A POLLUTED WELL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2791, 4 March 1882, Page 2

A POLLUTED WELL.

A horrible discovery was made yesterday by the Borough Council employees while taking up the pump preparatory to closing the well at the Council Chambers. The upper fixings had been removed, and a man went down to free the pump below. He met with an overpowering stench as he descended, and had to return to the surface before reaching the water. He then put on a respirator, and descending again, found the carcase of a large dog floating on the water in a very advanced stage of decomposition. The effluvium from the remains was so powerful that the man himself could scarcely be approached when he returned to the surfase on account of the smell absorbed and given out again by his clothing. The carcase is described as that of a very large dog, with two or more turns of rope around it. It is believed that the animal was wilfully thrown down the well, as it could scarcely by any possibility have fallen down, the mouth of the well being nearly closed over, only a small hole being open, in addition to which the entrance to the well (which is under the Town Clerk’s office) is guarded by doors, always kept shut, though, not locked. Disinfectants were obtained and thrown down to purify the air below, and the carcase will be got out as soon as possible. The size of the carcase suggests that it is that of a mastiff belonging to a resident which has been advertised as lost since the middle of January. It is fortunate that the completion of the water supply led to the closing of the well even so late as it did, for a nnmber of families have been using the water, and though ho injury may have yet arisen, continued use of the water must have resulted in an outbreak of fatal disease. If any person or persons did throw the animal into the well he or they deserve the severest punishment that the law has provided for wilful poisoning of water supplies.