CORRESPONDENCE. - KATHERINE ALICE SPRINGS ROAD. (TO THE EDITOR.) - Northern Territory Times and Gazette (Darwin, NT : 1873 - 1927) - 7 Apr 1899 (original) (raw)

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Fri 7 Apr 1899 - Northern Territory Times and Gazette (Darwin, NT : 1873 - 1927)
Page 3 - CORRESPONDENCE.

We are always glad to receive com-

munications from- correspondents,

but do not hold ourselves responsible

for opinions expressed under

Having been travelling on the over-

land telegraph line, between Katherine and

Alice Springs, for the last six years, I think

it is<nearly times the public were made acquainted

with the state of the road during

be dry season. For instance, after leaving

North Newcastle there is a 44 mile' dry

stage. Between there and No. 2 well certainly

there is a well, but it is nearly useless

to anyone with more than 12 horses

As I came there' with 15 I could not give

them a drink ; luckily I watered them- 3

miles this side of Daly Waters or it would

have had' to do the 141 miles without a

drink-;. Now, Sir, it seems strange that' between

Attack Creek and Alice Springs there

are 11 wells, and. I believe that they are

kept in repair by. the Telegraph Department.

From Attack Creek North there are

three wells, one at Powell's Creek and two

between Daly Waters and the Elsey Station,

viz., No. 3 and No. 2. At present No. 3

well has fallen instinct that it matters much

as it is very little good at any time. Last

year two travellers came to it and could not

get a drink at all, on account of dead ani-

mals being in the water. Not long before

that the-line party teams- came to No. 2

well and found windlass, buckets, and

chain at the bottom. Had' this occurred to

a man by himself things would' have been

very awkward as he could not possibly have

got any water. Now, Sir, I consider the

best and cheapest way to give permanent

water is to deepen No. 3 well and put in

drives so as to give storage room for water,

and also case it with iron casing in place of

timber, and to have the fittings irons Their

25 miles South of No. 3 well towards Daly

Waters sink another well and treat it in the

same manner. If any steps are taken in

the matter they should be taken at once,,

before the surface water dries up: