The record-union., 1894-02-05
CLEAR WATER SUPPLY.
Six Wells Bored on Strong and
WilIiamson's Place.
The Trustees and Mayor Visit and
Examine Them-The Water Will
Be Analyzed Again.

Inc Board OF trustees, accompanied Dy
Mayor Steinman, went out the the wells
on the Strong and Williamson place, near
Guthrie's Station, yesterday, TO investi-
gate the new wells that have been bored
there for the purpose of getting supply
Of clear, wholesome water for the city.
They were met at the wells by j. B.
Edison for the contractors and r. A. Rem
wick, who had charge as engineer when
the contractors were testing the wells.
The pumps have been temporarily taken
out of the wells. not having been used
since the day of testing them, and
nothing was to be seen but the holes in
the ground with the tubing in, which
was put in to keep the wells from caving
in or filling up with sand.
Mr.. Renwick consulted his notebook
in answer to various questions pro-
pounded by members of the board in re-
gard to the pumping already done, as
follows: The pumps were started at s
o'clock in the morning on the day the
wells were tested, and they were run
with little or no cessation until o'clock
in the afternoon, or a run of nine hours.
Four hundred and fifty gallons of water
per minute was thrown from each well,
or II 1000 gallons each per hour, 81, 200
for the three and $4,000 gallons for
ten-hours' run. There are six wells
bored on the place, but only three were
tested, these being so near together that
Mr.. RenWick could easily observe the
data he wished to gather and control the
power at his command. When the
pumps were started at o'clock the water
stood within 10 feet inches of the sur
lace. At $3.50 o'clock it stood at 26 feet at
Il O'Clock at % feet inches, and at 1870 at
20 feet inches.
From that time on it increased steadily
until it stood only twenty-eight feet six
inches. The reason for the distance from
the surface to the water increasing while
pumping, Mr.. Renwick states, is that a
bed of supply exists about twenty-eight
feet deep, and as the only water above
that is contained in a ten-inch tube, it
does not take long to consume it and it
must gradually work down to the level
of twenty-eight or twenty-nine feet,
where the supply equals the draft upon
it, He thinks that the test has demon
strated that there is plenty of water to be
had by sinking wells enough, and as
there is large area of land available for
that purpose there should be no trouble
in securing an ample supply for the city's
needs.
only eight-inch pumps were employed.
No gravel was found here in boring these
wells only clay and sand being gone
through by the augers. The wells were
bored from 154 to l56 feet deep and a streak
of coarse water-sand was struck at a
depth of l04 feet which was four feet
thick and gave good supply of water.
Some good veins of water had been pre-
viously struck from sixty to eighty feet,
but as the minimum depth of the wells
was specified to be 80 feet they were dis
To1 md thA fIlh oh hn1
them, shutting them of. At l2l feet a
very coarse stratum of water sand was
found mixed with small stones as large
as BIB shot and giving fine supply of
water.
Mr.. Edison stated that after the three
wells were finished they pumped one
day to clear out the wells. but did not
preserve any samples of the water They
then pumped all day another day and
kept sample, which they sent down and
had analysed and sent the result of the
analysis to the Board Of Trustees.
He said he was willing at any time to
put in a pump in one of the wells, or TO
put pumps in all three of them if the
board desired and run them all day for
the Water Committee, to test them. A
sample of the water could then be taken
by the committee and sent down to be
analyZed, and the board could then make
up their minds whether the result of the
analysis was satisfactory to them or not.
If the board decides that the quality of
the water is not satisfactory to them, an
abandonment of the contract will be filed
and that will end the matter. If it is de-
clared satisfactory, the contractors will
Immediately proceed to bore sufficient
number of wells to insure an ample sup
ply for the city.
The first thing to be settled, however,
is the quality, as if that is not up to the
standard the amount of supply will cut
no figure, and therefore the contractors,
having satisfied themselves that they can
get all the water they want, do not care to
go to more expense in boring until the
analysis proves satisfactory.
If the Board of Trustees is satisfied
with the result of the analysis, the con-
tractors will go right on with the work,
having no fear that they will not be able
to supply the quantity needed.
They have nothing to conceal, Mr.. Ed
son said, and will put in pump and no.
THY the committee what day to meet them
and test the wells, and all the world are
welcome TO come and see, if they so de-
sire.
Robert Williamson, who was present,
stated that his wells, which have been in
use for some years. have never failed to
respond to the draft upon them for irri-
eating the large nursery. One of them
was bored into gravel and is only eighty
feet deep, being little southwest of the
three wells bored for city use. The one
on the hill southeast is only 1l6 feet deep,
contains excellent water, and is appa-
rently exhaustless in its supply.
a day will be fixed on for the test and
the committee will probably be notified
this week.