The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-28
UNCLE SAM TRICKED.
An Experienced Well Digger Sc
pa cured a Contract.
Water supply Was Brought From q
Stream Through Pipes.


well digger from the mountains Of Penn
sylvania played 1t upon Argus eyed Uncle
Sam In a way that would have put All
Sin to the blush. Hc marched his genius
against tho entire war department and
won the trick.
Several years ago congress appropriated
t100, 900 10 be expended in providing the
military post OF Fort Meyer, on Arlington
Heights, With supply Of pure water.
Various plans wcru suggested and dis
cussed, but finally the war department au-
thorities concluded that an excellent and
abundant supply of water could be pro-
cured by sinking wells In tho immediate
vicinity of Fort Meyer. Arlington Heights
abounds In springs Of pure water, but
none of them afforded flow sufficient for
the purpose.
Ex- Congressman Mnish Of Pennsylvania
entered into contract with the govern
ment In 1893 to sink well that would
furnish flow of $4,000 gallons Of pure
water every "a hours This contract was
on the mo cure no pay" plan. Unless
careful test should demonstrate the now
specified and tho purity Of the water not
dollar of money was TO be paid
Just at this juncturc Colonel Maish
struck an "angel," or, TO be more accurate,
this lofty character presented himself to
the colonel lie was an expert well digger
from tho oolonel's state, and, In fact, from
the very district that Maish had represent
ed In congress. He had voted for Maish
"agin all comcrs," and his only hope was
that he might DO permitted TO enjoy the
proud privilege Of supporting the colonel
for president.
This expert proposed to sink o well to
meet all the requirements for the small
sum of $4,000. He was given the job, and
as subcontractor he lost no time In begin
ming work. His first effort was a small
distance before he struck stratum OF
granite. There Was no means Of piercing
IL, and the only alternative was to seek
another sito.
A second well was bored, and In due
time the subcontractor reported that he
had struck IL rich. There was an abundant
supply The chemist of the agricultural
department, after careful tests, pronounced
the water far superior TO that supplied TO
the city of Washington. u came, accord
ing 70 his report, from subtcrranean springs
ard would prove boon 70 the military
station.
This was IN tho summer Of 1894. Ac-
cording TO the contract, the water was to
of June, July, August and SeNember,
Before the second test was made the sub
contractor appeared before tho war depart
ment officials, apparently teartbrokcn
Some malicious yandal OF yandals had in
the darkness and quiotudc of night filled
up the we'll with old iron and heavy stones.
They had stopped the flow by dropping
cannon ball, no doubt stolen from the fort,
down the tubo OF tho we'll.
There was but ono course to pursue
bore another we'll Whsn informed that
he would be given that opportunity TO re-
deem himself, tho subcontractor accepted
IL joyously, rennrking that he didn't
care for the money, but lie had rcputa-
tion 10 maintain" He selected a site for
a third well and struck water in an In
credibly short time As 70 purity, the wa
ter Of tho third we'll stood the test ad
mirably, but tho fow fell short z, 200 gal
Ions per day.
The subcontractor asked for and obtain
ed permission TO rc.ncdy this shortage. In
two days nc produced IA flow. of 80, 900 gal
Ions TO the "a hours, TO- 600 in excess Of the
requirement.. Tho tests were pronounced
satisfactory, and the expert subcontractor
was paid IS, 000 by the war department.
Under the immediate supervision of Gen.
eral BatcaoldCr, who had from the first ex.
pressed somo suspicion as to the proceed
ing, IN investigation was begun. The
site of the second we'll could not be discov-
cred until Colonel Maish went over with
tho general and pointed 1t out. AT depth
OF six feet tic workincn turned up four
inch terra Gotta pirc leading into the we'll
Above tho site fow hundred feet n small
stream created by several springs crept
down the hillside. Following the course
of tho terra cotta pipe upward from the
we'll it was discovered that the pipo led TO
the stream.
About hundred feet from the mouth of
tho well, down stream and around "a bend,
hidden away In a olump of bushes was n
small dam, insufficient, however, TO turn
half CT two thirds of the water into the
pipe, and so, with u slight downward drop,
Oh into the vol itsrlt General Batchel-
der's suspicious were thcn strong enough
TO warrant expression in very emphatic
language.
Further investigation showed that tho
third well, which was pronounced a sue
ocss, was supplied with water from tho
little stream by practically the same device.
AS the tour inch pipe line had not afforded
the requisite supply tho subcontractor, in
the two days extension allowed him, had
sunk threo inch pipe alongside, thus
producing tho 10000 gallons in excess of
the specifications
In making the test of supply the water
pumped out OF the well flowed through "a
wooden trough neatly concealed by dirt
and gravel back into tho little stream and
thence to tho dam. The same water was
doing constant duty, passing out of the
stream above the dam into the we'll, then
back into the stream and again TO the
well
Tho mystery is how the we'll digger sue
ceeded In planting his system without dis
covory. But he did, and he has gone with
the $4,000 without leaving his address.
All efforts 70 locate him have proved fruit