The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-09
MYSTERIOUS RIVER.
Prof. Denton Says New England Has
an Underground Channel.
Boston Letter.

an Underground Channel.
Boston Letter
Are the New Englanders walking on a
crust of earth from eighty to 40 feet in
thickness, under which there is a mad
rushing torrent of water flowing from the
White mountains in New Hampshire TO the
Narragansett bay? Is there danger Of the
earth's surface giving way and throwing
thousands of persons and houses into the
deep ravine through which the river flows?
These are the questions which are now
being seriously considered by New Eng
landers, especially those who live above the
path of the underground river. Professor
Denton, formerly Of Harvard College, is of
the firm opinion that such a river exists.
His theory is substantiated by residents Of
the town of Foxboro and the city of Low
ell, Mass, who claim that their water sup
ply comes from this famous underground
river.
The idea is further substantiated by men
in Foxboro who have tried to find the bot
tom of Witch pond. They have never sue
ceeded, but startling tales are told Of mys-
FERROUS roarfngs far below the surface Of
the pond. These rOaringS or explosions Of
gases are followed by great connections on
the ponds surface. During these upheavals
nlypad roots as large a man thigh
nave DS6H thrown upon TIE shores. III the
ley waters of the pond Turk the largest
pickeTel. Fish with no eyes have been dis
covered in the pond.
Professor Denton's theory seems to be
further substantiated, for in the Norfolk
Superior Court of Massachusetts, at Ded-
nam, a case which Will attract widespread
attention was heard before Judge Bishop.
II was the case OF HOlllngSWOrth & NoSe
against the FOxboro Water Supply District.
The plaintiffs have an idea that the town
of Foxboro have been taking water from a
mi hfffn hcTf 20. -harG
denies the allegation, claiming that it gets
It's water supply from the underground
river
The plaintiffs have full control of the Ne
ponset river, and it was claimed that when
the FoXbOro Water District established its
WaterWOrkS plant that the time would
come when the taking Of water for domes-
tic purposes by FOXborO would seriously
affect the establishment operated by them.
An attempt was made to prove that Fox
boro was taking its supply of water from
the Neponset river. 1t is said on good
authority that a quantity of peppermint
was poured upon the surface of the Ne
ponset for the purpose of establishing a
case, it being contended that If the water
showed any signs of the essence when
drawn from the faucets in different places
it would show conclusively that the water
was being taken from the NepOnset river.
No trace was found of peppermint.
The Foxboro district was delighted with
the result of the experiment, but another
experiment was tried by the plaintiffs. 1t IS
said that there was a mammoth steam
pump erected near of the wells from
which the FOXbOro district obtains its wa
ter, and the pump was put to a severe test,
pumping thousands of gallons of water an
hour. All the time FOXbOrO was getting its
usual supply of water with the same heavy
pressure. The water is ice cold the year
round.
Professor Denton has traced the under
ground river from which FOXbOrO gets an
unlimited supply of water from the State
of New Hampshire, southwark from Low
ell, across Massachusetts to Witch pond,
through FOXborO, AttebOrO, SeekOnk into
Rhode Island. The entire distance the
course of the underground stream follows a
natural channel made by the meeting of
two lodges one sloping from west to east
and one slOping from east to west and COM
the surface of the earth.
Professor Denton was of the idea the
course was that of a flow during the glacial
period, and that changes of the earth's sur
face in time caused the ravine to become
filled. still leaving the river to flow through
its natural conduit.
The underground lodges separate in Paw
tucket below the PaWtucket falls, which
are located in the heart of the city. One
portion of the ledge turns the underground
river to the west of PaWtucket and PrOvi-
dence and sOutherly to a point near Wick
ford, where the stream enters the Nara
gansett bay, opposite Newport. The other
portion of the ledge turns the stream along
the easterly side of the SeekOnk river, be-
meath East Providence. to a point opposite
POrham Light where it turns into the bay.