Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-07-18
THE WATER SUPPLY.
An Improved System OF Works
and Clear Water All the
Year Around.
An Immense Underground Lake Reached
by Many Artesian
Wells.

The water supply Of Fort Worth is one
of It's chief natural advantages, and in
this connection n few words about the To-
cation Of the city is deemed proper. A
hird's-eye view shows the city to be
located on en- elevated plateau, with an
almost perfect natural drainage; It's
northern boundary runs boldly up to a
high bluff, at the foot OF which flow the
mingled waters Of rhe Clear and West
Forks Of the Trinity river, which unite
near the northwestern corner OF the cor.
poration limits; the Clear Fork follows
this blud In an undulating curve from the
southwest and its waters are "a clear as
crystal. Alter continuing northeast a
distance OF about two miles the liver
suddenly turns and runs southeast for
some distance, and In this bend, bounded
on the west, north and east by
water, Is situated the city OF
Fort Worth. Stretching away TO
the south is an open, rolling
country, and the landscape as pictured,
adorned as 1t is with the varied indus
tries OF $4,000 people, Its water, the long
bluff, the cross.timbers in the east and
the prairies everywhere, presents su.
perb scene. Nature seemed to have de-
signed the spot for the site of great
city, and upon It a great city has already
commenced TO grow.
THE wATKR-woRKs.
In 1882 the idea OF a system OF water
works was put into operation. Capt.
b. ID. Paddock and other citizens of the
town had procured charter for their
erection and operation, and subsequently
a company composed of Morgan Jones,
Il. p. Cowan, II. Mclaughlin, II. NJ. Her
man, j. 5. Drake, NJ. G. Orion and NJ. ID.
Mather, after appropriate legislation by
the city council, erected the latest Holly
system OF water-works, and early In the
year 1883 the system was in sue
cessful operation. The system Is
unquestlonably the best in the
state. The works are placed at tho juno
! ton of the Clear and West Forks OF the
Trinity, north Of the city, the supply be-
ing from the beautiful clear water OF the
former. There are now thirteen miles Of
water mains In the city, and water In
every house that will make the proper
connections, except those on the out
skirts OF the city, which is rapidly stretch
ing beyond the points reached by the
mains. The city engineer, w. Il King,
.
Of extending the mains throughout the
entire city. In lSs4 the city purchased a
one-half interest In the water works, aud
In 1885 1t bought the other half, and now
owns, controls and operates the entire
system. The pressure from the immense
Holly engines Is sufficient to throw water
over the tallest structure In the city, and
this fact, In connection with splendid
volunteer fire department has had the
effect OF preventing any very serious
conhagration since the system has been
in existence, and reducing insurance rates
to the minimum reached in Texas.
ARTRsIAN WELLS.
One Of the greatest blessings enjoyed
by the people OF Fort Worth Is the
artesian water, which flows from some
thing near 100 wells. So
Prior 10 the year 1876, the drinking
water used by the citizens came from the
Clear Fork or from spring about two
miles northeast OF the town, on Dr.
Stewards farm, and on account OF the
scarcity and high price of ice much in
convenience and discomfort was ex-
perienced during the hot weather in the
matter of good palatable drinking water.
In 1875 the first arteslan well In Tarrant
county was bored on the farm OF Lyle
Cresswell, about nine miles southeast OF
the city, by Dock and Jim Peters. Water
was reached at a depth Of 45i feet, at
cost OF about $1,000. The flow was very
small, being about the size OF lead
pencil, but II was sufficient to supply It's
owner with sufficient water for his own
use on his farm. This well attracted
much attention, and in time other ex-
| periments were made.
The first artesian well In the city was
bored by Jim Peters on his own place,
close TO where Meyers planning mill
now stands In the western part OF this
city. The depth Of this well is not known,
but 1t was close TO 800 feet. The flow
was very large, aud for some time the
well furnished all the drinking water
used by the city. II was visited by many
| hundreds of people. Other wells fol-
lowed, and 1t was found that the supply
Of each was not diminished by those that
succeeded 1t. There are now about one
hundred Of these wells Ia and around the
city, and the flow occurs at oil points ex-
cept the highest elevations, where II
stops from ten 10 thirty.tye feet below
the surface. Col. Andrew Chambers has
well on his place in the eastern part OF
| the city that runs about 1000 gallons OF
/ water per hour, The average depth OF
/ these wells Is 270 feet.
The water seems absolutely pure, and
/ for drinking, washing and bathing pur-
poses II has no superior anywhere Prom
! inent physicians say II Is pure and healthy
! 10 a remarkable degree.
/ The water is reached In what seems TO
\ be subterrauean lake Immediately be-
meath layer OF rock. The sloping depth
/ OF the source Of these wells shows that II
comes from the country northwest OF the
city, and calculations made lead 10 the
4 belief that this underground lake Is fed
/ from the surface In or near the Upper
I Cross Timbers In Wise county, some
thirty or more miles northwest Of Fort
| Worth, A strip Of fine white sandy soil
crops out On the surface there, and the
water filters through this TO the lake
under Fort Worth and TarraDt county.
/ The bottom Of this lake Ia bed OF rock,
aud rs basin Is believed 70 be inlme-
diately under Fort Worth and The adjoin-
ing country The layer Of white sand be-
tween these two layers Of rock Is Of
q 49, "a ~. ant