564 HISTORY OF PASADENA. 



the Arroyo Seco, but go to increase by so much the flowage in Mill canyon, 

 Wilson canyon, Mission canyon. San Marino canyon, or the Craig Avenue 

 swale which extends from toot of Craig Avenue down between the old Win- 

 ston and Foord farms to the cienega or bog at county road angle, where Foord's, 

 artesian well flows apace, and from which bog Foord's creek arises. And water 

 used south of Villa or Walnut streets, and west of Marengo Avenue 

 go to increase the flowage in the Raymond Improvement Co.'s tun- 

 nel at Foothill street, and the flowage in Raymond creek. But this 

 creek supply is now heavily tapped by the great well 8x12, and twenty- 

 five feet deep, in the Electric R. R. car house : and also by the Santa 

 Fe R. R. well 8x8, and sixteen feet deep at Raymond station. 



In Pasadena's colony days much discussion was had and much experi- 

 menting done in regard to a water supply for each household by digging a 

 well on their own premises. During the winter of 1884-85, I made a careful 

 research on this line and prepared a report which was printed in the Valley 

 Union of March 20, 1885. This report was the first collection of data ever 

 made here on the well-water problem, and led to my conclusions about Pasa- 

 dena being built over subterranean lakes of verA' ancient geological contour. 

 It is a matter of historic interest pertaining to the time before we were a city, 

 and hence I quote the Union\< article. 



THE WELLS OF PASADENA. 



Dr. Reid, while gathering up insurance business, has also gathered 

 some statistics of the wells in Pasadena, which will be of curious interest as 

 well as practical value to man\- of our readers. The list of locations, depth 

 of digging and amount of water in these wells will throw much light on the | 

 problem of our permanent water resources, as well as on the geological char- 

 acter of this portion of the San Gabriel valley. 



On the Pasadena Highlands, at the head of Lake Avenue, Mr. Mel- 

 A-ille Wood has a well which he dug in August, 18S2. only thirty feet deep, 

 and the water stands in it steadily eight feet deep. This place is next east 

 from Fred Woodbury's place. Mr. Wood has also an experimental well 

 which he dug in December, i88i, on the lowest or southeast corner of his 

 place, which is only thirteen feet deep, and has one foot of water. In the 

 same vicinity, and a httle farther eastward. Mr. Hodgkins has a well thirty- | 

 five feet deep. And on the Dr. Ellis place there is one twenty -five feet in 

 depth. But on the Swartwout place, farther .south, and probably more than 

 100 feet lower down, a well was dug to the depth of 1 25 feet without getting 

 water, and was abandoned and filled up ; though later digging on other 

 farms show that a good supply of water would probably have been obtained 

 if the digging had been continued far enough. 



[Note. — Some time prior to 1880, Mr. H. G. Monks dug a well a few 

 rods north of Monks' Hill to a depth of 133 feet, and qbtained water. 

 When Painter & Ball, in 1881, bought from Mr. Monks his 2,000 acres of 

 land, they dug this well two feet deeper, and water stood in it usually about 

 twelve feet deep : but in 1885 it went dry. Mr. Monks had also run a tun- 



