FOUR ARTESIAN WELLS. 87 



A third Artesian well was drilled six inches in diameter on 

 the land of the Honorable William F. Wharton and sunk to 

 a depth of three hundred and twenty feet without reaching 

 water in any large quantity. With the exception of eight 

 feet of earth near the surface, the drilling went through slate 

 rock and occasional layers of a formation resembling soap- 

 stone. Water in small quantities was found at a depth of 

 thirty-five feet, slightly increasing during the next thirty feet, 

 but afterward with no gain in the supply, which was about 

 fifty gallons an hour. The site of the well was westerly from 

 Mr. Wharton's house ; and, as soon as it was clear that further 

 drilling was impracticable, another site on the northerly side 

 of his house was chosen. This second well was carried to a 

 depth of one hundred feet without finding water in sufficient 

 quantity. A third well was then begun a short distance 

 easterly from the second one, and drilled to a depth of thirty- 

 five feet, when water was obtained in abundance. It is the 

 one now in use to supply the various buildings on the place, 

 and the water is raised by means of a windmill. The well, 

 it is estimated, will yield a daily supply of fifteen thousand 

 gallons. 



Work on the project was begun in May, 1894, and ended 

 in August. The contractor was James Starr, formerly a resi- 

 dent of Groton, who has had a large experience in drilling 

 wells ; and to his courtesy I am indebted for the facts. 



In the autumn of 1896 a fourth Artesian well, six inches in 

 diameter, was drilled by Mr. Starr in the house lot of the late 

 Dr. William B. Warren, on the southerly side of his dwelling. 

 It was carried through solid rock one hundred and four feet 

 below the bottom of his old well nineteen feet deep, from 

 which it started, thereby reaching a depth of one hundred 

 and twenty-three feet in all. When water was struck, it came 

 suddenly and copiously, and was of an excellent quality. 

 Work was begun in September, 1896, and lasted about six 

 weeks. 



Artesian wells receive their name from the province of 

 Artois, in France, where they were first bored, and where 

 they have been common for many years. 



