General News: Homeowner Finds Hidden Well
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| The truck created this crack in the asphalt. |
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| Once the asphalt was removed, you could see down into the stone-lined well. |
December 15, 2009
History lurks below the surface – that’s what Cornwall-on-Hudson resident Mikey Jackson discovered on his Duncan Avenue property several days ago. Jackson, who purchased his 1870 home in 2007, said his adventure in history began after he hired a company with a large bucket truck to remove a tree from his yard. As the truck was backing up in the driveway, one of its wheels fell into a depression in the asphalt.
Trouble was, no hole had been there before and, as Jackson and others explored the large crack, they saw a bigger hole beneath it. Jackson says he called the village of Cornwall-on-Hudson building department, and two officials came over immediately to see what was underground.
What they found was a hand-dug, stone-lined well that they estimated could be 30-feet deep. Wells of that type were common in the 19th-century but they can be a safety hazard today. Jackson noted that his small car could have fallen into the hole and created a lot more of a headache for him.
With officials from the Department of Public Works and the village water department on the scene, a truck-full of rocks was brought to Jackson’s property and the old well was filled in.
Comments:
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That's a little scary. Like a hundred year old booby trap.
posted by J Klein on 12/15/09 at 2:25 PM
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Should have saved the well and been independent of your water bill ;)
posted by j h on 12/15/09 at 5:38 PM
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