Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 20.djvu/498

* WEIiL-SINKING. 422 WELS. Drilling Bits for use in RocH. on the principle of two loose links of a cliain and designed to loosen the drill by giving a jar- ring, upward blow. A temper screw is pro- vided for minor adjustment of the drill as to depth. As the work progresses it is necessary to lift out the drill and accessories and substi- tute a new one, at the same time using the sand pump to remove the ma- terial loosened bv the drill. A bull wheel at the base of the derrick and a crown pulley at its top. together with a calde, are used to lift the tools, by means of the engine. A sand reel at the base of the derrick, a sand pump pulley at its top, and a sand pump line perform a like ser- vice for the pump. Be- sides the tools named there are special tools for use in sinking the v.'ell, and an almost end- less variety of fishing tools for recovering lost or broken drilling tools. The casing generally follows pretty closely after the drilling. Packing rings of corrugated rubber and other devices are used to shut out any for- eign fluid from the casing. Deep wells are often begim with large casings. When such a easing has been sunk as far as practicable a smaller one is inserted within it. Tlie cost of a full-sized artesian well outfit, such as is commonly used in the oil wells and for deep artesian wells, is about $10,000. Much simpler and cheaper rigs are used for smaller wells, horse power being substituted for steam. Very effective work is often done by a spring pole operated by two or more men. The tools are suspended from the free end of a pole or beam, which is rigidly secured at or near the other end. The men pull down the pole, then slack the ropes, whereupon the pole flies back into a hori- zontal position, lifting the drill with it. Well-sinking of one sort or another is older than history. Comparatively large wells nat- urall}' preceded the- bored and drilled ones by many centuries. Some of these, even in early times, were a hundred or more feet deep. A laborious method of drilling was employed cen- turies ago by the Chinese and Hindus. The drill was raised a few feet at a time by means of a rope attached to a lever, then it was let fall by its own weight. Modern deep well-sinking meth- ods had a rude beginning early in the nineteenth century. In 1818 an impulse to the movement for better nu-thods was given by the French So- ciety for the Encouragement of Agriculture. The nrcnelle and Pas.sy wells for the supply of Paris were ten and six years in the sinking. The Crenelle well is 178C feet deep, 8 inches in diameter, and was completed in 1842. The Passy well is ini3 feet in depth, yields .'5..'500.OO0 gallons a day, and was completed in 1861. The well was started with a diameter of 40 inches. The wroiight-iron drills were lifted by means of wooden' jioies eight inches square. .Jars similar in principle to those already described were used. Subsequently a well 47 inches in diameter and 2900 feet deep was drilled at Butteaux- Caillcs, the drill being worked by a walking beam and steam engine. The first well sunk ex- clusively for oil was put down near Titusville, Pa., in is.'iO, by Colonel E. L. Drake. It was sunk by a small derrick rig. Since then the American system of well-drilling, as already described, has been adopted for putting down water, oil, and gas wells all over the world. It is notable for the comparative simplicity and eflectiveness of the machinery employed and for the ingenuity displayed in overcoming all difficulties. In 1872 what was at least one of the earliest nat- ural gas wells was sunk at Newton, Pa. The gas from it was piped through a two-inch main and a Si4-iiich pipe line, 51/^ miles long, to Titus- ville, Pa. Among the deepest wells that have been put down the accompanying table show's the most important: Deep Wells op the World LOCALITY Sperenberfr, near Ber- lin. Germany Wheeling, West Vir- ginia Peter's Creek, Pitts- burg, Pa Schladabach, near Leipzij;-. Germany Paruschowitz. near Keibuik, Silesia Mannerofsinking] Object Rotarv diamonds drill Salt Oil well outfit OasoroU Rotarv diamond drill ] Salt Rotary diamond drill Salt BiBLiOGRAniY. Cox, Artesian Wells (Brisbane, Queensland, 1895 ), a semi-popular account of the methods and machinery employed in their con- struction ; Webster, "Natural Gas in the United States," in Cassier's Magazine (New York, Feb- ruary, 1898). See Artesian Wells; Gas, Nat- ural ; Petroleum ; Pipe Lines ; W'ater Supply. WELLS'TOIT. A city in Jackson County, Ohio, 85 miles south by east of Columbus, on the Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern, the Cin- cinnati, Hamilton and Dayton, the Detroit Southern, and the Hocking Valley railroads (ilap: Ohio. F 7). It is in the midst of a coal and iron mining section, and is extensively en- gaged in the manufacture of cement. There are al.so blast furnaces, foundries, a barrel factory, etc. The government is vested in a mayor, chosen biennially, and a unicameral council. The water-works and the electric-light plant are owned and operated by the municipality. Wellston was settled about 1871, and was incorporated in 1876. Population, in 1890, 4377; in 1900, 8045. WELLS'VILLE. A city in Columbiana County, Ohio, 39 miles north of Wheeling, W. Va.. on the Ohio River, and on the Pennsylvania Kailro.ad (Map: Ohio, J 4). It is chiedy an in- dustrial centre, and is especially known for ita important iron, steel, and tcrra-eotta interests. There are railroad shops and manufactories of pottery, boilers, nails, brick, and foundry and machine-shop products. The vicinity has de- posits of coal, 'llie water-works are tlie property of the nuinicipality. Population, in 1890, 5247; in 1900, 0140. WELS, vBls. A town in Upper Austria. 17 miles southwest of Linz. on the Traun River (^iap: .Austria. C 2). The chief features arc the ninth-century Gothic church, the old castle, to^vn hall, and park. There are manufactures of ma-