CHAPTER XXIV.

MINERALS.--WELLS.

Ancient Tools and the Art of Building.--The Parthenon.-- Aqueducts of Rome.--Tombs of India.--Halls of Alhambra.-- Gothic Cathedrals.--Steam First Drew Coal, then Sawed Wood and then Stone.--Stone-cutting Machinery.--Carving.--Dressing.-- Drilling.--Tunnels.--Wonderful Work of Stone-Boring Machine on Pillars of Ohio State Capitol.--Stone Drills and Compressed Air.--Hell Gate.--Crushing Stones and Ores.--Blake’s Crusher.-- “Road Metal.”--Different Form of Crushers.--Assorting Coal.-- Steam and Coal, strong Brothers.--Compressed Air for Mining Machinery.--Mighty Picks Driven by Air.--Electric Motor.-- Machines for Screening, Loading, and Weighing.--Ore Mills.-- Separators.--Centrifugal Action.--Ore Washing.--Amalgamators: Electric, Lead, Mercury, Plate, Vacuum, Vapour, etc.--The Revolution in Mining.--Well Boring an Ancient Art.--Artesian Wells.--Coal Oil and Coal Wells.--Preceded by Discovery of Paraffine and its Uses.--Reichenbach, Young.--Petroleum Discovery.--New Industry.--Col. Drake and First Oil Well.-- Sudden Riches of Farmers.--Boring Water Wells.--Green’s Driven Wells.--The Deserts Made to Bloom as the Rose. 373