Page 322 - Reading Mercury

offers a clear inducement for investment, as water companies generally afford a good
return for capital investment.

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Sat 15 May
VOLUNTEER FIRE BRIGADE
The Volunteer Fire Brigade under the command of Mr. J. Briginshaw, the captain,
underwent a very useful drill in the Market place on Wednesday evening. The new
fire-escape was placed against a high window and the members of the brigade went
through a course of instruction (practically illustrated) of the means to be employed in
the rescue-immediate treatment of insensible persons found on burning premises.

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Sat 5 June
THE WOKINGHAM WATER SUPPLY
The Times gives the following description of the deep well now being sunk for
supplying the district with water. In the year 1878 an Act of Parliament was obtained,
incorporating a company for the purpose of supplying this district and the
neighbourhood with spring water. Acting on the report of Mr. J.W. Grover, the
engineer, which showed that the chalk might probably be reached at a depth of about
350 ft., and that water would probably be struck at about 400 ft., the company
proceeded about 12 months ago to commence their well, and the results of their
operations has been to confirm these anticipations in a very remarkable way, for the
chalk has been reached at 345 ft. depth, and a very fine chalk spring has been struck at
405 feet. This satisfactory result was obtained last week, when after passing through
about 60 ft. of chalk which was comparatively dry, the water suddenly burst up with
great violence through the bore pipe, filling the well shaft to within 30 ft. of the
surface, and yielding some 360,000 gallons a day at a depth of 70 ft. from the top.
The water is very pure and clear, as is generally the case with that derived from
chalk; but attempts which have hitherto been made in this district to obtain water from
the chalk have not generally proved very successful, so that the discovery of such a
fine copious spring is a subject for congratulation, as it will enable a large range of
country to be provided with one of the first necessities of life. The well consists of a
brick shaft 200 ft. deep and 6 ft. diameter, at the bottom of which comes the artesian
boring down to the chalk. The formations passed through are the London clays and
the reading sands. The water in the chalk is supposed to be derived from the chalk
hills to the north of Twyford. It will now be pumped by suitable machinery to a high-
level reservoir, situated half way between Wokingham and Bracknell, whence it will
be conveyed by pipes to the consumers, who are estimated to amount to over 13,000
persons, occupying some 2,364 houses, and to whom it is proposed to give a constant
service. The contractors for the works are Messrs. T.M. Quelch & Co.
A number of curious fossils were discovered in the sinking, the most important of
which was the Nautilus Imperialis which showed that this district once formed the bed
of tropical seas.

CRICKET
The Guildford and Wokingham Cricket Clubs met for their first contest on
Wednesday on the ground of the latter club. The match terminated in a victory for the
Wokingham club by 14 runs in the first innings. The scores were:- Wokingham, first
innings, 43, and second innings (with 4 wickets down), 48. Guildford, first innings,
29, and, second innings, 119. For the former club H. Baldwin was the only contributor
of double figures, making 18 runs. Neither of the Guildford club scored double

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