Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-04-10
MAIN STREET POND.
What is Being Done for the Pur-
pose of Draining it.
Win the Venture Prove Successful, is the
Question no one can Answer With
Any Certainty.


Few people who have not made a
trip to the Main street pond have
much idea of the damage the water
has done to property in that particu-
lar section. Notwithstanding the
tact that it has fallen several feet
since the rains ceased, there is still
enough to float a good sized steamer.
While but few dwellings have suf-
fered, nearly all the Outhouses in the
square between Main and College and
Seventh and Eighth streets are now
under water so they can not be used.
This pond of water has been stand
ing there nearly three months at its
present stage, with an occasional
rise. There is no use trying to dis
guise the fact, it will be the cause of
sickness in the city if some means
cannot be brought forward to drain
it. Gardens are inundated, fences
are over1own, and the whole thing
taken together presents bad pic
ture.
The city council, be it said to its
credit, is hard at work trying to solve
the mystery and drain the pond.
They know full well that the sewer
which is projected to drain it can not
be possibly built, for many months,
and some other means must be
devised.
About fifteen years ago the same
state of affairs existed out there. g.
A. Ligon was then mayor of the
city He conceived the idea of dig
ging well, striking cave, ard run.
ming the water into it. This was
attempted and proved success.
Capt. Welsh was put in charge of the
work, and at depth of about twenty
feet he found the desired cave and
successfully drained the pond, This
well was allowed to fill up, and the
spot is now covered with water, the
pond higher at present than it was
then.
The city authorities remembered
this experience, and have been dig
ging a well, hoping to drain the
pond in the same way. They have
given the work to Capt. Welch, the
man who made a successful hit tif-
teen years ago. He has gone about
twenty-five feet, and is now blasting
through solid rock. The well is be-
ing dug en- CampbelPs alley near
Seventh street, and it will take about
ten feet more to put it on level
with the bottom of the old well, it
being located on that much higher
ground.
Now it is only a matter of specula-
ton as to whether or not the desired
cave will be struck. Mr.. Gilbert,
chairman of the street committee,
and Capt. WEIGH, both seem to think
that it is more than likely that they
will strike it by going few feet
deeper. Anyway, they will expert
ment little while longer on it, as
the city council at its last meeting
appropriated $25 90 for the work.
The work is very greatly retarted by
the water seeping into the well. Ii
has to be drawn out every few min
utes to allow the hands to use the
drill and blasting powder. If this
venture is successful it will be an
easy matter to cut a ditch from the
well to the pond and run the water
off. Ii it is a failure the people OF
that section, and it might be said the
whole city, will see the effects of this
great lake of stagnant water sooner
or later. Everything possible should
be done to drain it. The welfare of
The citizens demands it.