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Henry County Genealogical Services
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This little village in the extreme northern part of the county on the Ft. W., C. & L. railroad, and, as the name indicates, is possessed of a bountiful supply of splendid water furnished by beautiful flowing springs. The location is picturesque. The town lies along the side and at the foot of a great gravely hill, on the west side of Buck creek, overlooking a long stretch of level valley through which winds the placid waters of the little creek, fed by the many springs that issue from along the hill-side. These springs are not limited to any certain location, but spring up promiscuously and flow spontaneously from everywhere, and the town has certainly been most appropriately named.
Nature has certainly been most generous in her glorious gifts in this locality, and if the natural advantages it possesses were properly recognized it would insure for the place more than a local reputation. Not only has it the advantage of a large number of these flowing fountain, but the water is quite as varied in character. In one place, within a distance of a few rods, there are six different kinds of water flowing from as many springs, and each producing an excellent quality, as pure and cold and clear as nature can make it, much of it being possessed of valuable medical properties. Not satisfied with these generous products of nature, the ambitious citizens have laid their hands upon these mighty forces and subjugated them to their will. They have tapped the mother earth and drawn upon her storehouse and she has yielded up her wealth and laid it in the very hand that stabbed her. Some two weeks ago E. H. Nash, living in the south part of town, just east of the railroad, started to bore a well with a two-inch auger, intending when he struck water to put down a pipe and attach a pump the modus operandi caused considerable comment and subjected the projector to some ridicule. But since then matters have changed and the success of his operations have won for him the confidence and admiration of the entire community and his actions are being emulated by others who are envious of his good fortune. At a depth of forty feet he found a good vein of water. A perforated pipe was inserted in the hole and driven down about a foot below the depth reached by the auger. A pump was then attached and the water brought up. But imagine the surprise when he stopped pumping and the water continued to flow and is still flowing at the rate of six gallons minute. The water will rise to a distance of twelve feet above the surface and flows with a good strong force. Thus, unexpectedly was developed the first artesian well at Springport at a depth of forty-one feet. Since then Dr. Benedict has been engaged in sinking a well; several other parties will soon follow suit and artesian wells will doubtless soon be as plentiful as springs in the past. The water in the flowing well has not been analyzed, but is very similar in taste to that found at New Castle, probably possessing greater quantities of sulphur. The railroad companies, recognizing the superior advantages offered by the natural supply of water at this point, endeavored recently to purchase a large tract of land adjoining the town with a view to converting part of it into a lake, supplying it with water from the springs, putting up a hotel and a bath houses and making of it a summer resort. But the property owners preferred to retain their possessions and the scheme was a failure. The location is a very desirable one for a town, situated as it is in the very center of one of the finest agricultural districts of eastern Indiana, the wonderful water supply of Springport may yet win for it a first place among the many good towns in one of the best counties of the State. |
