Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-04-09
THE WATER SUPPLY.
HOW TO GET WATER IN THE
MARSHES.
Drive Wells to he Used and How to
Use Them-Interesiing Reminis-
cences of "a Proposed Canal
Down the Brandywine.


COMMUNICATED.
Having some spare time, / propose to
write few facts that may interest the
people, at least some of them.
We have the Brandywine that snpplles
us with drinking water. The fail of the
stream from tice- water to the s ate line,
just above Smiths bridge, Is near about
1874 feet, which Ia very nearly on q level
with the top of Cool Spring Reservoir in
our city. Therefore the water would not
run through "a level pipe some seven miles
by gravity. Mary people talk of going
up the stream to get our water. which
cannot be done without going a long dis
tance into Pennsylvania, as there is very
little ia for many miles.
The average daily flow of the stream is
near one hundred and seventy million
gallons, aud according to the account of
and used for the 60,0T0 inhabitants OF the
city, nearly six million gallons lie the
daily average, or say about one twenty
eighth of the stream.
At that rate there is enough water In
the Brandywine to supply the city when
it grows to population of over one and q
hall million Inhabitants, which is not i'm
probable in the far future.
But II some OF the members of the
Board of Health are right in saying that
the water ia purer at the city mills than
1t is at Rockland dam, then the more
dirt we can put into the stream the better.
But as a general thing people will not
banker after the bleach Of thousands Of
tons of rags and other sewerage. II 1t is
clear looking, and If sewerage is to be
pumped and used over again, 1t is very
likely that the BrandywIne may afford
water for a few generations longer.
When the Cherry Island Marsh gets
covered with houses and South Whining
ton wants water, both places cover a
strata of fine sand which Is full of good
water, which can easily be reached by .
drive well.
All that is required for these is an iron
pipe two, three or four inches In diana
ter, with a sharp pointed pug in the
lower end to be perforated with smal
holes for about four feet upwards, the
uriace OF the holes to be greater than the
surface of the pipes diameter so that the
water will pass into the pipe freely.
After the pipe is driven to the proper
depth, say 25 feet, then put q powerful
ball valve pump to the pipe and pump all
the water and sand out until the water
becomes clear. You may have to pump
some time, as the sand and gravel viii
cave in around the pipe but the more sand
pumped out the better, as larger
cavity will be- LETT for the waite Such {
well will be proof against surface water
as the PIPE would be closely packed
around with marsh mud, which will IN
sure the purity of the water at the bottom
Of the pipe.
Of course a ball or common puml
would always have to be used in thes
| L., u.
plateau, where the Townsend, Alrich ant
other farms are located, know how easl
1t is to dig down to the sandy strata anC
get as pure water as comes out of AM
hillside spring, and they can get any
quantity Of 1t. OF course pumping tn,
water for bath house would not be sc
handy, but lor drinking and cooking
purposes, the springs on the old Eden
Park farms and marshes are excellent, al
| know by trial.
The Legislature Of Delaware about 17SG
passed an act to make canal down the
southwest side of the Brandywine and
appointed commissioners to locate IL.
which the latter did, starting near Kirk's
dam, now Rockland, Stopping at or near
the present Court House. From thence
the boats were to be taken by success
sion Of locks down to tide-w ater, where
mills were TO be built to grind the grain
brought down the canal, which extended
far up into Chester County.
| AT that date such an undertaking would
have been herculean task, but had It
succeeded, all the power OF the Brandy.
wine would have been used on the north
eastern side of our city. But the Du-
Points had not at that time started their
powder works and the art OF tearing up
rocks had not come to perfection as at
present, or 1t is very likely that a canal
would have been made.
And even here we find advantages and
disadvantages. Our drinking water could
have been kept more pure and saved
much In pumping.
But one of the disadvantages would
have been the loss OF the DuPopts, who
have done more to Level down, build up
and beautify New Castle County than any
other family that ever lived In 1t.
James Brown, one of the projectors OF
the canal and very noted lawyer, when
the canal ceased TO be thought OF, turned
bis attention to the manufacture of cot
ton on the site of the upper powder yard,
aud which was afterwards turned into q
woollen manufacturing establishment
81 l,,r n,,D g. u.