The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-07-16
MONG the factors which keep us
~ healthy or which, if not carefully

- healthy, or which, if not carefully
guarded, may cause sickness, moth.
ing IS of greater Importance than the
family water supply. This is especially
true on farms, for it is generally found
that municipal water supplies are purer
than individual wells, due to care in
construction and to watchfulness in
guarding them. Our bodies are over
one-half water, and it is of the most
vital Importance that this water which
must be continually replenished be
pure. If, in the course of events, it
becomes contaminated with disease
germs, then one who drinks such water
may contract the disease caused by the
particular kind of disease germ which
is in the water.
1t should be understood that water is
never impure insofar as bacterial or
germ content is concerned, unless there
Is some source of contamination to
produce such results. Almost all dis
eases are produced by certain kinds of
germs and these germs never generate
spontaneously. When water is impure
therefore it is an indication that there
Is some outside source from which the
imPurity is being derived.
Classification of Wells.
Wells may be divided into two classes
namely deep wells and shallow wells
This difference does not depend so much
ON the fact that the bore is of such
cepth from the top to the bottom, but
rather by "deep well" is meant one
which passes through some impervious
stratum or layer of soil or rock and taps
subterranean water supply. Such wa
te' has been brought for considerable
distance under ground. Since such soil
formation does not allow direct percola-
ton from the surface the water which
is obtained from such a we'll has SLOWLY
passed through the soil for miles in
many instances. By "shallow welln is
meant one which is sunk merely very
little belo' the level Of surface water
known mo-e technically as the "water
table, " and into this tole so constructed
water from the near vicinity is allowed
to seep. Water found in such we'll
therefore, has come from the Immediate
neighborhood and almost always from
within radius merely of a few feet.
1t thus follows that water which is
found in deep wells will be quite thor.
oughiy filtered from any bacterial con-
tamination which may have been in it.
Waterfront shallow wells, since it has
been filtered through comparatively a
few feet rather than miles of soil, NAV
be highly contaminat d. Because of
the fact that deep VIII water has per-
eolated through much soil it will have
had more opportunity to dissolve out
certain soluble minerals, and, therefore,
is likely to oe harder than water de-
rived from shallow wells. In consider
ation of the above facts, if deep well
be properly cased so that seepage can
not gain entrance through the sides by
means Of leaky joint or rusty hole,
water from such deep wells may be
expected to be disease free.
Dangerous Shallow Wells.
Much difficulty is found with the
80 called shallow wells. These many
tines are merely holes dug in the ground
into which seepage of all kinds finds
It's way firm the adjacent soil. In
large percentage of cases no attempt is
made in construction to keep seepage
water outside Of the well either by use
Of An iron pipe, by concrete construction
OF brick wall set in mortar. Many farm.
ers believe that The only way they can
obtain sufficient water supply by
using the shallow well is to allow water
opportunity to enter through the sides
by seepage.
Il should be understood that water in
TT n