The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-07-11
Windmill. on ihn tlrm

Hon. Lewis r. Alien writes 10 inc
Country Gentleman Il very interesting
account Of tie uscOf windmills0 on Grand
Island for the purpose OF raising water
for farm purposes. After describing the
topography of the island, Mr. Allen 4ays
Of windmills:
"These have been 10 perfected within
the past few years, and Of various kinds,
that ii il not worth while 10 specify any
one NJ superior TO another, They are
made all over our northern and western
states, widely advertised IN the papers,
and each ore who has them can best
iudgeoi their working qualities. only
name them in n general way, and speak
alone Of my own trial Of one OF them.
"AlthOugh accommodated by recess
to the river with water Tor all my house
hold buildings, as well as stock purposes
at the barns and stables my convenience
for all were not satisfactory. SO, two
years ago, ! sunk three different wells
one at the main barn whore the prin
cipal stock is kept, another nj the farm
house convenient 10 the hOrse-barn, and
still another at a dwelling half a mile
from the latter, all near the river shore.
The wells were scverally fifty two feet
~ the farm barn, fOrty-two NJ the farm
house, and twenty feet at the dwelling
above, all yielding pure good water,
touching only the surface OF the
rock At the bottom, where an album
dance Of water was found. | should
also add that u foot or two from
the surface OF the ground ahntd red clay
was penetrated until within 4 foot or two
Of The rock, when \ layer Of gravel and
sand was reached, aud on the surface OF
the rock Il stream OF water lOwed which
formed the supply. All these wells were
bored aud socket pipe tiles inserted AS
above stated, aud into each one was in
serted r good iron pump, with about one
and a quarter inches delivery, producing
Il sufficient stream to fill 4 common
bucket in a minute operation. ought
to FAY that in each on9 Q! tue wells tho
water has a standing level within ten
feet OF the surface, - the wells
stood, and now stand, sufficient for all
practical use,
Bat finding too Iuuch hard labor
necessary to pump water for forty or
fifty head Of cattle and horses ut the
main farm barn, | last fall had erected
one OF the " Slower" windmills over the
pump in the barnyard, 1T il 40 feet
high, with a revolver y feet in diam
eter, costing about $50 complete and in
working order. The rcvOIvcrs are usu.
ally only 10 feet in diameter for farm
use, but wishing to be perfectly sure in
its supply of water, ! chose the large
size, aud at ONE $50 more expense than
the other, 1t has thus lar worked to a
charm, pumping all that the stock have
needed, and working but q few hours,
more or less, ~ the wind may serve, dur
ing tho day. A tank or trough l6 feet
long, ID inches wide at the bottom, and
two inches wider at the top, and
IS inches deep, securely tongue-groved
md Iron bolted, placed near the pump,
where the cattle can drink at will, makes
I'll that accommodation complete, and
infinitely better than to drive them to
he river sixty rods away, particularly in
when thb shores are frozen THE
liver neye freezes only along the shores
. few rods out, and ice has to be cut
lway for access to the water. find it 4
grand economy, both in the expense Of
abor, and convenience and comfort to
he cattle.
Although | have made a long story !
n it, wished to place this weltdigging !
pump and windmill matter plainly be- !
ore my agricultural friends, far and ;
lear, to show how readily and cheaply /
heir wants may be supplied when des-
,ltute OF springs and running streams,
how much better they are than the
lirty pools so much in use in prairie and
'ther level regions, which are used for
'tock-water purposes. There are now
i've wind-mills in use on Grand island,
zach with ten-iUOt reviewers except my
own, and | presume $500 would not buy
'ither one OF them ct their owners il
they could not he replaced, and | think
that within the next two years several
more windmills will be erected there"