In a message dated 9/19/01 2:18:19 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< elow the lowest course of brick,
 we found a wooden ring. As I understand it, several courses of brick are
 laid on the ring at the ground surface, then it is undermined from the
 inside and slips downward. The process is repeated until the desired depth
 is reached. The technique is certainly known, but it was exciting to find
 physical evidence >>

There were books published for homesteaders in the 19th century, which
described and illustrated this very method of cutting a wooden mold ring and
stacking brick as undermining sunk the construction and bricks were added. at
some point, mortar was added to bond the construction. I had not heard of
anyone finding the wood ring, but it stands to reason none of them would have
been removed once the well achieved the water table. I examined one such book
at the Harvey Homestead at Mesa Grande, California in a house built in 1890.

Ron May
Legacy 106, Inc.