Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-10-09

IRON tne Reading (Pa) Eas Q, sept. IL.
A year or two ago certain citizens of Con-
shohocken organized water company, and
proceeded to construct works with which to
supply the town with water. The supply
was pumped from the Schuylkill river to a
reservoir placed upon hill above the vii
lage. The works were completed last fall
at cost Of $4,000, and the reservoir,
which was supurb piece of workmanship,
was filed with water. All last winter the
citizens were blessed with plentiful supply
Of water, and during the past summer es-
pecially they were pleased with the i'm
prOyement, because the cisterns upon which
they had been accustomed to depend were
nearly empty in consequence Of the drought.
The reservoir is close to the turnpike to the
northeast Of the town, and near by is q toll
gate.
The keeper Of the gate reports that on
Monday night, when he turned in, the re-
servoir was in good condition and apparent
ly capable of remaining 50 for centuries to
come. On Tuesday morning, when he turn
cd oGt. he was surprised to find that por-
ton Of the fence surrounding the reservoir
bad disappeared. lie instantly proceeded
to investigate the mystery, and, upon as
eending the hill, he found that very re-
markable accident had occurred. A portion
of the southern embarkment had sunk out
Of sight, leaving hole about thirty feet in
| diameter; and Us the wall Of the reservoir
had disappeared the water had vanished with
it, with the exception of small portion,
about one and half feet in depth. which
was retained because the floor was unin-
ilrcd, and because the cavity did not extend
Q - I 81 ~
ton showed that portion of the embark
men, had dropped straight downward about
twenty five feet, and upon looking into the
hole q, tie top Of the bank. with the fence
and the sod, it was discovered at the bottom.
The side Of the vast hole contained huge
precipitous I0cl down the side Of which the
earth had slipped
Bat the most remarkable thing about tie
accident was that no water could be found
In the hole. There was more than ,0O0,-
COO gallons in the reservoir at the time, and
almost the whole of this had gone down the
cavity and had disappeared utterly. What
/ became Of this vast body Of water nobody
knows. Il has not turned up anywhere yet,
unless it has broken through somebody's
cellar 1jor in China. That such an enor-
nous mass Of fluid should have quilted the
surface Of the earth suddenly aud left no
trace behind IS certainly somewhat startling.
AID it i only natural that the people Of the
neslbJrhood should feel little uneasy a,
the thought that perhaps there is a nam
mouth cave far down in the earth un1erly
ias tie whole yilinity. The existence Of
such a cavity alone will serve to explain this
strange occurrence, for it is clear that the
ordinary subterraEean water courses, such as
supply the springs about the country, could
not - suddenly conduct away such large
body Of water.
Tie country is Of limestone formation, and
this is MT tie first time that suspicion has
been excited that it i undsrlaid with great
cayeS. At place called Marble hall, aboGt
two miles ,asI Of Conshoh0cken, there hes
been for Yeas at a marble quarry hole
which cannot be filled. Enough dirt has
been dumped iato 1t to make a tolerable
large mountain, AMI still it remains the
same ola ho.e. Some years ago large guam
tity Of ban wes poured into it, and this
Subsequently came out Of Spring mill, just
brllw c ln-lohocken. At this point there Is
u famous spring, from which water boi,s out
at a flIi5us rate. Perhaps the contents Of
the rcselrlir viii fud cgrcss at this spring,
ilt ticy have not appeared yet. In the
melnf;ues the water company : Ia sore at
Fiction. and 1t Is puzzled to know what TO do
about re -1n>trHcting its reservoir. The task
Of rebuilding upon = bo;tonless pit Is not an
ea,y one.