Fig. 483.—Pneumatic pencil.
Tube Wells.
The principle upon which the tube well depends is very simple. It is well known that in certain localities water lies a short distance beneath the surface of the ground, and a very little trouble would satisfy us upon the point, and render us quite independent of the water companies’ supply. On the supposition that the water exists underneath our garden at, say, twenty-five feet beneath the surface of the ground, we have only to drive into the soil a tube for that distance, and by the assistance of a common pump we shall obtain a pure supply of water.
We will now proceed to describe the manner in which these wells are sunk. The first step is to fix a platform firmly upon the ground and bore a hole, by which the tube is to enter the ground. This tube should be very thick, with an aperture of two inches or rather less, and three or four yards in length. The lower portion should be pierced with holes, as in the illustration, and terminating in a point of extremely fine-tempered steel. This tube can be driven into the ground by mallets, or by the suspended hammer, worked as shown in the illustration (fig. 484). This work will be easily accomplished, and when the first length of tube has been driven in, another can be fixed to it and hammered down in the same way.
Fig. 484.—Tube Well.
When the tubes have been driven to the depth indicated it will be as well to let down a sounding line, a simple cord sustaining a pebble. If the stone be pulled up dry, another length of tube can be added, or the tubes can be pulled up, and another trial made. If, on the contrary, the pebble come up wet, the object is accomplished, and a small pump can be fixed to the upper end of the tube, as in fig. 485. At first the water will be found a little thick and muddy, in consequence of the disturbance of the soil and the particles adhering to the end of the first tube; but after an hour or so it will be found that the water has become quite clear. It need scarcely be said that if the water possesses sufficient ascensional force to rise to the level of the ground a pump need not be employed. An Artesian Well will, in that case, be the result.
