1858. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



325 



For the New England Farmer. 

 PIPES FOR CONDUCTINQ WATER. 



Mr. Editor : — I cheerfully answer the inquiry 

 of Mr. CONSTANTINE, in your paper of the 15th 

 inst., in regard to the "best kind of pipe for 

 bringing water," by stating my own experience. 



Nearly forty years ago, in connection with a 

 neighbor, I constructed an aqueduct of drawn 

 lead pipe of three-fourth inch calibre, to supply 

 ourselves with spring water. The fountain was 

 on my own land, and not over forty rods distant 

 from our houses. We used it at our houses and 

 barns. This was the first drawn lead aqueduct 

 used in this town or vicinity, so far as I know ; 

 but a sheet lead pipe soldered together, was con- 

 structed by a mechanic a year or two previous, 

 but it was of short duration. Our aqueduct last- 

 ed some fifteen years, when it failed by corrosion, 

 and was replaced by new pipe. The last pipe is, 

 so far as I know, still in use, and I attribute its 

 preservation from corrosion to the precaution 

 taken to cover it, say a foot deep, with clay. 



My next was about thirty years ago, in con- 

 structing a pipe of two inch calibre, on a new lo- 

 cality to supply some twenty or twenty-five cus- 

 tomers. This pipe was made very heavy, as it 

 was particularly desirable, for special reasons, 

 that it should not often need repairs. I was 

 much surprised, however, to find in the course of 

 three or four years, that this new lead aqueduct 

 began to need repairs, and after being at consid- 

 erable trouble with it, for a time, I was led to 

 make a thorough examination, when I found 

 nearly every rod of my pipe more or less corroded, 

 and I was obliged to substitute some other mate- 

 rial. I decided upon wood, and this last is in 

 good order now, after having been in the ground 

 for twenty years. I would state that the ground 

 through which this pipe ran, is, or was, a wet 

 meadow — but has been materially modified by 

 draining and filling — and I would remark that 

 my first aqueduct ran for a considerable distance 

 through similar ground, and in that part it was 

 that the corrosion took place, while that part 

 wliich ran through a sandy soil was not affected. 



My third enterprise in the aqueduct line, was 

 on a more extended scale, and in giving an ac- 

 count of my experience, I may possibly be more 

 minute than would be desirable. But it being 

 probably the most extended individual enterprise 

 of the kind in New England, and one in which I 

 took especial pains to introduce all the conveni- 

 ences that I could find far and near ; and it being 

 an enterprise which has been crowned with com- 

 plete success as to its indispensable utility to a 

 large population, its permanency, and its value 

 as an investment, an account of it may perhaps 

 be worth the space it will occupy. 



The town of Springfield, where I have lived 

 for near half a century, had always been poorly 

 supplied with water. There were a few poorly 

 constructed private aqueducts, but the popula- 

 tion depended mainly upon wells, which afforded 

 indiff'erent water for drinking, and almost im- 

 practicable for wacshing. I sought what I deemed 

 a good source for water, gushing from the bowels 

 of the sandy plain above us, and of the purest 

 and softest quality, and I secured by purchase the 

 spring and the right of way to a public road at 

 once, and at a very moderate charge. I then invited 



attention of several prominent citizens to the sub- 

 ject, who I knew had quite as much personal in- 

 terest in the introduction into our village of pure 

 water, as myself, and a good deal more money to 

 spare to invest in it, but no one seemed to have 

 confidence in its success, and each declined join- 

 ing in the undertaking. Many promised to be 

 customers, if the water was brought to them, and 

 the Western Railroad station being scantily sup- 

 plied, Hon. Edmund Dwight, then President of 

 the corporation, offered to make a contract for 

 ten years, at a very moderate charge. After re- 

 flecting on the question of engaging single-hand- 

 ed in such an enterprise, I determined to go on ; 

 my reasoning was, that if it proved useful, and 

 not extravagantly expensive, the citizens would 

 not allow me to suffer. This was in the spring 

 of 1843. 



Being in the timber business, and having on 

 hand a considerable amount of timber suitable 

 for pipes, and conveniences for manufacturing, I 

 procured a set of tools for manufacturing, of dif- 

 ferent calibre, and employed an experienced man 

 to bore and fit them. While the work was going 

 on, I visited various places where aqueducts 

 were established, to acquire information as to 

 various matters of convenience and expediency. 

 Among other places, I visited Syracuse, in the 

 State of New York, where I learned that a com- 

 pany was introducing water into that city, much 

 on the plan that I was pursuing. I learned, also, 

 that the State of New York had used wooden 

 pipes to conduct their salt water from their sa- 

 line wells to the various points where it was used 

 for the manufacture of salt. These works had 

 been in use many yeais, and I presumed that 

 long experience had suggested improvements in 

 the manufacture and laying of the pipes, not gen- 

 erally known. Nor was I mistaken ; and my 

 journey there was important in its results. I 

 found, at Syracuse, augers for boring, and tools 

 for fitting the logs together, so perfect, that I 

 bought a set at considerable expense, and laid 

 my own aside. I also learned the mode of char- 

 ring the insides of the pipes, a most important 

 operation, as it has the eflect to prevent the wa- 

 ter passing through, from being affected with the 

 tasteof the timber. This opei'ation is exceedingly 

 simple, like many other valuable improvements 

 and inventions. 



I also visited your good city of Boston. You 

 will see by the date that it was some years before 

 your magnificent Cochituate was commenced, but 

 having been a Boston boy myself, forty years be- 

 fore, I remembered the Jamaica Pond aqueduct, 

 and that it was constructed with logs. At Bos- 

 ton I found several conveniences, not in use else- 

 where. But the great idea — and worth more 

 than all the rest — that I received there, was to 

 lay my logs deep. For this idea I was indebted 

 to Thomas A. Dexter, Esq., who was principal di- 

 rector of the old Boston Water Works. 



He remarked to me, that wood Mas a very 

 good material for conducting water, and if laid 

 deep enough, it would out-last iron. He repeat- 

 ed with emphasis, deep enough, to impress the 

 importance of it on my mind, and I have taken 

 pleasure in calling on him at his office repeated- 

 ly, to speak of my success, and to thank him for 

 his most valuable suggestion. I have lived to 

 become convinced that Mr. Dexter's opinion, 



