daeton.] DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 157 
NOTES ON WELLS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. 
I have not been able to obtain as complete data for the wells as I 
could desire, but a number of well records and special details have been 
contributed by various persons, which it is important to preserve. Mr. 
Emig, of the Star Drilling Company, has supplied all the records 
except those of the Ice Works and Reform School. 
Insane Asylum. — The group of wells which supply water for St. 
Elizabeth's are perhaps the most important in the District, for their 
output is large and the water is very pure. The wells are situated on 
the banks of the Anacostia River only a few feet above tide level. The 
first well flowed over the surface, but after several years of active pump- 
ing the level was lowered to 18 feet below the surface. The first well 
was sunk in 1883 to a depth of 350 feet, and 18 half-inch wells were 
soon after sunk, which yielded 150,000 gallons a day. Then some 
2-inch wells were added, and for nearly twelve years the supply was 
200,000 gallons a day. Two 6-inch wells, 50 feet apart, were recently 
sunk by the Star Drilling Company to 350 and 380 feet respectively, 
and they supply 100,000 gallons a day. The deeper wells draw from a 
bed of sand and gravel, which extends from 350 to 400 feet and lies on 
the crystalline rocks. 
No accurate record of borings was preserved, but Mr. Emig reports 
the following items: 
Feet. 
0-20 (approximately) clay and sand. 
20-60 (approximately) clay. 
60-80 ( approximately) sand. 
80-378 (approximately) alternate layers of sand and clay to gravels, 
the clay ending at 350 feet. 
Metropolitan Railroad power Jiotise. — This well, at Four-and-a-half 
and O streets SW., is across the Anacostia River from the asylum wells, 
and draws from the same basal beds, as shown in section 3, PI. XIV. 
The upper water-bearing beds were reported at 88 to 95 feet, but the 
deeper waters were desired. The following record is given : 
Feet. 
0-20 clay and surface. 
20-75 sand and some water. 
75-88 clay. 
88-95 sand, water bearing. 
95-198 clay. 
198-208 sand with large supply of clear, pure water. 
Hygienic Ice Works. — At this establishment, Fifteenth and E streets 
NE., there are six wells, ranging in depth from 100 to 300 feet. They 
yield a very large supply of fine water, which is principally from a 
depth of 150 feet. At 90 feet a supply of 30 gallons a minute is 
obtained. An attempt to obtain water in the basal Potomac beds was 
not entirely successful, as only about 15 gallons were found. The bor- 
ing was made to and into the crystalline rocks, which began at 350 feet 
