Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-22
OUT OF THE DEPTHS.
The Wonderful Water Works on Look
out Mountain.

above the river. They stand nearly OPP
posite the eastern nose OF M0ccasin bend,
about half mile west OF the Half way
House at the foot OF the mountain. A
wide and we'll graded road leads from the
Valley road past the residence OF MIR.
Shultz, and along the back of the first
bench of the mountain to the point where
the operations are in progress.
In the vicinity all is life and activity.
Men are seen emerging from shafts ana
tunnels, equipped in full miners regalia.
with small miners lamps attached to their
caps, and shovels, crowbars and pick
axes over their shoulders. Huge piles Of
stones have accumulated, and tool houses
and other small buildings are erected
about the mouths Of the shafts.
The first shaft was commenced about 40
feet above the road. This shaft was sunk
merely as an experiment to ascertain II
the water in the mountain could be
reached. 1t will be remembered that
the discovery of the water was made by q
party who explored the large cave,
which is entered near the waters edge
near the Nashville and Chattanooga
bridge. This party by dint of
crawling and creeping on all tours through
bitches, gullevs aud over streams, along
fathomless abysses and near yawning
chasms, entered a gigantic d0me-shaped
chandler, from the roof Of which poured,
with a roar like thunder, a mountain
stream, ice cold and clear as crystal. BY
original experiments with lighted bal
looms, the altitude of the chamber was
ascertained and the stream was located.
The surface OF the mountain was then
crOss-sectioned, levels were run and
finally spot was located, under which
the engineers stated the stream would be
found.
Mir. Charles G. Anderson, young gen.
tleman, late of Nashville, "A grandson of
Mr.. CraVens, who owns the property,
volunteered to undertake the enterprise.
He was ieered at as visionary and blinded
by foolish schemes, but regardless OF all
encouragement and ridicule he began
the task, and his efforts have been crowned
with the most splendid success.
The first work was to sink a shaft at
the spot the engineers had located to
ascertain ifthe water could be reached,
and when reached il 1t was in
sufficient quantity TO be utilized
The surface Of the mountain at
that point is solid limestone, hard as
adamant and perfectly compact. Unde-
tered by such obstacles the work was
begun, and day by day the shalt went
lower. until finally it had been sunk about
40 feet. IL was then the patient toll was
rewarded and the gushing fountain in the
bowels OF the mountain was reached.
The water was found to be in even larger
quantity than was anticipated and the
work of utilizing il next commenced.
il was decided TO drive tunnel from the
bottom OF the shaft in u nOrtheastwardly
direction TO the surface of the mountain.
A force was put to work inside and an
other outside. Tuesday night the clangor
of the picks of each force could be heard
by the other, and Wednesday morning
the toilers grasDed hands through the two
drifts, now a continuous tunnel. The
length of this tunnel is perhaps 200 feet.
1t is about six feet. high and five 10 eight
feet broad. 1t is cut through the
solid stone, and there is scarcely a tis-
sure or broken spot in these massive
walls, floor and roof of everlasting
stone. This is the present condition
of the works. The shaft. leading 40 feet
in direct vertical line from above, TO a
double drift which opens into the mouth
of the chamber, into which the stream
| pours and connects, in "A direct line with
| the flow Of the stream, with the tunnel of
stone, which opens on the face OF the
mountain about 80 feet below the top of
the haft. The shaft is entered by strong
ladders, with convenient hand bars,
ana the descent is easy and per-
fectly safe. Imagine a mighty inverted
anu you nave tue ESuSldl aspect Oh
the work. The leg is the shaft; at
the point where the leg intersects the
arm 10 the roof of the chamber, into which
the stream pOurs. The left arm repre-
sents the natural flow of the stream from
the bowels OF the mountain, and the right
arm represents the tunnel into which the
water will be conducted. OF course the
tunnel drifts and shaft are not perfectly
horizontal or in perfect straight line,
but the representation of the general
formation.
THE VISIT OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
The members of the City Council ar
rived at the works about 3 p. m. Saturday.
They at once descended the snait and
inspected the stream. The water Is as
clear as any mountain spring, absolutely
transparent and ICY cold. 1t flows
quite rapidly, the dimensions being
about four inches in depth and two and
one-halt TO four feet in width. 1t de-
scribes semi-circle at the foot of the
shaft and then pOurs into the mighty
chamber. This scene is one or surpass-
ing grandeur and was beautifully illum-
mated by Mr.. Anderson with saturated
cotton balls and cOlored lights. The
chamber is dome shaped, fully 80 feet
in depth. A huge boulder was pitched
into the inky blackness into which the
stream poured and seven seconds passed
before it struck bottom. IL fell with a
heavy thud, which was distinctly audible
above. Mr.. Anderson suspended burning
cotton balls into tdis chamber, and it was
lighted up brilliantly near the top, but all
was inky black in the fsthomless depths
below. The stream seems to flow tardily
before 10 reaches this mighty subterra-
mean preclDIce as il In horror, and then
dashes over the well worn rocks.
gurgling, Kissing and seething, and
Is lost in darkness. Explorers who
have visited the cave and observed this
fall, state that the water is partially dis.
sipated into mist before IL reaches the bot
tom. One OF the flaming balls was dropped
into the chamber. IL iared up the CELL
ings bespangled with diamonds. The
walls which supported the mighty pillars
and gigantic columns were visible for a
half second. and down, down went the
flaming torch, kissing in the mist OF the
waterfall, turning and twisting in its ter
rible descent, until all was again lost In
darkness.
An expert in water works, who thor.
oughly Understands its volume and We
l0city. states that the flow Of water from
that stream alone will exceed 100000
gallons every "A hours. This was Mr..
Winship, water works expert from the
East.
The reporter followed the stream up
the drift In the mountain, TO another
chamber about 200 yards back OF the
shaft. The party was attired In rubber,
fr,r,. Haad e.. foaf aTnfpvrA NTH .nt,araS