Memorial Fountain
Memorial Fountain
As predicted in THE FLAG several weeks since, that "Charlie Wright was after water and was going to have it", and Marye & Wright were men who know no such word as 'fail'. Having started to do a thing, they did it, and it has come to pass that the Queen City of the Delta has water, and to spare. We feel like throwing up our chapeau and shouting eureka! Good luck has come to Greenwood-she is on the upgrade, and don't you forget it.
About noon, Wednesday, May 27, 1896, it was discovered that the artesian well being sunk at the ice factory by Marye & Wright, was, of its own accord, throwing out a good, solid stream of water, pure, wholesome, and sweet as the dew drops on the May flowers. (Excuse a little exuberance, we feel like it.)
The well is about 420 feet deep, 220 feet is 5-inch pipe, inside of it is a 3-inch pipe, the whole distance-420 feet. The water is flowing, as estimated by Mr. Wright, at the rate of a barrel a minute.
The well belongs to Messrs. Marye & Wright, as per agreement with the city fathers they were to sink the well, the city furnishing the pipe, and they would sink another for the city, upon the same terms. Let us have one-two or three if necessary-and have good water all over the town, and protection against the fire. Get away boys! We want to holler.
From The Delta Flag, May 29, 1896
There is soon to be erected a Memorial Drinking Fountain at a central spot on the Greenwood Public School grounds. This fountain is to be in the form of a huge boulder of Georgia Granite, and is the gift to Greenwood of a number of most liberal and public spirited citizens in the name of the Chakchiuma Chapter of the D. A. R. of this city and will commemorate the discovery of artesian water in the Mississippi Delta by Chas. E. Wright.
From the Greenwood Enterprise, October 22, 1915
An event of unusual interest will take place next Thursday in the city when the handsome drinking fountain presented to the City of Greenwood by the Chakchiuma Chapter, D. A. R., in commemoration of and to perpetuate a date that marks the beginning of the wonderful development of the whole of the Delta-the discovery of artesian water-will be unveiled and dedicated.
This splendid and picturesque fountain is made of a solid block of Georgia granite and weighing forty tons and is placed in the playgrounds of the public schools for the use of the school children of Greenwood. It was purchased from Mr. W. A. Stinson, the Greenwood "marble" man. It is a matter of history, but of sufficient recent date for many of our readers to recall that the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta was more wilderness than people, it was considered-as indeed the name "Yazoo" implies- "death", to undertake to "live" in the Delta.
One of the many contributing causes of this very unhealthful condition was the absence of pure drinking water, the water obtained from the surface wells was contaminated and but little better than if taken from stagnant pools-as a matter of fact, it was largely seepage from these pools.
It was generally thought that artesian water could not be obtained in the Delta, in fact, Commodore Maury, a man of great learning and repute, in his physical geography of the United States, published that artesian water could not be obtained west of the Tombigbee River and east of the foothills of the Ozark mountains in Arkansas, giving as one of the main reasons the interference of quicksand. However, it became necessary in the prosecution of his business- the manufacturing of ice-for a citizen of Greenwood to have pure water and he started after it, with the expectation, not of securing flowing water, but hoping to find pure water by going deep enough, that could be obtained in sufficient quantities by pumping.
In the spring of 1895, Mr. Charles Edward Wright, possessed of more energy and progressiveness than anything else, proposed to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen of the town of Greenwood. At that time, Mr. E. L. Miller, now deceased, was Mayor and Messrs. F. R. Austin, now living in Virginia, R. H. Barrett, Albert Aron, A. F. Gardner and R. T. Jones constituted the Board of Aldermen-that if they would buy the pipe for the well, he would buy the well boring rig, put down the first well and if successful in obtaining a supply of good water, then put in a well for the town free of cost except for the piping. The first well was completed during the month of June, 1895, proving to be an artesian well of unusually pure water and flowed through a three inch pipe forty two feet above the ground, if encased in pipe reaching to that height.
When this pure water gushed forth from the reservoirs beneath the earth"s surface, the question of good water supply for the Yazoo-Mississippi Delta passed from the realm of uncertainty to that of realization and became at once a potent factor in the development of the "garden of plenty", marking the beginning of a new era, making for the health and happiness of its inhabitants.
The unveiling exercises will occur at the school grounds, under the supervision of the Chakchiuma Chapter D. A. R. The presentation speech will be by one of Mississippi's most gifted women, Mrs. Monroe McClurg. The Acceptance on behalf of the City will be by Mayor G. L. Ray, also one of Greenwoodŝs most eloquent orators.
The citizens of Greenwood and the ladies of the local D. A. R. Chapter will provide a luncheon for the entertainment of all visitors and everybody is most cordially invited.
The following is the inscription on the bronze tablet on the fountain:
"To commemorate the enterprise and initiative of
CHARLES EDWARD WRIGHT
Who, in May 1895, 901 feet East of this spot, sank the first overflowing well in the Mississippi Delta, and gave to its people the blessings of artesian water, this fountain is erected by
Chakchiuma Chapter, D. A. R. in November, 1915."
Program for the unveiling ceremonies of the
MEMORIAL DRINKING FOUNTAIN
Erected by
CHAKCHIUMA CHAPTER, D. A. R.
Lunch, on Court Square for all out of town visitors,served by members of Chakchiuma Chapter, D. A. R., 12:30 to 1:30.
Music by the Greenwood Band
Auto Parade, from Court Square through business section of City, out to School grounds, at 2:00 o'clock.
UNVEILING CEREMONIES
Star spangled Banner-Sung by pupils of both Grammer and High School, Accompanied by the Greenwood Band.
Invocation------------Dr. Joseph Rennie
UNVEILING OF FOUNTAIN
Presentation of Drinking Fountain by Chakchiuma Chapter, D. A. R., to the City of Greenwood------- Mrs. Monroe McClurg
Acceptance of the Fountain on behalf of the City-------Mayor G. L. Ray
Song-Bunker Hill---- School children, accompanied by Greenwood Band Oration-Artesian Water in the Delta-Hon. Alfred H. Stone
Music-America---------Greenwood Band
COMMITTEES
General Committee
Sam L. Gwin, Chairman, Dr. T. R. Henderson, W. T. Fountain, T. H. Baird, E. R. McShane, W. H. Hays, S. R. Keesler, Mrs. W. M. Hamner and Mrs. Monroe McClurg.
Committee on Music
Mr. Werlein and Miss Mabry
Lunch Committee
Mrs. P. L. DeLoach, Chairman, Mrs. S. R. Keesler. Mrs. S. H. Guess, Mrs. Gus Aron, Mrs. W. T. Fountain.
Auto Parade
S.R. Keesler, W. S. Vardaman, W. M. Peteet, C. L. Bonner
Arrangement Committee
G. P. Elliott, C. E. Saunders, W. A. Stinson, W. J. Sandford and faculty of both schools.
Decoration Committee
Mrs. Mae Greene, Chairman, S. R. Keesler, Baines Austin and W. R. Chandler.
Invitation Committee
Mrs. W. M. Hamner, Regent, Chakchiuma Chapter, D. A. R. Mr. E. R. McShane, President, Greenwood Business League. Hon. G. L. Ray, Mayor of the City of Greenwood.
Master of Ceremonies:
Hon. W. M. Hamner.
From the Greenwood Enterprise, May 12, 1916
The unveiling of the Memorial Drinking Fountain, erected by the Chakchiuma Chapter, D. A. R., in honor of Mr. C. E. Wright for his discovery of artesian water in the Delta, on last Thursday was quite a nice affair.
Hon. W. M. Hamner was the Master of Ceremonies and nothing further need be said along that line. Mrs. Monroe McClurg, with her usual charm and grace, presented the Fountain to the City of Greenwood on behalf of the Chakchiuma Chapter.
The acceptance on the part of the city was by Mayor G. L. Ray and Latham knows how to accept anything that is offered to the City. Looking after the City of Greenwood is his special business.
Hon. Alfred H. Stone of Dunleith, Mississippi, was the orator of the day. Mr. Stone told of how he was raised in the Delta before Mr. Wright made his wonderful discovery and that his earliest recollections were of malaria, calomel, quinine and swamps.
He paid a deserved tribute to Mr. Wright for his enterprise in going after water despite all the geologists said against it and related many interesting things about the early history of the Delta. He said that screens and artesian water were the two things that made the Delta habitable.
From the Greenwood Enterprise, May 26, 1916