138 I'^^^' Philippine Journal of Science lois 



data are tabulated at the end of this paper: Table VI dealing 

 with deep wells. Table VII with springs, and Table VIII with 

 surface and miscellaneous supplies. 



riEEP WELLS 



The following extract from an article by Vickers " gives a 

 good summary of the Philippine deep-well situation : 



The cost of a sufficient number of machines of the deep-well type was in 

 excess of the funds available at that time [190G] and the Insular 

 Government met this demand for new equipment by designing and con- 

 structinjr several small hand-power outfits, known as "jet rips." It was 

 soon demonstrated that these outfits, owing to their simple design, could 

 be operated to advantage by native workmen in localities where it was 

 not necessary to drill to depths greater than 200 to 300 feet, and where no 

 rock or difficult strata had to be penetrated; * * *. The demand for 

 this class of equipment increased until 1911, when 45 jet rigs had been 

 constructed and equipped for operation and practically every province, 

 wherein they could be successfully operated, had been supplied with from 

 one to five outfits. It was found, however, that in many localities the 

 deep-well or steam-power rigs were necessary for successful operation, 

 and the demand for wells in these localities was so insistent and increased 

 to such an extent that additional equipment of this class was added 

 from time to time, until 25 deep-well machines had been purchased. Funds 

 for the operation of both jet and deep-well rigs were provided entirely 

 by Insular appropriations until 1910; at this time a cooperative policy was 

 adopted whereby one-third of the cost of drilling was borne by the prov- 

 inces or municipalities for which the work was done and two-thirds by the 

 Insular Government. The deep-well rigs were operated by the Bureau of 

 Public Works as before, while many of the jet rigs remained under the 

 supervision of provincial officials. This policy proved to be satisfactory 

 and is still being followed. 



A large number of the wells drilled in the Islands have a natural 

 flow, some of them supplying enormous quantities of water, notably, the 

 famous gusher at Bayambang, Pangasinan, which supplies 1,000,000 gallons 

 daily. The water from the latter is distributed through two main supply 

 pipe lines, one leading to the military post at Camp Gregg, and the other 

 to the town of Bayambang. In many of the provinces it is necessary to 

 drill wells ranging from 600 to 800 feet in depth in order to obtain good 

 water. In the town of Wright, Samar, good water was not encountered 

 until a depth of 1,025 feet was reached, when flowing water of excellent 

 quality was tapped. This well is the deepest in the Islands which supplies 

 good water. A number of wells have been drilled to greater depths, 

 however, but in every case except the one mentioned above salt water 

 was encountered below 1,000 feet. The deepest well ever drilled in the 

 Islands was located on the trade school grounds at Iloilo, and was sunk 

 to a depth of 2,285 feet without encountering fresh water. An interest- 

 ing feature in connection with some of the wells i.s the effect the ocean 

 tide has upon the fresh-water flow, one remarkable instance beinp the 



•Q«ur. Bull. P. I. Bur. Pub. Works (1914), 2, 26. 



