Evening star., 1896-09-09
WATER in QUANTITIES
The Artesian Well at Rockville Proves a
{ Success.
Hours of Steady Pumping Show Over
Forty Gallons n Minute Of
Pu1a, Clear Fluid.
Correspondence Of The Evenin; Star.

ROCKY LILLE, Md., september x, 1896.
Rockville people are in ferment of
pleesurable excitement tonight over the
successful test of the artesian well which
has been sunk east of the town near Hor-
ner's lane, on the spot designated by En-
giEcer George Callogan Morgan of Chica-
go. Mr.. Morgan was employed by the
town council of Rockville which is COM
posed of Mayor Joseph Reading, Mr.. James
F. Allen, Mr. Lee Offutt Mr.. S. B. Hege
and Mr. w. r. Pumphrey. under authority
Of an act of the last legislature, which
provided that the town of Rockville might
issue bonds to the extent of S2OODO in order
to secure water works. He was appointed
engineer and came here to examine the
confguration of the country and determine
where water might probably be found IN
the most abundant quantities. He Sc
lected the locality east of the town, and
considerable criticism was caused because
higher point of land had not been Sc
lected. Mr.. Morgan would not agree to
changing the site of the well, however and
the boring was proceeded with by the ID.
G. Miller Artesian Well Company of Bal
umore, to whom the contract was awarded.
4 Splcndidly Successful Test,
The wisdom of Mr.. Morgan's selection
was abundantly proven today when a pro-
tracted test of the well, which has been
bored 1s2 feet in depth, was made. Water
within two feet of the top of the well,
where 1t remained stationary. A pump vas
Put to work on 1t, and no substantial di1ni-
mutton was shown In the amount of water
in the well. Today at noon the pump was
put to work in earnest, ami began throw
ing out water at the rate of 421a gallons a
minute. This was kept up constantly for
SIX hours. and an examination of the well
then showed that the water in the we'll was
st.ii within thirty feet of the top. The re-
suit showed 1850 gallons an hour, or 81 -
10 gallons per day, a more than sufficient
amount to assure Rockville of an abund-
ant supply of water, the numb.r ~ in
habitants being l,2.D
The well Is now but 8 II inches in
diameter, but the contract requirements
provide for its Increase to inches so that
a still larger volume Of water will be
brought up from the subterranean recesses
"hen the well is finally completed 1t is
also believed that yet more abundant sun
ply VIII be secured by boring to a depth Of
2NO feet, and this will probably be done.
Building OF the Water Works.
Owing to the advanced state of the sea-
son the work of building the water works.
erecting the brick tower and reservoir
tank. laying water mains and putting in
the electric plan: will probably be nost-
poned until the spring. 1t is pointed out
with excellent Judgment that work Of such
magnitude could not be contracted for
after necessary advertisement and other
with 1t until cold weather would come and
stop operations. leaving the work already
commenced at the mercy of the elements
10 their serious injury. 1t was intended at
the outset, when the work of boring the
well was commenced. to complete the
works and have in addition an electric
ilSht plant In operation before the snow
flew this year. but the delay In boring the
Well will prevent this intention from being
carried out. majority of the citizens
nere VINO nave been heartily m favor Of
the enterprise ever since its inception are
IN favor OF waiting until next March be-
fore beginning further operations because
the excavation of the streets would leave
them in horrible condition when winter
came, and very few people would be will
ing to put water connections in their resi-
dences in cold weather. So it IS almost GER
tain that the town council will take the
course thus INDICATED, arranging all the
preliminarieS and awarding the contract
SO that the new improvements that will
mean SO much to Rockville can be rigor-
ously pushed to completion as soon as
spring opens.
The Water Soft and Cold.
The pumps will be kept a work all night
and probably all day tomorrow, and the
water. which is soft and almost as cold as
ice water, will then be analyzed and its
character ascertained. The well will then
be reamed out to its full diameter of eight
inches. and further and more severe test
OF Its capacity will be made. There was
large crowd OF VISITORS 10 the site or the
we'll this evening and tonight, and general
congratulations were INDUCED in, Editor
and Postmaster Albert Almoney voicing
the sentiment of the throng in an epigram-
matte way by remarking. The future Of
Rockville Is in that water"
1t Is estimated that the water works and
the accompanying electric light plant,
which now seem to be absolutely assured
to Rockville. will be entirely lf-support-
ing, besides earning a surplus to be de-
voted to the sinking fund for the redemp-
tor of the bonds. This will be in addition
TO providing the town with twenty-five
water plugs, to afford protection in case of
hre, and a complete system of electric
lighting Of the streets without expense to
the corporation.