The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-07-10
GREENVILLETIMES.
FARM " Ellis.

The following uOuce 10 NV N'''
dication which has appeared oil a TO-
yoIution in one branch OF farm lie III
this country.
Ne..rs. Evans and Mclnnis, Com
ni,,ioners have been authorized TO
negotiate for the boring OF sh Hr'es'A,
well Cd the Rankin county iarm' "a
GOOD many Of the conviets on TINS
farm have been sick for some Tune,
and in the absence Of other causes ,he
hoard concluded that II might DC uue
TO the water.
The Rankin County farm has doue
what will, IN the course of time De
common on all the great plantations
Of the lower Valley.
No argument Is necessary to make
Delta planter understand the I'M
measurable value Of having an in'
e1haustible supply of perfectly pure
and healthful water on his place. IN
ill the recent discovery that such wa
ter could be obtained anywhere in the
Delta by boring, the water problem
hat been one of the most serions ana
annoying the planters have had TO
contend with. The supply has here
totors been from driven wells, which
AFFORD limited supply OF fouI-tasting
brackiEh, aud unwholesome water,
very hard 10 get, aud not worth hAv-
ing after it iS pumped up with infn-
tie pain and trouble. Stock have to
depend principally on the stSgnant
water of sloughs and bayous, only the
best appointed plantations having
driven well ia their pastures or stock
wards. The families of the most en-
lighteued and progressive planters
use water from underground cisterns
or wooden tanks for domestic pur-
poses, but the laborers and mass of
the people depend on driven wells.
The Delta has long suffered from the
accusation of being a home OF ma
laria. In the centres of population,
or on old plantations where cisterns
are used, malaria has almost dissp-
pesred. In unsettled regions it un.
questiousbly exists, and there is every
reason TO believe that it Is caused by
bad water,
Indeed many scientists claim that
malaria is a misnomer; that mslAcqua
is the proper term, and that with the
drainage OF stsgnant streams and
pools, aud the use of pure water. it
will disappear, Even aside from the all
important question Of health, the ad.
vantage Of having an ArtesiaD well
on a plantation is so great that the
amount of money necessary TO bore
Que would be the best paying invest
ment a planter could make. The ad-
yantsges are innumerable, and the
well, once obtained, 10 inexhsuStible.
II ia unaffected by any conditions of
climate or season, and there is not q
planter in The Delta who would not
be wise 10 pinch aud deny himself a
little for year or two in order to
pay for such 8 permanent boon as
one of these wells. The cost Of a
well sufficient TO supply all ordinary
plantation purposes ranges from $500
10 $1,000. For such q sum supply
of perfectly pure water can be OBJ
tanned which would enhance the
value of place possessing it many
times more than the cost, and could
DO paid for by the exercise of econ
omy in some of the numerous wastes
so common In plantation manage
ment The discovery that an mex.
haustible supply Of the finest water
in the world underliss the Delta is
one of the most valuable which has
ever been made since the development
OF this country commenced. 1t is not
yet realized in all its significance
but it solves the problem of making
the Delta a hesltbful residence, and
removes one of the most trouble.
some snnoysnces of plantation life,
The time will come when every great
farm il the Delta will have it's own
well, or wells; aud when this is the
ease the most serious Of all obstacles
to immigration and the development
OF the region will have been over
come.
The TTA5Eg ia indahted tn Mr. w |