I06 FLORIDA GEOLOGICAL SURVEY SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT. 



resource common to all and in which all are directly interested re- 

 gardless of occupation or position in life. 



Water is a mineral and in fact differs from other minerals 

 chiefly in that at the average moderate temperature it is in liquid 

 form, while most other minerals, mercury excepted, at the same 

 temperature are in solid form. At o degrees Centigrade, however, 

 (32 degrees F.), water solidifies, and in doing so assumes as in 

 the case of most other minerals a definite crystal form. Like other 

 minerals also water must be sought for in the earth, and it is in 

 fact more extensively prospected for, produced and utilized the 

 world over, and affects the life and welfare of more people than 

 any other mineral. The money expended annually in securing, 

 distributing and utilizing water is almost incredible. It is probable 

 that in this State alone as much as one hundred thousand dollars 

 is spent annually in well drilling. This expenditure is to be classed 

 under the head of prospecting, although the drill hole once made be- 

 comes the opening through which the water, if the well is success- 

 ful, is brought to the surface. To the cost of prospecting it would 

 be necessary to add in order to estimate the approximate expendi- 

 ture on water supplies, the additional annual cost of pumping, pip- 

 ing, and distributing the water, as well as the general upkeep of 

 the plant which involves a large annual expenditure. The water 

 supply is, therefore, both an important and an extensive industry. 



Like other minerals water obeys definite laws in its manner of 

 occurrence in the earth and yet for no other mineral has the pros- 

 pecting been carried on in so haphazard a manner. This is doubt- 

 less due to the fact that the water supply does not admit of con- 

 centration in development, nor beyond a limited extent of private 

 ownership. The phosphate deposits of this state which are almost 

 wholly under private ownership have been studied by expert geolo- 

 gists, and have been developed in accordance with carefully laid 

 plans drawn by skilled engineers. Both in prospecting and in min- 

 ing the phosphate, the most exact records have been kept and the 

 data thus secured utilized in subsequent developments. The same 

 is true of the fullers earth industry, and in fact of successful mining 

 operations the world over. As regards the water supply, however, 

 while the general geological studies have been or are being made, 

 the acutal prospecting is being carried on by very unscientific 

 methods. Notwithstanding the large amount of deep well drilling 



