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and Buccleuch Street, were provided with pumps ; but the main 

 parts of the town where the houses are crowded together, and 

 where the mass of the population resided, were ahnost wanting- in 

 this respect, and such wells as did exist, considering their sur- 

 roundings, could scarcely be free from impurities. 



There were three public pumps between Queensberry Square 

 and Assembly Street. One of them stood at the Pish Cross, 

 a little below the Midsteeple, and the well still exists under the 

 pavement. The Town Council minutes relating to it give the im- 

 pression that much inconvenience must have been experienced on 

 account of the scarcity of water in the centre of the town. 

 The well, as the minutes show, was built in the year 1719. On 

 10th August instructions were given that workmen be employed 

 to dig any three or more places upon the streets where it is 

 thought proper draw wells may be built. A few months later, 

 10th November, it is minuted that the Magistrates and Council, 

 considering that the inhabitants do much injury to the draw well 

 now made a little below the new Council-house by drawing water 

 furth thereof too early in the morning and too late at night, do 

 restrict the time during which water may be drawn to the part of 

 the day between the hours of seven in the morning and four in 

 the afternoon. Other regulations followed, such as that none 

 ■^Iiould draw continuously to the injury of their neighbours ; that 

 none should wash anything to spoil the water ; and as if pressing 

 need sometimes resulted in breaking the well open, it is ordained 

 that no' one injure the lock or chain. In the year 1738 it was 

 ordered that a leaden pump be fitted to the well. Finally, before 

 1840, all the three public pump wells had been closed, for what 

 reason is not stated. 



Notwithstanding the attempts to find water by sinking- wells 

 in the streets and elsewhere, the river continued to be the source 

 of supply for all but very limited sections of the town. The 

 method of distributing the water, an important feature of the old 

 system, was carried on mainly by water-drawers or burn-drawers, 

 as they are designated in the Council's minutes, who perambulated 

 the streets with water-carts, calling " Water ! water !" and supplying 

 those of the inhabitants who responded to the call, the price for 

 two cans of water being one-halfpenny. Notwithstanding- the 

 distance of the river, much water was also conveyed by hand, and 

 a necessary part of the stock of utensils in every house consisted 



