The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-30
TIE CITY'S NEW WELLS
- 70 CONNECTED WITH THE
WATER WORKS TODAY.

w AIEh w OhhS IO-OA1s
Artesian Water to be Shut Off at Nine
O'Clock and the City to be Supplied
From the River-River Water Lovers
to Have a Chance at Their Favorite
Water-The Artesian Water Supply
to be Increased a Million Gallons
Daily by the New Wells.
Savannahians who do not want to use
river water to-day will have to lay in q
supply of artesian water early, for it will
be turned off at 9 o'clock this morning and
river water will be pumped into the mains
until 10 o'clock tonight.
A MORNING News reporter visited the
water works yesterday and learned
from Superintendent Miller the
cause of the change. Mr. Miller
stated that the increased demand for water
by a recent extension of mains, had COM
PEELED the drilling of four new wells, and il
is to connect these wells with the works that
neceSsitates the cutting off of the artesian
water to-day. Supt. Miller will put force
of men at work at 8 o'clock this morning to
connect one of the four wells, and if no un-
foreseen accident occurs he expects to begin
pumping artesian water again by 10 o'clock
tonight The other three wells can be con-
nected without interfering with the artesian
water supply.
MUCH WATER WASTED.
Mr.. Miller says that although the sixteen
wells were supplying the city with about
$500, 900 gallons of water daily, even that is
inadequate, and with the four wells added
he will be able to supply 100000 gallons
extra. He says that more water is wasted
in the city than is legitmately used, and
when the purity of the water and the ex-
pense Of furnishing it is considered, he thinks
it a shame that there should be such wan
ton waste.
There are now twenty artesian wells,
eighteen ofwhich are located on the Water
Works grounds about two miles from the
City Exchange, one in Greene Square and
one near Laurel Grove Cemetery. They vary
in depth from $50 to 4l5 feet, and an analy-
sis of their waters shows it to be absolutely
pure. Mr.. Miller says that the physicians
have been pleasantly INVITING him with the
charge that he is making pauperS of them,
and the druggists are bemoaning the heavy
falling off of the demand for quinine, all ow-
ing to the purity and medicinal virtues OF
the artesian water
The water is obtained, the Superintend-
ent says, from a shell rock varying in
depth from $50 to 100 feet, through which
it percolates, rising through the pipe to a
height Of about six feet above the surface.
DOWN IN THE WELLS.
The geological formation varies, different
strata showing in different wells, although
the water works people have found that
wells recently dug show a diminuton of
flow by comparison with wells first dug,
thus establishing the fact of n subterraneous
connection. In one of the wells the
drill went down without striking
single rock formation. In
another the drill struck a hard red
sandstone, so difficult to drill that at one
time it was thought the we'll would have to
be abandoned In a third the drill passed
through a l6-inch stratum of pure white
marble. In one of the wells for $50 feet
the formation was oak leaves and bark. In
the well just in front of the door of the
Superintendents residence the mon stopped
the drill before going through the final
crust, and shortly after the pressure of the
water was SO great that it broke through
the crust, and two cart loads of perfect
shells, such as are found on Tybee beach,
were shot out of the opening.
In one of the new wells that have not vet
been conn cted some melon seeds came III
from depth of over 300 feet, one Of which
Mr.. Miller carries in his vest pocket &c
satisfy the curious that the Georgia water
melon discovered America before the days
of Columbus.
A NATURAL GAS SUPPLY.
Mr.. Miller accompanied the reporter on a
visit to the new wells, which were over
flowing. the air being impregnated with a
strong odor of the gas which rises with the
water. A drink from the flowing water
was cool, and it tasted very strongly of the
gas, which accumulates so rapidly that the
Superintendent says it is necessary some
times TO stop the pumps, which would choke
if the gas were not allowed to pass out.
He fixed up a gas reservoir with a
view to utilizing in the illuminaticn of the
building and grounds, but found it was not
inf1ammable. This has not discouraged
him, however, for he intends to submit il
TO a process which will give it illuminating
powers, and he thinks that he can soon dis
card the kerosene which is now used, and
be will have the works beautifully lighted
up with natural gas, the eighteen wells
furnishing an ample supply.