The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1904-03-18
POSSIBLE EPIDEMIC Avpp.,
An Illustrative Instance -.
ncient Work of the Gesi.e. :
cal SURVEY

0e0toGk
cal Survey.
The most disastrous epidemic, -.
have visited the towns and c;,;s- -.
country in recent years have IN
cases. been traced to polluted dr,,...
waters. A step that might hay. ~.
about such an epidemic in tn. - 5.
Quitman, Georgia. has receptlv "
prevented through the experiences, -
vestigations made by the Upi,ss ~
geological survey and the rsoIss.ss
survey of Georgia working ii 49, 5
ton. -:
During the summer Of 1sos II. -
thorities Of Quitman, while horn, 2.
artesian well, struck at 123 IT, ~.
the surface a cavity sz feet deen -
ter Immediately rose in the bore bolsS
within II feet Of the surface. Th.e
ity and the water were cased on a. =
well was pushed On to a depth Il n -
where a second water bearing s,r,s-
was reached.
1t was decided to experiment Nh i,
"subterranean stream" and anollS
well was sunk few hundred ~
away and near what was knoxnn s
sell pond, a small body Of stAsnast =.
ter which had the appearance q O.
plying a partially filled lime sink r. ;
underground cavern was found 4 +
depth expected and the water IN =
pond was allowed to drain into Il rs
the flow of water from the pond na1ars
impression on the head in the hure - /
it was decided that the drill had rtne<1
a large underground stream, snfmlh,3
deep wells had been cased OF 4 -
thought it would be safe to TN r
sewerage Of Quitman into 1t.
A protest went up immediate1 d
that section Of Georgia, where aftG
wells have proved Of great bene1 =
Gov. Terrell was asked to preVat {
people of Quitman from making III
the underground stream in the vlVt
contemplated. No one knew vAaeuS
stream led, nor what wells q qglIl5
1t might contaminate. The govql
called the problem to the atf0tim =
Mr.. s. w. McCallie. assistant - =
ologist. He In turn laid the nal1411
fore Mr.. NJ. L. Fuller and Mr. GhsI6l
Slichter, who have charge 4 Co.
features Of the investigators q Nl6le1
the United States geological ~
with the result that plans uere -
experimentally determining Il
ity Of communicating adjacent ve1n6
springs.
The first step in the expeEina1
to take samples Of the water & q
wells around Quitman. and 4 -
valdosta, and other points. -
from such springs Is might No.
mated A strong brine NJ t1n
and turned into the well lon1lnG q
subterranean streama Two 10000
were used. The experimeat, 49,
carefully made, extended on
days.
Beginning with the mcmenk =
salt was inserted into the ~
pond at Quitman. water 49,
taken at intervals from the =
springs In the vicinity ard &
voldosta, and other poinzk T.
ton Of samples continued ~
for = number Of weeks,
they were shipped to Atlnn
nearly 400 Of them ven annl1
state geological survey.
The examination q g.
showed that the salt had e.
the water in three wells =
The salt was not found n ~
lie springs In the region. NJ
1t Boston or Vald0sta, 81 Z
men& demonstrated that 60
erase into the strsan vo1n =
all the water in the deg
man, and would probably !
dangerous epidemic. T1n
is . happy illustration g :
results obtained through =
methods pursued BY the Y
geological survey and b. - 80
logical survey Of Georgia