Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-09
ARTESTAN WELLS.
A discussion or the Prastieabilitv Of These
Wells for Richmond.

heUs Tor htCnfnonu.
To the Editor of the Dispatch:
In your editorial of this morning
you say:
I" Professor Winston, or Mr.. Blair,
or some other geologist, can tell us
whether it is likely or not that Arte-
sian wells can be made useful in Rich
mond."
After Professor Winston is manners.
However, in response to the above, we
will endeavor to open the case for him.
SIN projecting Artesan wells for
town-supply it is important to know
the geological character Of the locality
where the boring is to be made, and, as
far as possible, the source of the water.
Indeed. without a knowledge Of the
probable character Of the particular
locality, sinking a we'll is like investing
in lottery, and hardly justifable as
municipal undertaking. 1t is true that
many wells are sunk without the ad-
vice Of competent authority, and some
Of them are successful ; as a rule they
end in failure. The instance of the st.
Louis (Mo.) well, where 10000 was
sunk in the well, is instructive in this
connection. "-Ziemssen, Hygiene and
Public HEALTH
The Dispatch instances the New
York city Artesian wells. With regard
to them, and as bearing on our Artesisn
prospects, we present some facts taken
from DR.. Cyrus Edson's report to the
New York Board of Health. Accord
ing to analysis, seven wells out of nine
were strongly impregnated with poison
GUS matter. The wells were from thirty
to seventy feet deep. only one reaching
a depth Of 100 feet. The water from
the latter was the worst of all, having
a distinct smell of urine, and being badly
contaminated otherwise. The soda
water manufacturers Of New York
have been notified by the Board of
Health to abandon the use Of these wa
tiers. In l25 out of l42 epidemics Of
typhoid fever the English Government
Board decided that the cause was inn
pure drinkiRg-water.
Why should New York Artesian wells
yield such impure fluid: Because, in
consequence of the geological formation
of Manhattan Island, they can only
yield surlace-water, which must ncces-
sarily be contaminated by the superpo-
sition Of large city.
In discussing the probabilities Of sue
cessful Artssian bOrings in Richmond,
the topography and geology of the city
will be our only guide. Therefore a
glance at the geology Of New York city
VIII uv Interesting
"AccOrding to geological theories
the surface-rock of Manhattan Island
was formed by some volcanic agency
in ridges or folds, running in the direc-
ton Of the length of the island. Du-
ring the glacial period the tops Of these
ridges were ground off, and the debris
was deposited in the ravines or gulches.
forming deep pockets, whose capacity
for receiving and holding water was
facilitated by numerous intersticeS
thus necessarily formed. These pockets
became the natural beds for the re-
ceptiOn of the drainage of the surround
ing districts, the organic rock itself
being imperyious to water. Persons
boring for water found these deposits,
or pockets, very short distance below
the surface. The water obtained was
clear, cold, and apparently pure. Other
wells have been drilled through the
ridges to a distance Of tro thousand
feet tcithom obtaining tcater. The ma
jOTity Of the so-called Artesian wells
in New York city are less than hun
bred feet deep in the pockets that have
held the sewage of the city for years"
There are marked differences between
the geology and topograph ny of Rich
mond and New York. Nevertheless,
the foundation-rock is the same. The
rock of the island is gneiss, except a
portion of the north end, which is lime
stone. 1t is the same range which IS
the basis rock of nearly all the great
cities Of the Atlantic coast. 1t crosses
New Jersey, where it is turned to clay,
until it appears under Trenton, and it
extends to Philadelphia, Baltimore,
Washington, and Richmond, Va
Geological Rdilrdy quite.
We propose to say something abOH,
thu surface-water of this city, and next
about the geology Of Richmond, AL
the probable success Of Artesian Dor
lngs. II. b.
RICHMOND, August G, 1885.