Minerva Petroleum Company.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 272, 12 March 1889, Page 2

Minerva Petroleum Company.

From the Minerva Company we have news to Saturday last of the most cheering character. As moat of our readers are aware, a swelling clay was met with between 800 .and 900 feet; this gripped the pipes with such tenacity and pressure that it was found practically impossible to get them past it by ordinary means. In this dilemma new ways and means had to be thought out, and the unprecedented plan was adopted of making a concrete pipe strong enough to restat the enormous pressure of the clay at that depth, and large enough to admit of the 4J inch pipe posing through it freely when completed. It is three weeks on Saturday last since the concrete was inserted in a semifluid state. Boring through It was commenced yesterday week, and after 30 hours’ steady drilling a 5J< inoh hole was through, apd boring is now proceeding in the red clay beyond, with the intention of putting in a second seotion of concrete. It is the steady persistence and determination of tbe Minerva Board to overcome every obstacle, which we adqiire. We trust that eucoees will crown their efforts.