Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-24
Water Supplies.

abundant q supply OF good water-if not
the best wster-thai the denizens OF this
csiy are not disposed TO trouble themselves
much on the subject. Nevertheless. one OF
them las written 10 us the following
striking communication
RICHMOND, August 81, 1884.
10 ne Rdtov Of the Dispatch
noticed in tbe Dispatch some days ago
the opinion OF several very eminent medi-
cal gentlemen IN the State Of Georgia with
regard 10 the impurity Of city wel-water,
and their unanimous advising against its
use; and agree with them fully in the be-
lief that many, II not all, city wells are
thoroughly ipprsgnated with the health
destroying surfsce-water which Is con-
stanty dripping into them from around
The sides. And | 20 further and affirm
that II any one will stand by aud see the
wslling OF any we'll Of moderately long
standing removed, he would grow sick at
the sight OF tens OF thousands Of bugs,
worms. roscbes. and snails that inhabit the
Ievicos In the wall, and ever and anon
crawl out At night 10 fall into the well and
decay, besides the constant flow OF green,
ugly water from the sides between the
earth and wslling.
a
irons birth. and will be In all human pro-
liability until the end OF tins, it is easier
10 improve them into pure condition than
10 compel the owners TO discontinue their
Use. and especially when the remedy is so
near st hand.
II is an undeniabe fact that the earth
does contain pure, wholesome waters in
abundance-pursr by far than the water
from creeks or riyers-and that II II the
nature or course Of these waters TO rise
until they meet The surface waters from
above, and thence 10 flow on through the
strata Of the earth until they find another
outlet.
And now for the remedy that would
suggest. 1t II fer all persons who have
wells on their lots to sink or put down,
from bottom 10 top, water-tight, cement
cd terra.cotta pipe OF item or twelve-inch
diameter. Set the pipe on say three bricks
NJ the bottom, and then ill up 10 the top OF
The well with good clean earth or gratcl.
and pack IL well around the pipe, and
when the pure water rises into and around
the pipe il will hold up the suriacc-water
On the outside, and II cannot get inside
the pipe unless you should exhaust the
well.
have on my lot 4 tcn-incL bored we'll
which ID wateT-tighf, cast up so as TO admit
no surfses-wster, and this well would more
than supply twelve families, and though
all the wells 10 the vicinity have been
abandoned. or nearly oil, on account OF
had water, this well remains the same all
the year through. CLAY WARD.
The new reservoir Of this city holds forty
millions Of gallons Of water. The quantity
daily needed fer drinking and cooking
purposes-ws mean absolutely needed, not
wsstsd-loS not exceed three gallons for
each man. woman. and child In the city. or
100000 Eallons- In other words. the reser-
vdr holds wstsv enough 10 supply for 200
days the demand for cooking and drinking
purposes. 10 that II these were the only
purposes for which the water was used,
the reservoir would need to be filed only
twice n year, assuming OF course that the
water would not DO rendered unfit for
Use by standing SO long In the reservoir.
The point We would make Is that il would
require but few Artesisn wells to supply
Richmond with pure water. The Artesian
well at Grsnelle, France, yields 100000
gallons day, aud one at Passy, France,
day. An old one at Charleston, s. c.,
yields about Is, 200 gallons day, and new
one yields more. BY the way. In a recent
report, Mayor CouRrBSAY. Of Charleston,
gives q brief account OF the operations OF
the waser.works company OF that city,
and mentions that the quantity OF water
supplied TO private consumers during the
year exceeded 10000, 900 gallons, while the
quantity used by the Fire Department
amounted TO upwards of 100000. The
Mayor says: 81 know Of no American
city which draws such a supply OF water
from 8 depth Of nearly two thousand
feet, and distributes it for general use"
This supply Of water, Of which the Mayor
hrsgs, Is equal in year to what Richmond
can supply 70 Der citizens in three days. A
corrcspon dent writes us that the water OF
the Charleston Artesian wells II not used for
culinary or drinking purposes. The Mayor
writes about 10 - II those were the very
purposes for which 10 was used. Anyhow,
It iss matter Of no importance, since At
tesian wel!s are generally bored for the
very object Of procuring water for drink.
Ing and cooking purposes. The people OF
Atlanta, Ca, are having such well bored.
Their object 10 TO obtain good drinking
water, - the following article from the last
issue Of the Atlantis Constitution shows.
That paper says:
BoRIxs sos BuRruD wArga.-It will be A /
fortunate day for Atlanta when the pure /,
water gushes from the mouth Of the Arte- |
sian well shat was begun in the centre Of |
the city yesterday.
There h no more important question pre-
scented to municipal authorities than the
procurement of perfectly pure water. Sur
fsce-water, such as we get from even our
deepest wells. II tainted beyond measure
and productive Of disease and epidemic
Sewage, cemeteries, decayed vegetables,
and mineral matter. combine 10 poison
wells, aud carried ~ II il through the
hidden and iortuous, subterranean veins.
no man knows where II goes or from
whence II comes. The man who drinks
1impid and cool water from well thu, he
considers hfeproachable may be drinking
from reservoir fed by vein OF water that
runs from eesspool or cemetery. Indeed.
No Impure has the latter and more delicate
chemical analysis proven city well-water 10 |
) be. that science has paused IN It's research, |
and rested content with declaring the sim. |
pie Tact OF i,s Embellishments, rather than |
appall helpless public With details.
We have strong hope that the attempt TO |
get Arteeian water here win be sueceNful. !
We have Just bad an example 10 Southwest |
Georgia Of finding Artesian water whero the |
highest authority had pronounced II impo..
sible, and where nfty years OF boring had |
failed. The quiet persistence Of John y.
Fort went deeper than the culture and
learning Of DR.. LsConie. The truth Is,
the Improvement 10 machinery aud ia
method hes ouhtripped speculative theory,
and has amended many On exact scientific
truth. We hope, therefore, that tho begin.
ming made yss sTday will end IN success
apd bring " What We can SCI no immediate
hope Of getting eIsew hsre-sn abundant
supply u pure water.
II the AStesiAn well b q success n will
settle great many things. We shall have
them bored In various parts Of the cIty.
and Indeed may rely on getting from them
drinking water for our people. Needing
wster then only fos Ore, manufacturing ana
bygieDic purposes. we can take oar .,me in Z
haller supply.
Twenty years from now, Il Richmond
sbalI continue TO grow - she IL now grow. ,