Telegram-herald., 1890-08-02
CUSHER FULLOF CUSH
Extrayagant Stories Set Ano2t
About rhe Brick yard Find.
CITY FATHERS VISIT The PLACE
The ssbterrane.n Lake Theory hi"i-
eaied by CitiSsBs-only Bare Posi-
billty That Such May be the Case
The " ater Sampled.

i
wonderful gusher, SO suddenly diseov-
cred by workmen IN Brown, Clark q
Co. 3 brick yard, and which II was said
would probably form the neucsns OF
Grand Rapids water supply will prove
more gush than anything else. This Is
the opinion of citizens who are well
acquainted with the district. They say
that as long as they can remember
there has been pond or spring al
Brown & Halls brick yard.
Yesterday afternoon Mayor Uhl and
the entire Common Council visited the
spring, not to make an investigation but
To simply view It. 4 reporter OF the
! TELEGRAM HERALD accompaied them.
Brown, Clark & Co.'s brick yard is To-
Gated between Lyon and Crescent-sts.,
IN the eastern end Of the city. The
place was originally hill, but contin-
ual digging for brick making mate
rial has rendered it an immense exca-
walton about forty feet deep. Mayor
Uhl led the party into the artificial val
ley and the whole ground was gone
over. The first section visited was an
expanse of about 40 feet where the
water came bubbling up and oozlng
through the clay III hundred differ
ent places.
A pressure of the foot on the earth
would send the aqua pura gushing forth
IN manner that made the aldermen
chuckle. 1t had the appearance of
boiling springs. Alderman Yerex start
ed To walk towards the water, but some
of his colleagues warned him that he
was likely TO be precipitated into some
subterranean passage and finally land
up IN China. Alderman Yerex had
been there before, no weger, and he ad-
vanced without the shadow of fear.
At the other end of the bed cup was
| found, which had been used by work.
men from time immemoral, when their
thirst needed quenching. All of the
city fathers took long and apparently
satisfactory draughts of the invigorat-
ing nectar. 1t was cool and pleasing to
the taste. Health Officer Saunders pro-
nounced it as good as any water he had
! ever drank.
All finally proceeded TO the place of
the great gusher, which is about twenty
feet away from the bubbling bed. A
dirty looking pond met the gaze. 1t
was afterwards learned that the spot
that the workmen mad seen to heave
and finally burst and throw out a tre-
mendous flood of water had disap-
peared. 1t is said that it was boarded
over and covered with earth 10 prevent
the grounds from being inundated.
| At the conclusion of the observations
discussion ensucd in which some of
the city fathers were of the opinion
that that entire part of the city was un-
derlald by a subterranean lake which
was connected by some unknown
passage with Reeds lake, Saddleback
lake, and other bodies OF water. AL
derman Stein did not believe any thing
of the kind. He thought the idea pre-
posterous, and expressed himself So.
He said that in his opinion the
well would peter out the same as many
others had. Mayor Uhl said nothing
but characterlstically reserved MS
thoughts for further expression. Al
dermen Yerex and Stebbins were en-
| thusiastic, as were several others.
From appearances nothing as yet can
be determined. There is one thing,
| however, and that is that il the water
does prove inexhaustable Brown, Clark
| Il Co.'s property will suddenly appre-
ciate in value ten fold. 1t has always
| been known that water did exist IN this
SPOT, and coming as it does when the
| question is the subject OF general dis
cussion, all kinds of extravaganza
| theories are advanced! Nothing can
be done, however, until a regular test
is made, and that will have to be done
by sinking another we'll some distance
away and pumping 1t. Then If tue
water remains firm at Brown, Clark &
Co.'s, there are chances that 1t will
prove inexhaustabe. There seems to
be no question about It's purity, as It
is apparantly as clear as crystal.
DR.. w. r. DeCamp, who is considered
an authority on the water question
said yesterday, relative to the IMAM
moth spring" that had been found II
the brickyard:
81 have lived in Grand Rapids for q
number of years, and am pretty vel
acquainted with the lay of the land IN
this vicinity. Ihave seen a large mum
Der OF experiments made by some par.
ties anxious to discover a water supply
and | have seen plenty Of just such
springs as that IN the brickyard breal
forth. They gave great promise Of af.
fording a continual supply of water
but in most cases, after a short time
they would cease - flow, and you
would find the wells IN the neighbOT
hood would all run dry. remember
the old Penny & Johnston springs, and
there were many others that / coulc
thikk of, and old citizens would bsal
me out IN these views. Take these at
tesian wells, for instance. When th'
Eagle well vas finished and began q
supply water. the old Arcade well, Ib'
father Of them all, went dry and It ha.
/ been the same with al Of them"
Glow DO you account for this
Doctorz'
The fact IS that there IS not a subter
/ ranean water passage under this cltl
trst would yield enough water 30 sup
ply a village. They are all rgh
/ enough for a snort time, bnt they den
bold out. I would be wiling 70 wage
auyth.n .ng that i the sprng 10 she brsck
yard continues 70 Tun. that al the well
ln the ne ghb0rhoOd Viii 60 dry IN les
than q week
"NOu can talk about test wells ~.
lakes for a water supply, but I am sat
sized thst this city vii never have
sufficient water supply untIl a connec
I ton = made with Lake Mich gsn O.
Rogue river. The same expereDc
With Green and Sadd leback lakes Toal
ne met With that uas with Reed :
but talnk that Rogue rlver w0uld sur
piy trand Rapids with Al the par
spTI1g water necessary.
That outbreak Of wafer. F" said gen
tem2n Who has lived pear tae hrcs