Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1852-10-23
Gen. Scott's Tour.
From the Picayuns.
Artesian wells wanted Rere

Eds. P1c.--l have seen in your paper of late
dates several communications on the subject OF
Artesian wells; among them one from the Dali
las (Ala.) Gazette, speaking of the wells bored
near Cahawba, Ala. On this subject | have a
few words to say. A few weeks since | was in
Alabama; my attention, while in Selma, was
called to two Artesian wells in the streets,
which, being a novelty to me, | examined with
much care. The depth of these is between
three and four hundred feet. In answer to nv
inquiries as to their cost, my friend informed
me it was not as much to the city, annually, as
the expense of keeping a chain pump (Which
was hard-b y) in repair. The water from these
wells runs down the cutters, and forms many
handsome cascades down the rocks on the Ala
bama river. | was afterwards in Cahawba, a
few miles further Town the river, where are
some ofthe same kind of wells. From one the
water rushed through the spout in a pump stock
with a roar, and nearly as much force as it does
from the fire plugs in our streets when opened.
visited the wells bored by J. E. Mathews, ESQ.,,
about half a mile from Cahawba, and carefully
examined and drank of the pure water dischar-
ged from the one of nine inches and one quar-.
ter in diameter, and seven hundred and thirty
five feet deep. The water rushes up and roars
like a waterfall, and with such force that o
plank laid across the top cannot be kept in place
by the weight of four heavy men. Some of
our company threw stones the size of hen eggs
and brickbats into the tube, which were discbar-
ged as quickly as though they had been puff
balls. The quantity of water discharged, |
think, was quite as much as stated, 1900 gal
Ions per minute, or about 10000 gallons per
hour. | observed the boring, withdrawing and
cleaning the angur.
| saw another we'll some sixty feet from the
first, which, though only about five hundred and
seventy feet deep and four inches in diameter,
discharges q larger quantity of water, throwing
up dirt, gravel, &c. This latter is to be bored
fifteen hundred. feet and rimed out to eighteen
inches in diameter, which it is calculated will
discharge fully five thousand gallons of water
per minute, or three hundred thousand gallons
per hour.
With Che water from these two wells, Mr..
Mathews expects to be able to run the machine
~ OF a cotton factory with FIVE thousand spin
dies, which he has erected quite near them
Thus the pure element of water will be drawn
from the bowels Of the earth as tightening is
from Heaven to subserye the purposes of man. |
There are seven of these wells within a distance
of two miles around Cahawba; yet each dis
charge a large quantity. The supply by one
does not appear diminished by others in the Vi
cinity. That we can have those wells here
there is no doubt. We may be obliged to go
deeper to find an ample supply of water than in
Alabama; but that water, and pure water, too,
can be found here, there is no doubt. These
wells have been bored in California, on the
point Of land extending into the Pacific, at San
Diego, and on the islands in the Pacific. All
I'VE want to enable us to have wells here is a
determined spirit and a little money. Raise the
latter, aud it will be followed by
PURE AND LIVING WATER.