The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1913-09-27


hOOm.
An establishment ln this cltY Il
now burning natural gas for llln
minatiDg purposes. On last
Tuesday Mr.. ". J. Eyes, the en-
glncer at the Southern Pacific
Railroad Cos pumping station At
this point, completed experiments
which were begun several nnnths
ago, hy piping and locating bnln
ers about his engine room for cas-
lights. That nigh, he tested his
arrangements practically by using
two gas lamps all night, to the *
clusiOn of hlS former oil lamps
The results were most encourag
ing and satisfactory.
On Wednesday forenoon Mr..
y. A. Dimitry, the afIablc Agent
Of the company, called mp this Of
fee by 'phone and advised us Of
the fact that natural gas had
been successfully trapped and
was being converted TO rractlca
use, and invited Us out 70 the
scene to witness an exhibition.
A: the pump house We found air.
Eyes and his every manner lndi.
Gated his personal satisfaction IN
the results OF his experiments.
lie kindly turned On he gas and
lighted the burners. The gas
emitted at the burner orIiles
proved to be very intlammatl,
and igliteh with 4 puff when the
| flame Of a match was brought
close to it. When tho flow Of gas
was properly regulated to the re
pnirements Of the lamp, is emit
ted q very steady clear white
light, causing shadows 10 appear
upon the wall in the face Of diff
fused daylight entering the opeI
door and windoors.
In December, 1911, the lherlaI
mentioned at some length the re
suits then obtained by Mr.. Eye'
in his efforts to trap and use th'
gas then coming from the wei
with the water: also, the reasons
for temporarily abandoning the
experiments. This week he car
ried these tests to . practical con
cluslOn.
Some two years, or more, age
tie 5. +. decided to abandon IT
pumping plant at the Bayou ant
to resort to deep wells for its wa
ter supply, due to the acids in the
Teche water. A test well was
first drilled on the depot nentra
grounds at point just about
where Railroad avenue would
cross the Cailroad property if car
ried through. This first well was
3 inches in diameter and about
30 feet deep. The result was )
water pronounced in every way fl
for the cOmpany's uses. For the
pumping station 10 inch wei
was next drilled 100 feet south
east Of the test well. There wa.
no surface indications, prompting
an expectation Of different condi
tIons in the strata below the new
site, but quite a different log wa!
found.
/ At about 225 feet below th'
surface the drillers encountered ;
layer Of rock. This gave consld
cradle trouble and required q da!
and d half Of hard work TO Gu
through. When the drill reachet
the lower surface Of this rock lay
er there was an up rushing of ga
that blew mud and water into th
air with considerable force. Thi
activity snbsided in a short Will
and the drillers went on Will
their work TIL a good stratum Q
coarse gravel was reached. Her
the well was rested aud tested 70
water. The water obtained wa
to all appearances the equal Q
that gotten from the first well
The pump. house was built an
the bo Ter and machinery in
stalled.
After a short service il wa
made apparent that the well wa
continuing to yield considerable
quantities OF gas. A small pip
was tapped into the discharg
pipe Of the pump for snpplyln
water needed at the plant for Ia
vatory purposes at the plant. !
this smaller pipe the gas wouI
accumulate. forcing the waite
back from the faucet. After be
ing closed for some time aud the
opening the faucet there would b
a considerable escape Of gas be
fore the water would come. Thi
phenomena led to tests with
flaming match and the expcr
menter narrowly escaped brin
n burned. Then followed the hnllt