The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-26
How to Build a cistern.

Boston journal.
By proper system of fltering. rain-water
can be made more pure and wholesome than
water OF mary OF our farm wells.
The form Of the cistern is immaterial,
tnough Tor one OF large capacity the oblOng
form is usually cheaper to build than round
cistern.
When the soil is sufficiently firm to hold
Its shape without caying in. the sides may be
eemented directly against the earth. which is
much less expensive than building walls of
stone or brick and spreading cement upon
that Use good cement mixed with twice
lis bulk OF sand, and do not wet it faster than
you can spread it, as it will set very fast ii
! the lime is good. Mix to the consistency of
mortar. and spread about an inch thick.
Give the sides and bottom at least two coals
and three would be better
II the cistern is lined with brici. or stone
II needs about the same amount OF cement.
The top should be well covered with stout
plank that will hold up an animal if one
should happen to step on it, and if the els
tern is very large joist should be used to
support the plank, and the cover should
have a manhole about two feet square in it
TO give opportunity for opening and clean
ing it.
As regards the capacity, a circular cistern
feet in diameter holds 4.66 barrels one 8
feet in diameter holds about IL barrels, and
one 10 feet in diameter holds 1866 barrels
for each foot in depth. If it is square or
eblong eistern multiply the length, breadth
ana depth in feet together and divide by %,
and this will give very nearly the number of
barrels it will contain.
10 know how large cistern can general
~ be filled from the roofs of set of build
lngs multiply length and breadth of build
lngs together, then M uitiply by Il and divide
by 100 and you have the number of barrels
you may expect in two months in the rainy
season, or about one-fourth of the entire
rainfall of the year.
If you intend TO use the water from it daily
you only want cistern to hold about that
amount ii you intend water for family use
you should have it filtered, and so you
should for animals, for many horses are more
dainty about the water they drink than the
average OF mankind. An excellent filter
may be eheaply made by taking barrel and
boring numerous holes in the bottom, then
cover with flannel, and cover this with
layer Of two inches of gravel stones too large
to drop into the holes, then another flannel
and two inches of charcoal broken in pieces
about as large as peas, then another flannel
and two inches of coarse sand (beach sand or
coarse plastering sand) then another flannel
and two inches of charcoal again. Repeat
the layers OF sand and charcoal, then cover
with piece of gunny bag which can easily
be taken out and shaken, should any
collection of leaves or sediment collect
there. Run a few barrels of water
through it to wash out the dark color of the
charcoal and remove any taste OF the wood,
and then it will be ready for use The bar
rel should not be more than half flied by
the filter, as the waterpiDes may conduct
the water in during shower faster than it
will find its way through the filter, though
when it is once wet through it offers little
resistance to the passage of water. Trees
should never be allowed to stand near the
cisiern, as the growth of the roots in the soil
may crowd the walls inward when the cis-
tern is not full. Many leaks have been
caused in this way. Those who drove their
stock two or three miles to water last sum-
mer, and those who had to cart water long
distances for family use, and perhaps had
only river water not very clean, will appre-
ciate the advantage of good cistern.