THE AMERICAN'TUBE WELL.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 385, 2 July 1868, Page 3

THE AMERICAN 'TUBE WELL.

Probably no invention of tho present day is causing among scientific men so much attention as is this exceedingly simple and yet most efficient apparatus for obtaining, in almost all situations, pure water at a small outlay. It consists of nothing more than an iron tube perforate! with hole 3at the lower end, and shod with a steel point, which enables it readily to penetrate the hardest soil. This tube is driven into the ground vertically by me;.in3 of repeate.l blows given by a hallow monkey working on the tube as a guide. Tiie3o blows are x*eceived upon a strong clamp firmly gripping the -tube near the ground, the clamp being from time to time raised as the tube desends into the earth. The process of driving is continued until it is ascertained) ; 'by mean 3 of a plumb lowered into the t sube, that a water bearing stratum has been reached. A pump is then attached* tfo the tube and the water obtained ; at first the water pumped up comos thick and dirty, but after a while it c. -mes clearer and clearer until that is perfec.ly p;ne which rdmain.3. It is evident that, apart from the simplicity of the tube avc-11 system, its great advantage is in the purity of the water obtained. In no ordinary dug well is it possible to prevent surface water and land drainage from mixing with the purer water springing from the bottom ; indeed it is Aery questionable if in any case an open well is more than a cesspool in whicli the drainago from all the surrounding soil is collected . The unhealthy character of many localities may fairly be traced to' the deleterious nature of the water supply arising from this cause, and it must always be a matter of vital importance to obtain water cut off from these impurities, and, if possible, drawn direct from the natural source. This tho patent tube-well system most completely effects, for the tube driven into the ground seals up the well from all surface drainage ; indeed, if the sinkers come to water inferior in quality or quantity, they may drive through that into a lower and better stratum, and completely exclude the upper water ; and then, as they pump, the smaller particles of soil pass through the perforations into the well -ami are drawn up, leaving behind a bed of gravel and small stones, which forms a natural reservoir and filter to each well, an! insures the purity of the water subsequently pumped up. This invention h known and appreciated by the Americans, who, in 1860, employed it in the Northern army to supply their troops with water all through the campaigns. It is of more recent introduction into this country, but is already beginning to be adopted by all those who value the purity of water. The Government, after testing it practically at Aldershot, have sent a special brigade and a number of well tubes with the Abyssinian" expedition. The Emperor of the French has had several wells sunk under his own personal supervision, with most decided success, both at Buchy and near Paris, and has ordered a number for the use of the army, and school agriculture. — London Mechanics' Magazine.