough to permit the passage of larl
currents of chilled air during perio
of high barometer, and for wells
:. which the outer casing ends in son
- cavern or open passage; that is, t
space between the well tube and t
-, pump tube near the surface should
- - tightly plugged with impervious n
.is terial. About some wells the groul
% crevices through which the air Giro
n lates are so numerous that immuni
's' from freezing can be obtained or
y by plugging the space about the pur
ls tube from top to bottom with cemei