The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-22
DRIVEN WELLS IN
EASTERN VIRGINIA
ANIMAL RAINFALL IN STATE Ar
PEARS TO BE STEADILY DE-
CREAsISG.
DRY SEASON IS FELT
WELL MEAN NORFOLK HAS BEEN
FLOWING FH~TY-oSE GALLONS
A MINUTE FOR TWENTY
ONE YEARS.
DRY SEASON IS FELT

In Virginia the rainfall seems to
have been decreasing in the past few
years and the water IN lac wells is
SINKING slowly farther from the
surface. Thousands Of farmers
have been compelled 10 sink their
wells deeper In order To secure SUI
1cleut supply fof dora este purposes.
This Is especially true If Piedmont
Virginia. AMI Eastern Virginia is now
feeling the effects Of tae dry season IN
tine sarle WAY TIE sos, water is
lower than before fer many years il
is not necessary To 60 into details and
publish long columns Of figures to
show that the rainfall is decreasing,
and has been doing SO Ter several
years, for every farmer IN the State
knows II. and nearly every crop IN the
State shows Z In such case the wells
must be sunk deeper.
A. letters, OF oceana, Va, writing
10 the Manufacturers Record. says ne
inspected the irr4ga.inR system Of one
or the active truckers in the Norfolk
section. This man Was drawing his
water supply from a water bearing
gravel I'll feet below tho surface. and
stated that the water IN his 51foot
vel S, Of which he had three. came up
70 with,n ak fee. of the surface
came within six feet OF being q fiow-
ing or arteSlar. we'll He found water
a. thirteen feet and again al twenty
six feet. and then an inexhaustible
supply OF excellent water al fifty one
Meet One well at lambert Point.
near Norfolk is Sis feet deep. and
has been flowing for twenty-three
years AT the rate of fifty~one gallons
minute. II ia cased with a slx-inch
pipe. and the water viii rise seven
feet above Rae surface. and the tenn
perature Of the water is Seventy-two
degrees throughout the entire year
no variation summer or winter. The
greater part of the flow is piped away
to the different plants al Lamherts
Point ard used for various purposes
but on account OF mineral substances
In the water u cannot he used in the
boi'ers Of the locomotives For do
mestic purposes the water Is consider
ed heaihful
Eastern or Tidtwater Virginia al
ready has thousands Of q wing wells
from SO to $500 feet in depth. II Is
probable that the number WI steadily
ard rapidly increase until the under
ground portion OF the section will be
more thoroughly understood and the
digging or boring Of wells be reduced
more to a system
The early in,labitants depended
supply. But gradually the springs
have dried IN Then shallow dug
wells with hollow gum tree or Sec
f'or NJ such tree was used for a
we'll curb. Occasionally Deeper wei
was dug and brieked up. For be it
known. there Is no stone in Eastern
Virginia with whif.l to case well. as
was done In millions Of wells at tho
East, North and West Then the
drive" well came into general use
such generally finding water about
sixteen feet below the surface. In
such case the farmer or owner Of the
and bought pitcher pump. three or
four Joints of pipe. fve-foot long, and
perforated point, for G complete well
"outf1t." costing less than 81 all tod.
A few hours work put down the well
and It went into commission at once,
with a good supply of soft water.
Such wells are frequently put down
for temporary purposes or use. and
pulled up and carried away to be used
at some other point--aetua 'ly moving
the well. Then the drilled" well was
introduced, and single counties in
Eastern Virginia can show a thousand
or more such wells. &