The Washington times., 1903-02-26
CHINESE APPRECIATE
AMERICAN METHODS
Adopt Our Modern System
of Well Drilling,
CONSUL MARTINS VIEWS
Writes to State Department of the
Primitive Water Facilities There
in Vogue,

That American methods are recogniz-
ed, even in the drilling OF wells. is
shown in a communication just received
by the STATE Department from William
Martin. the United States consul at Nan
kin. He writes as follows:
The city Ct Nankin, though the south
crn capital of China, does not possess a
waterworks system. Foreigners OF va
rious natiOHalities are trying to secure
;he franchise. but the conditions speci-
FED seem to be such that the authorities
do not care to comply with them.
The season has been an unusually dry
one. and thu question of a water supply
has been agirated. Many foreigners have
been compelled to hire carriers to bring
water from the Yangtze for drinking
purposes. but they can never be sure II
is not taken from some filthy creek.
When about TO move into the new con-
sulate building. I resolved. II possible.
20 secure well free from surface drain
age and containing pure water With
that end in view, 1 had made from
Grawings) a drive point and proceeded
TO drive a well as il is often done in
certain localities IN the United States.
~ thirty feet (about 4 feet below low
water mark in the Yangtze) I found a
strata OF sand with an apparently In
exhaustible supply OF clear. pure water
American Wells Popular.
The American we'll as It Is called,
soon attracted the attention Of high Of
fcials living in the city, who one after
another came to see and test il. The re-
suit OF their Investigations was the set
ting apart of an amount Of money to be
used in securing like wells about the
city. 10 the number of one hundred. The
fantai, man next in rank to the vice
roy. came at the viceroys request and
osked me 10 aid them In the work.
Tests showed that the soil was adapted
for the wells only here and there. and
therefore advised against the expendi-
ture and suggested artesian wells. with
storage for fire purposes. as preferable
The advice has not yet been acted
upon. but the reputation of the American
well has spread until from different
parts OF the province, as well as from
Ningpo and Tsinglliang, come requests
for my aid in securing good supply
Of water by pumps
Il believe there is a coed opening I'm
China for few persons who understand
sinking artesian wells and other meth
DDS Of securing good supply OF pure
water. Waterworks are unknown in
China outside of foreign concessions.
Interested in Well Work.
There came TO this consulate the
other day. accompanied by the taotai
OF foreign affairs in this city. a Mr.
Chang Ching known as the "Optimus''
OF China-that is, the man who has
passed the highest rank in the highest
eNaminations), who said he was much
interested in deep we'll work. and that
he had organized a company. which had
purchased over 900 acres Of land with
the intention of utilizing It for cotton
raising and other agriculture He
wishes 10 know about American
machines for diking. deep-weII boring.
and windmills. II manufacturers of
these machines send 10 this consulate
catalogues with prices and probable
freight cost of their various proGpcts
from New York TO Shanghai. I will see
that they are put where they will do
the most good. The prices REQUIRED
are the net ones TO the purchaser