Bulletin No. 298 f A, Economic Geology, 85 es \ 0, Underground Waters, 64 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR RECORD OF DEEP-WELL DRILLING FOR 1905 BY MYRON L. FULLER AND SAMUEL SANFORD WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1906 CONTENTS. Page. Progress in the collection of well records and samples, 1905, by Myron L. Fuller.. 5 Objects of the work. ................................................... 5 General statement.................................................. 5 Encouragement of drilling.......................................... .6 Assistance to drillers or others ...................................... 7 Correspondence ............................................... 7 Information in regard to rock succession and structure......... 7 Information in regard to prospects for water, oil, or gas........ 7 Suggestions in regard to drilling methods...................... 7 Examination and interpretation of samples ................... 8 Publications.................................................. 8 Method of collecting samples ................................... 8 Arrangements for cooperation................................ 8 List of drillers ............................................ 9 Initial correspondence...................................... 9 Examination and filing of samples and records................ 9 Confidential records .......:............................... 10 Publication of results .......................................... 10 Survey publications relating to oil, gas, a.nd asphalt............ 11 Survey publications relating to underground waters, borings, and methods of well drilling.............................. 12 General descriptive reports :............................ 12 Special reports........................................ 13 Mineral and potable waters......................... 13 Springs and spring deposits......................... 13 Laws relating to underground waters ................ 13 Artesian requisites, movements of ground waters, etc... 14 Bibliography of underground waters................. 14 Well-drilling methods.............................. 14 Measurements of flow and head ..................... 14 Lists of wells and borings .......................... 14 Well records, by Samuel Sanford. ............................................ 15 Introduction. ......................................................... 15 Acknowledgments ....'............................................. .... 15 Summary of well drilling for 1905....................................... 31 Detailed records....................................................... 182 Index.................................................................... 297 3 RECORD OF DEEP-WELL DRILLING FOR 1905. By MYRON L. FULLER and SAMUEL SANFORD. PROGRESS IN THE COLLECTION OF WELL RECORDS AND SAMPLES, 1905. By MYEON L. FULLER. ^M The present is the second of the series of reports on the collection of deep-well samples, the first- of which, covering the period from the beginning of the work July 1, 1904, to December 31, 1904, was published as Bulletin No. 264. This report presents the records of a large number of wells from which more or less complete sets of samples have been secured and placed on file at the Survey, and. also many additional records not represented by samples. The work has been conducted by the eastern section, division of hydrology, the expense being shared with the western section of hydrology and the geologic branch. The writer has continued in charge of the investigations and has been assisted by Messrs. E. F. Lines and Samuel Sanford. The burden of executive details has fallen mainly on Mr. Sanford since his assignment to the work on its relinquishment by Mr. Lines April 1. The methods followed are in most particulars those formulated by Mr. A. C. Veatch on the inauguration of the work in 1904, but to Mr. Sanford is due the credit for materially increasing the usefulness of the work to the driller, especially in furnishing geologic information. OBJECTS OF THE WORK. GENERAL STATEMENT. The chief objects of the collection of well samples and the publi­ cation of records were: (1) To encourage drilling by pointing out to prospective well owners the probabilities of success, (2) to assist, drillers by helping them to a better understanding of the rock succession and by interpreting for them their samples and records, and (3) to furnish to geologists accurate stratigraphic data from which a more intimate economic or scientific knowledge of the geologic conditions could be derived. 6 BECOED OF DEEP-WELL DEILLLNG FOE Much has been accomplished toward achieving the objects indicated. The sinking of wells has been recommended in numerous instances, drillers have been furnished with advice, well samples have been described and explained, records have been interpreted, and geologists have been supplied with a large number of records. It is hoped that even more will be accomplished during the next year, and it is. with the view of emphasizing to drillers and others the importance to them of the work that more detailed statements of the benefits are given in the following paragraphs. ENCOURAGEMENT OF DRILLING. It is the earnest wish of the Survey to encourage drilling for pure- water supplies. Each year a large number of requests for advice as to the desirability of drilling wells in different localities are received, and recommendations based on the prevailing conditions in the region in question are given. It is evident that every suc­ cessful well tends to lead to the drilling of others for similar supplies, and the more definite the information that can be given as to depth, materials penetrated, quantity and quality of supply, and cost of the well, the better able is the person to judge of the advisability of sinking the well. Failures to obtain supplies do not always, in the long run, tend to discourage drilling, as the cause is often dis­ coverable when accurate records are available and it is possible to suggest remedies so that following wells are more successful. Data as to the small water seams overlying the supposed main water­ bearing bed are of great importance in suggesting sources of supply when for one reason or another the expected flow from the lower bed does not materialize. In general the shallower the wells, beyond a certain limit, the greater will be the demand for drillers, for it is evident that where water can be .obtained within a relatively short distance of the surface and at a moderate cost much more drilling will be done in the aggregate than if the wells had to be sunk many hundreds or thousands of feet, in which case only towns or large corporations could afford to drill. In order that the greatest number of wells may be drilled and the greatest success attained, it is desirable that the Survey be furnished, as a basis for its recommendations to those contemplating drilling, with as full data as possible regarding each well, whether .deep or shallow (if over 100 feet) and whether successful or not. Another point that should be more widely appreciated among drillers is that the man who goes about his work intelligently is most likely to secure the large contracts. The work of large cor­ porations is generally conducted along severely practical lines, and when drilling is to be done practical men are selected. It is manifest that to the driller who gives careful attention to his work and who OBJECTS OF THE WORK. 7 not only sees that machinery is in proper condition and that it is properly handled, but also studies and keeps careful records of the character of the rocks to be penetrated, their dip, and the nature of the joints, seams, or bedding which may control the occurrence of water, a contract can be given with much greater assurance of success than to one who drills blindly ahead without such study and records. ASSISTANCE TO DRILLERS OR OTHERS. CORRESPONDENCE. Information in regard to rock succession and structure. No matter how complete and thorough a driller's information in regard to a given field may be, there almost always comes a time when he is required to sink a well.in new and unknown territory. One of the commonest requests received by the Survey is for information as to the nature of the rock at a certain point in such regions, as to the depths of supposed productive horizons, and as to the characters of the forma­ tions which must be penetrated to reach them. This information will be cheerfully furnished by the Survey whenever the data are available, and it is hoped the driller and well owner.will reciprocate by furnishing such details as will enable this organization to offer even more definite advice in the future. Information in regard to prospects for water, oil, or gas. The demand for information in regard to prospects for oil, gas, or water is great and constantly increasing. While it is of course impossible in most cases to make absolute predictions as to the occurrence of these substances, even after detailed investigations in the field, and it is still more impracticable to make them from the office, yet for certain regions and for certain rocks it is possible to make very definite statements and to give advice which if followed would prevent the waste of hundreds of thousands of dollars in drilling in hopeless situations. For other regions, while only the drill will finally decide the presence or absence of water, oil, or gas, certain generalizations can often be made from the success of wells in adjacent territory, the data relating