The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-26
PERTH AMBoY AsToNIsH ED.
There Is n We'll or GOOD Water in Town and
Hts supply Keeps Up.

u" apply ANeeps Sp'
The residents of Perth Amboy are not very
much inclined to the use of water as a beverage.
The newspapers thrive on weekly crops of ex-
else notices. 1t is estimated that the quantity
of stimulants annually consumed in tho town
would give an average of nincty.three gallons
for every man, woman and child of its popula-
ton. tmust be added that the sup]erabundance
Of alcoholic fluids co-exists with an appalling
scarcity Of good water. Nobody p~retends to
know which condition is cause and which effect.
But the fact remains that there is nothing in
Perth Amboy so hard to get hold of as a good
drink Of water: Of real water, that is to say, I'M
diluted with mud and microbes and heaven
knows what besides.
The fluid on tap at the city ,hydrants and
faucets is brownish and cloudy, like a solution
OF weak coffee. 1t is distrustcd universally BY
the inhabitants, who use it for laundry and
toilet purposes, but make n point of drinking
as little OF it as possible. Some boil it and serve
it with ice, a process which improves its appear
ance. getting rid OF the precipltate and causing
II to resemble a thin Manhattan cocktail.
The water problem is a sore subject in Perth
Amhoy. Everybody agrees that II is some body
else's fault. The stay-at.home citizen lays 1t on
the politician. The Democrat blamcs the Re.
publican; the Republican says it's all owing to
Democratic greed and stupidity. AS a matter
of fact, both political parties have had a hand
in II, and each has left II, II such u thing were
possible. in a worse muddle than that in which
The trouble came from tho supposed necessity
OF placing tho pumping, station seven or eight
Jill AWAY, dETUSS III INHTlLuu IklNGT, NO ROOl
water could be found in Perth Amboy or neari it.
At least, none was found. So the city accepted
the alternative OF lighting the water problem at
long range. straining the duty of an ordinary
steam pump, and dealing perpctually with "A
couple Of miles of total depravity in the shape
OF Il submarine water main. The result has
been about half a dozen years OF municipal cN-
pense ana worry and anguish. The mere men
ton OF water TO the stay -at-hOmc citizen is II red
flag to a bull; to the city official it is u match TO
IA powder magazine.
Under these circumstances it is peculiarly
lHRraVuLiuP that n wonderful well should huyn
been lately discovered in Perth AmbOy, almost
in the heart Of the town. such a well has been
unknown hitherto in the region. The water is
clear AS crystal, cold as IA mountain spring, and
absolutely free from alkaline deposits. 1t
gushes up in n stream three TO four inches in
diameter. 1t comes, apparently. from an mex
haustible source. for 1t has been flowing night
and day for SIX months, il dry as in wet weather.
The well was found on tho property of Mr.. S.
Il. Groaccn. whose machine shop is on the water
front about half a block from the Staten Island
ferry. Mr.. Greacen says he had no more thought
of finding fresh water on his place than he had
OF striking Oil or natural gas. Water is fairly
abundant al! nlong the shore of the Sound, but
1t Is generally brackish and very hard. The
surprise OF the engineer was great. therefore,
when, after boring about 100 feet. he struck a
bed of water-belring gravel. from which a
stream gushed up that was like the memory of
his hoyhood on the farm.
Everybody was called upon to taste the water.
and everybody pronounced it good. As tho
stream continued 10 flow night and day, week
At last "Greacen's well" was accepted rs bo.
INK, in the nature OF things, as incXhaustible, as
once that affects this natural fountain is the
chb and flow of the tide. AT low tide The now ia
Mt lis minimum. 1t high tide II rushes forth in
a stream four inches in diameter. Sometimes,
in the nbnOrmnlly high tide OF an cast wind or a
storm, the spring comes up boiling and chokcd
with gravel. On this account tho well is sun.
posed 10 be part Of n subterrancan river, which
has its outlet not far away in tho sea.
Meanwhile the City Council of Perth AmLOy
is now advertising for tho sixth Tine in Two
years for bids and proposals for a new pumping
engine, and news csme only tho other day OF n
fresh Dienk in the water main HCfOaa the Iguri-
tan. Under these circumstance it is The iron
of fate that 6reacen's well should he daily
emptyinG into the sound water enough TO anp-
Ply the need OF every man, woman and child in
Perth AmbOy.