106 J. D- Dana on the origin of some of the 



(3,) In digging wells, water is not usually found until a firm grav- 

 elly layer is reached. 



(4.) Over the central portion of the New Haven plain, about High 

 street, back of the College grounds, and to the north, water is obtain- 

 ed wherever the height is near 40 feet, at a depth of about 26 feet — 

 in other words, the upper limit of water, or the Avater-plain, is here 

 about 1 4 feet above mean-tide level ; and the height of any spot over 

 this region being ascertained, the number of feet of excavation re- 

 quired to reach water is at once almost exactly known. To the south- 

 eastward the water-plain dips toward the bay; its height at tlie cor- 

 ner of Church and Chapel streets, one-fourth of a mile from High 

 street, (where the height of the surface is 20 feet) is 6 feet, or 14 be- 

 low the surface ; and one-sixth of a mile farther southeastward, in 

 State street near Chapel (where the height of the surface is 1 4 feet), 

 it is about 3 feet, or 11 below the surface. Through Chapel street, 

 between Church and State, and over the region either side, the depth 

 to water is 12 to 14 feet, and in State street 11 to 12 feet. On the 

 southwestern border of the High street region, along Oak street, the 

 course of the old West Creel' channel, water rises nearly to the sur- 

 face, or to a level of 12 or 13 feet above the sea, the land here being 

 low. Again in Grove street, on the other margin of the High street 

 area, near the Cemetery, in the old East Creek channel, the water- 

 plain is 20 feet above the sea ; Sachem's ridge is near by. 



In contrast with the above, we find that to the northwest of what 

 we have called the High street region, beyond Dwight street, the 

 water-plain dips toward West river, and falls even below the mean level 

 of the water in the river, or that of the bay. Thus out West Chapel 

 street, not far from its junction with the Derby Avenue, (where the 

 plain has a height of 37 to 40 feet), wells are sunk to a depth of 50 

 feet before water is reached ; the latter depth is 10 feet below the 

 level of the sea and of the river. I learn from Mr. P. Chatfield that 

 the excavation for the well at the house now occupied by Mr. G. H. 

 Scranton, near the residence of Mr. E. Malley, was carried to a depth 

 of 45 feet. Again, out Whalley Avenue, at Hamilton Park not far 

 from West River, the depth to water is 45 feet. But on Hudson 

 street, west of the jail, on Whalley Avenue, the wells are only 25 feet 

 to water. Hudson street is therefore within the limits of the central 

 high-water region of the city, while Norton street is beyond it. 



In addition to these facts respecting subterranean waters derived 

 from wells, there is another having an important bearing upon the 

 subject connected with the great Beaver Pond depression. This ba- 



