222 TRANS. ST. LOUIS ACAD. SCIENCE. 



to 4^ inches. A 45-inch drill was then put down, and boring 

 commenced March 31, 1866, continuing night and day for 3 yrs. 

 5 mos. and 10 days, every day except Sunday, until August 9, 

 1869, when work was stopped at a depth of 3843 feet 6 inches. 

 From the 9th of July, 1866, to the 28th of January, 1867, was 

 occupied in enlarging the bore. It was enlarged to 11 J inches to 

 a depth of 1131 ft., and a short iron tube put down. The bore 

 below was enlarged to 6 and afterwards to 10 inches, to 953 

 ft. depth. A sheet-iron tube, 79 ft. long, was then put down, 

 resting on an offset at the bottom of the lo-inch bore. The 4-inch 

 boi^e was then enlarged to 6 inches to a depth of 1022 ft., and a 

 5-inch wrought iron tube, weighing over 6 tons, put down, reach- 

 ing from the top to the offset at the bottom of the 6-inch bore. 

 The 4J-inch bore was continued downwards to the depth of 3843 

 feet 6 inches without need of further tubing. 



Two wooden plugs with iron screws at the end were driven in, 

 one at the 1022-ft. offset, the other at the 953-ft. offset, in order to 

 separate the fresh from the salt water. If these were withdrawn, 

 the well would be clear from the top to the bottom. The 5-inch 

 tube, reaching to 1022 ft., has been withdrawn, and a pump put 

 down to 400 ft. This pump was worked a few days, the water 

 found to be a little salty and the supply limited. 



DIFFICULTIES CONTENDED WITH. 



On the 1 6th of April the jars broke in the well, and all 

 broken parts were taken out the same day from a depth of 

 227 feet. About this time soft clay fell from the upper portion 

 of the bore, when reaming to 6 inches was begun. On the 23d 

 of the same month, 53 ft. of 5-inch tubing was put in and boring 

 resumed. On the 19th of June, the jars broke at a depth of 841 

 ft., and four days were occupied in getting them and their broken 

 parts out. On the 14th of November, 1867, the rope attached to 

 the sand-pump parted, leaving the pump and most of the rope in 

 the well, but it was taken out in five days. On the 14th of May, 

 1867, at the depth of 1876 ft., the jars broke, and two and a half 

 days were consumed in taking out the broken parts and making 

 repairs. At 2140 ft. a hard flinty opening was struck which caused 

 the drill to deviate from a direct course, and it was with difficulty 

 that the place was passed. On September 6th, at 2354 ft., the 



