Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-19
The Water supply.

The late discussions which have
been INDUCED ID, IL some extent, 10y
our citizens relative to an adequate
water supply. have been the means
of doing some little good, in one Ill
met on at least. Within few weeks
past a good many property owners
have diligently sought for water on
their lots, and quite TO their agreea-
BILE surprise, have found it in almost
every instance. Ola residents all
know that the reninsular portion OF
our town is abundantly supplied
with water at no great depth below
the general surface. Many springs
of cold, soft water, tina: burst through
the upper stratum of mould in the
early days of Olympia, have been
covered up or diverted into other
channels by the opening of new
streets, the construction of side
walks and the erection of buildings.
Years ago, the sole dependence of
our people for alter was upon these
springs. AS the population increased
wells were sunk and good water OBJ
tanned from the great reservoir that
;Hnderies own town-site. Like Il
good many things that have served
their time and then been thrown away
as useless, many Of these springs and
wells were discarded upon the estab-
lishment of the first artificial water
supply, and to carry the similitude
alittle farther, the old fountains have
been resorted to whenever temper
ary failure occurred throush accident
to the pump or mains. Since the
destructive fires that nave occurred in
neig hboring cities, the citizens of
Olympia have wisely considered the
question as to whether, in case of
emergency, our combined water sup
plies could save the town from q de-
structive confagration. The fire.
queut Interruptions which have, of
late, occurred in our present supply
have given rise to some grave sugges-
tons of what might take place on u
cold Winters night when the fiery
element would have it all its own
way. As we have inhmated, a good
many wells have been sunk during
a short time past, and in no instance
have We heard of u failure to find pen
ty of water. The idea of impure
water does not attach to one side by
any means. 1t is true that if IL
we'll is not properly protected, sur
face water will find its way into it
and become freely mixed with the
spring waaar which it contains. With
little care, however, all this can be
entirely avoided and the well made
to contain none other than the best
of water. During the season of our
incessant rains, the water from the
Deschutes river is far from being
absolutely pure. 1t is by no means
the melted snow-water from the
foothills among which it takes its
rise, as many persons are enormously
wont to believe. For miles together
the river receives the surface drain
age of the country lying on either
side. This drainage amounts to no
inconsiderable relative amount when
we take into consideration the small
volume of the river.
The floods in orr large rivels
are essentially owing to the annual
melting of the SHOWS upon the
mountains that surround us on
nearly every side; but not so with
the small streams and rivers that
overflow their banks in few hours
after widely extended rain-storm.
1t is the rainfall that fills them to
the brim, and hence, as we have said !,
the actual surface drainage of a
large scope of surrounding country.
The next great desideratum of our
people is unquestionobly an ade-
quate supply of good water.
A RIDICULOUS war of races has brok-
an ont in tho Puvall,,, yall.x ,,l an