I — 



WIND-MILL PUMPS. 



WIND-MILL PUMPS. 



BY J. P. KIRTLAND, EAST EOCKPOPvT, OHIO. 



By reference to Vol. Ill (new series) of the Horticulturist, page 227, an article will 

 be found on the "Application of Wind as a Power for raising Water." It was writ- 

 ten for the sole purpose of attracting the attention of the public to a method of pump- 

 ing water from wells by the aid of wind-mills, the feasibility of which I supposed had 

 been fully demonstrated by the experience of Mr, Anderson, a respectable farmer, five 

 miles south-west of Ashland, Ohio. My conclusions were not formed till I had visited 

 his place, in two different years, seeing the machine at both times in successful opera- 

 tion, and obtaining from him minute details of his experience in regard to it. A short 

 time since, an article appeared in the Ohio Cultivator, contradicting all the statements 

 respecting the successful operation of Mr. Anderson's machine, together with an 

 expression of the editor's opinion that the whole plan was chimerical — or words to 

 that effect. I immediately addressed a letter to Bela B. Clark, M. D. of Ashland, 

 with a request that he would obtain from Mr. Anderson, answers to the following 

 queries, as well as all the facts which might have any bearing on the subject. Dr. C. 

 has had the goodness to forward the following reply, with the answers to the several 

 queries, all of which are here annexed : 



"Ashland, Sept. 11, 1854. 



" J. P. Kirtland, M. J). — Bear Sir: I delayed an answer to yours, until I had seen Mr. 

 Anderson, that I might give you reliable information. I have just seen him, and can 

 assure you that he has the fullest confidence in the project. 



" He says the crank ought to be short. His was so ; and he thought it much better than 

 a longer one. He also says that he has no doubt that it would be just the thing on the 

 lake shore. It should be placed away from any building, or other obstruction to light 

 breezes. His was too near his barn. 



" Mr. A. has seen the remarks in the Cultivator, and he says that 'nothing can be fur- 

 ther from the truth.' He took down his machine, not because it failed to answer the pur- 

 pose, but because it was made by liimself, of green lumber, and was not made right. 



" The water in the well, where he placed the wind-mill, is only about seven feet from 

 the surface of the ground ; and as the surface descends about two feet to the rod, he now 

 contemplates ditching from the well till he can bring the water above the ground, by which 

 means he can have a running spring : otherwise he says that he should immediately put up 

 another wand-mill, and he would have it made by a w'orkman. 13. B. Clark." 



Queries answered by Mr. Anderson. — Q. How many years did Mr. Anderson's wind- 

 mill pump continue in operation? 

 A. About four years. 



Q. How frequently did it fail to operate from getting out of order ? 

 A. It was seldom out of order — no more than a common pump. 



Q. How many days, during the summer and autumn, did it fail to furnish a supply of 

 for his cattle, from a want of wind to keep the mill in operation? 

 Provided he had a large reservoir, it would never fail. 



