The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-11-27
POLLUTED WELLS.
r. Xxplanation Of the Great Danger, and
Suggestion Of Remedy.


+. xzplanation Of the Great Danger, aud
Suggestion Of Remedy.
1t may be matter for surprise. but II
B strictly true, that the water supply Of
large cities is, as rule, purer than that
Of the majority of farm houses, and as
. result an equally surprising fact may
be noted, that the occurrence of febrils
and intestinal diseases are moro fire.
guent in farm houses and rural villages
than in large cities. The soil is full Of
life. Down to great depth air pene-
trates and water percolates, and these
carry into the soil whatever impurities
they may originally bear or may pick up
in their course. Wells are the sedi-
mentary deposits of all the underground
streams and surface settings of water,
while springs are nothing less or more
than outlets Of streams or of reservoirs
of the soil water. Wherever, therefore,
any such stream or reservoir has gath
cred any impurities these are carried on
and on, until in time great accumula-
ton results from the many daily addi-
tons. A barn-yard, a cess-pool, or
mere slop-hole for the wastes of the
houss thrown out and supposed to be
done with, can not fail to pollute the
soil. 1t is only question of time how
far the foul matter may reach. There
is constant percolation of water after
every time the ground is saturated, and
although the soil has some filtering and
purifying action, yet the sponge is filled
in time, and the stream pours out filth
instead of pure water.
Consider what large quantity of this
foul matter may descend into the soil
from neglected cess-pool into which
the wastes of several persons have been
poured for twenty or thirty years! A
barn-yard is almost as bad because of
the constant saturatiOn of its soil, but
not so bad because of the greater depth
of the cess-pool. The danger of rapid
approximation with drainage exists in
all porous soils, such as sand and grav-
ell; for the slope of strata in these cases
can not divert the direction of the slow
ly but constantly increasing stream
which passes through the soil in every
direction, laterally and downward; but
the direction is no longer downward
when stratum of hardpan or clay is
met. Then the stream flows upon the
surface of this, and continues to do so
as it is forced on by the pressure of the
current behind it. This is precisely the
case with the waters of the lower sub
soil which supplies well or a distant
spring; hence the dangerous pollution
of a well by the drainage from a cess
pool, even at a considerable distance
from it, is only a question of time; and
this time may be exceedingly short in
case the drainage finds an existing
channel through which water is flow
ing into the well; and the ground is
always full of such channels and
streams.
The remedy for the danger of we'll
pollution is not difficult. First, in 10
eating cesspool or barn-yard, the ma
ture of the ground should be studied,
and, if possible, the location should be
such that the drainage will be from and
not to the we'll. Where body of clay
or other compact soil is found below
the surface the downward slope of this
should always be from the well to the
yard or cess-pool. Second, in every
case cess-pool should be made water
tight and not suffered to leach its con-
tents into the soil at all. 1t should be
as carefully cemented as a cistern, and
be emptied once year, and at inter-
walls of a month quantity OF dry soil
should be thrown down, sufficient to
take up all the moisture and deoderize
the solid matter. To empty a cesspool
so made and managed will be an easy
and not disagreeable job; the con-
tents will furnish a most valuable top
dressing for grass lands; and if the
farmer is not squeamish in this direction
he will find it the most valuable of all
fertilizers for onions. Third, in such
case as this the clubhouse MAJ be placed
in more convenient position than it
usually is, and this is not a smell adj
vantage. Indeed it may be located at
the further end of wood-sheI that is
attached to the house, and so. with the
approach to it, be completely under
cover, convenient of access at AL times
and seasons. and give no offense of any
kind.-An Engineer, in N. J.. Tribune.