On Artesian Wells, S^c. 299 



Auo-ust 1827 to December 1829, at Heilbronn, five bore holes 

 forlfresh water, in order to obtain the necessary quantity of 

 pure water for the purposes of two paper-mills and a flax spin- 

 ning mill. Two of the bore holes were sunk to a depth of 60 

 feet^ one to 90 feet, another to 100 feet, and one to 112 feet, 

 under the lowest level of the Ncckar. In all of them the water 

 rose nearly 8 feet above the level of the Neckar, and on an 

 average each delivered 40 to 50 cubic feet. The purpose of 

 the borings was perfectly accomplished, even to overflow ; but 

 the discovery was made, that the water of all the bore holes had 

 constantly a tern perature of 5^.5 Fahr. This fact led M . Bruck- 

 mann to a very important application of this water, viz. heating 

 the mills with it. The paper-mill contained 72,000 cubic feet, 

 a working hall over it 10,800 cubic feet. Both spaces, which 

 contained together 82,800 cubic feet, were the whole winter, 

 1829-1830, through, warmed by means of this water alone to 

 a temperature of 45". 5 F. and 47°.7 F., and when without, the 

 temperature was — 24.2 F. The thermometer in the mills did 

 not sink lower than 41° F. even when the doors were kept open. 

 Every miller knows well how much labour, time, and expense, 

 it occasions in hard winters to heat daily, and even in a scanty 

 manner, the water wheels, and with what risk of life it is attended. 

 It was reserved for Mr Bruckmann, by means of artesian wa- 

 ter, to free his water-mills from this burthensome evil. He 

 conducted the running water from the Hollander, which still 

 possessed a temperature of 52°.2 F., through tubes into the 

 Wassergasse, and had thus the satisfaction to find that his 

 water-wheels, the whole winter through, even when the external 

 temperature was as low as — 24°.2 F., never froze*. — Poggen- 

 dorfs Annalen, H. ii. \S?t\. 



• The perioil will come when we will be forced to look out for a substitute 

 for coal. If, when that time arrives, no new means of procuring heat econo- 

 mically shall be discovered, we may be able to draw from the .s,n-eat subter- 

 ranean depository of caloric, and partly by means of the subterranean waters, 

 heat for our vaiious wants. 



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