The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1921-01-29
OLD FIRE CISTERN
RELIC UNEARTHED
Causes Much Talk About Old
Fire Fighting Days in
BrOOkhaven.

A relic and reminder Of the old
fire fighting days in our city was un-
earthed at McGrath's corner this
week by the men laying the sewer
pipes in Brookhaven. When the
majestic and masterful trench dig
ging machine used to lay the main
lines hit the masonry Of one Of the
big old extinct water cisterns the
other day the men were for some
time puzzled at its failure to go thru
1t, as well as surprised that the ma
chine would stop at anything, ev-
erythlng being grist for 1t as it pur-
sues its victorious way. But the big
goth century trench digger fell down
on the old water cistern Of the 70's
which speaks well for the workman
ship put into it possibly nifty years
ago by men that walk our ways no
more.
These old cisterns, formerly used
for fire protection have been practi-
cally forgotten by residents of later
years on account Of their dIsuse along
with other crude equipment of the
city of years ago. In fact they were
entirely obliterated or covered up
with times accumulations. The
large heavy iron caps or doors were
buried beneath a mass of gravel that
has helped in our progress to make
our ancient streets modern, and in
strong contrast to the era when the
wells in use with their rusty and
bulky lids added their obstruction to
travel, and were generally surround
ed by muddle Of mire in wet
weather and worse after a fre.
The old cistern referred to in this
article and discovered by the explor-
ing engine was about twenty feet
deep and thirty-nve feet wide and
was an attraction for a continual
stream of curiosity seekers on our
streets several days reviying forgot
ten lore and memories older residents
enjoyed and younger ones listened
to.
There used to be an old man-pull-
ed pump that was hauled to these
water basins in case of a fire, and on
occasion men on each side, generally
about twenty, would have to work
the levers vigorously to raise wa
ter" that would after great effort
throw stream ten or thirty feet,
always too short a distance to put
out the fire. A regular young
army Of men were kept working
with might and main to get the
speed and pressure that would carry
the water even as far as 1t would go.
This was near the time when an
old Washington hand press slowly
turned out The Leader at the ex-
pense of elbow grease and hours Of
great physical exertion uncheered
even by the vision of electric power
on the one hand, or the motor truck
that now clears the track at fires,
on the other. If the. faithful fre
addies of the 70's and early SOS
could have foreseen the facilities af-
torded by our modern fire department
md the efficiency with which fires
low are squelched, they would pro-
oably have jumped In the old wells
md pulled the holes in after them"
But if they had, the big trench dig
1er would never have known that
there were giants in those days.
who can't be discounted yet, as 1t
found out when 1t hit the solid con-
crete of the cistern wall.
These old city cisterns had their
lay and in their time filled their
mission. They are buried now and
With other outgrown equipment Of
his city are passed into "innocuous
iesuetude." So will 1t be years hence
with what we have today.