The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-28
THE SUPPLY KEEPS UP.
NO DIMINUTION IN THE ARTESIAN
WATER FLOW.

Six New Wells to be sunk at the
Water Works to Supply the House
Drainage Systematic Demand lor
Water Increasing All the Time
100000 to 100000 Gallons
Necessary for the Yamacraw Section
- Supt. Miller to Recommend
Another Main Between the Water
Works and the City.
Superintendent Alvin N. Miller, of the
water works, informs the MORNING NEWS
that with the $4,000 appropriated for his
department in the, new budget, he hopes to
| be able to add six artesian wells to the
eighteen already in operation. Superin-
tendent Miller says that there is such
constant demand from private residences,
new enterprises and added territory that
the lack of water is beginning to be felt.
SIS there any diminution of the supply of
water from the wells now in operationg'
he was asked
"Not that is making us feel the lack of
water" he replied. 1.-THE wells have been
in operation for the past eighteen months,
and can guarantee that they are main
| tanning their average hown
OuPl. 4hAlCl "cub On W explain LldU IL is
the constantly increasing demand for water
that accounts for the pressure upon the
works. he says that the wells are supply
ing about $500, 900 gallons of water daily,
sometimes over this amount and sometimes
little less He says that by running the
two engines, and pushing them to their full
capacity he could pump 100000 gallons
daily from the river, and If he had artesian
wells enough he could take that amount
daily from the wells with the present
capacity OF the two engines by pushing
them.
THE FLOW VARIES.
The wells now in operation, Supt. Miller
says, vary in their flow. Some of them will
deliver 600 gallons of water minute and
some as low as 1872 gallons. He also says
that from 8 o'clock to 10 O'clock he has
pumped at the rate of 100000 gallons,
using the two engines, but such unusual de-
| mands upon the present wells have created
vacuum, which indicates that the wells
are not supplied from subterraneous reser-
voirs, but from channels of water per-
colating through the stratum on it's flow to
the sea. While he is not incli ed to think
that there will be any diminution of
the artesian water supply in this section,
yet upon the first indication of falling off
Supt. Miller says the experiment of shooting
the wells with dynamite will be resorted to.
This is a common practice in the salt wells
in the salt-producing regions of the Ohio
| and kanawha valleys and in the oil fields
of New York and Pennsylvania.
Supt. Miller says that a we'll with 10
| inch pipe Will not supply any more water
| than 6-inch well, and he has learned by
experience that where one well is sunk in
close proximity to another, one will draw
from the other. Since, then, distance of
about $50 feet is maintained between all
new wells.
,O00,00 GALLONS TO SUPPLY YAMACRAw.
The superintendent estimates that 1,000,-
600 gallons of water would supply the pro-
posed house drainage for the Yamacraw
section if properly utilized by the inhabt-
ants, but taking into consideration the
character of large number OF those who
reside in that section he believes that fully
as much more will be wasted so that 2,000,-
600 gallons would be used. In fact. he says,
the people have no conception of
| the amount of water wasted, and
there is very little difference between the
amount of water pumped on week day in
comparison with the volume supplied on
Sunday, and not great deal Of difference
between the supply furnished by day and
that pumped into the mains at night. Not
only has the abandonment of the surface
wells increased the demand for water,
| proper, but it has also increased the wastage.
WILL RECOMMEND ANOTHER MAIN.
Referring to the criticisms because the
main leading from the water works to the
| city is not covered, Supt. Miller says that
| there are only about 200 or 300 yards of the
main exposed, and not always so much. He
does not think that a man could do much
damage pounding on main with sledge as
the great pressure would prevent fracture.
The real danger that he apprehends is, that
| should an accident occur to the main a &
water famine might ensue, and when the
| water is most needed In case of fire, there
would then be no water supply. He will rec
ommend in his annual report that second
| main be laid connecting the water works
with the city. and the danger will then be
reduced to a minimum. He says that the
| city is obliged to have it.
With the introduction of house drainage,
he thinks that there should be additional
pumping facilities, such as another engine
and pump, so that there may be machinery
| held in reserve for use in case of accident
AN INExHAUsTIsLE SUPPLY.
Supt. Miller says that strong evidence
| of the inexhaustible supply Of artesian
water in this part of the state is the re-
markable fact that Moore's lake, in
Emanuel county, about 10 mile, from
| Savannah, has been fed by natural well
as far back as history and tradition go, aud
it is estimated that it supplies the lake with
20,0O0,000 gallons of fresh water daily In
| ali seasons, no matter how dry, the lakes
level is the same, showing that neither ex-
IRENE wet nor dry weather affects it, and
fixing the status of its supply Of water as a
subterranean one.
Supt. Miller says that he expects to begin
early next month to put down the new
wells, so that the growing demand for
water may be met promptly. He states
that the water supply will be shut Off from
the city tonight TO put in a valve at the
new and extensive fertilizer works of Ham
mond. Hull & Co., west of the cotton seed