The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-25
To Wake n Good Dug We'll.

Wisconsin Correspondence Orange Judd
Farmer.
1 was much interested in the article in a
recent issue discussing the necessity of
having pure water for home use and for
stock. 1 agree that this is highly desirable
and also that the old-fashioned we'll often
supplies impure water. A tile drain three
feet deep will take the water from the soil
three rods on either side of it. If the tile
is laid deeper the drainage will be still
more effective. If this is true how far will
the ordinary well of thirty feet draw wa
ter? A learned doctor, whose name 1 have
forgotten. caused deep trench to be made
around several cess pools. In every in
stance he found dark discOlOred streaks
of earth running direct to the nearest well.
This is proof positive that ordinary wells
must be far away to be free from contami-
nation.
/ do not believe, however. that deep
drilled wells absolute panacea for
impure drainage, unless the wells are piped
securely and the joints are water tight.
il the earth is not so firmly packed around
the pipe that the water cannot run down
the sides, impure water VIII get in. Great
depth is no proof against impure drainage.
l claim the deeper the well the farther il
will drain and that the rock-drilled well
in this respect is no better than one made
in ordinary soil If no water is found above
the rock this is proof that the earth through
which you pass will not hold water. The
same rule applies as the well passes into
the rock
If the above is true what is the remedy?
claim that the best cistern for holding
water is one with the cement plastered d.
recty onto earthen walls, provided the
top is far enough down TO prevent injury
from frost. A cistern will hold water inside
the wall, and when empty IL will hold wa
ter out. 4 well may be made on the same
plan. Dig a hole five feet in diameter and
FIVE feet deep Make a stone wall, laying
the stones in cement and mortar. Now go
into the we'll and strike a circle three feet
three inches in diameter, eXcavate six feet
deep within this circle, then cement the
upper three feet of the excavation and the
space between the lower part of the stone
wall and the upper part of the smaller
opening direct to the earth. ExcaVate three
continue until water is reached. The rea-
son for leaving three feet uncemented while
digging is to keep the soft cement on the
wall from interfering with the operator
Two good men will finish about ten feet
a day.
With this kind of we'll no water can get
into il except from below. If this is prop
erly covered it is angleworm tight. / had
a well like this put down seventeen wears
ago. Ny neighbors made great fun of in
Last summer l examined il carefully and
found not single sign of imperfect walls
/ have had considerable experience in
this line since 1 settled here more than fifty
years ago In putting down my we'll +
struck potsdam sandstone at twenty feet
This was too hard to dig out and too soft
To blast and drills were uncommon at that
time, but ] went twenty miles TO secure
iron. worked in a blacksmith shop for two
DAYS and made a five-inch drill with which
feet of water and the well has been salts
factory ever since.