It sounds much like a septic tank and leach field
system.

We had a setup very similar to what you are describing
with the house my parents had in Connecticut.

David Legare


--- Janet Jordan <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I'm forwarding this request for information from
> Chris Murphy, Augusta 
> State University. Any thoughts would  e most
> appreciated.
> 
> Can anyone suggest a probable function for the
> feature described below 
> or references related to water purification in the
> late 19th or early 
> 20th century?  We have a feature which consists of
> three pairs of 
> (roughly) 4.5 foot square brick “wells” (each
> about 3-3.5’ deep) 
> arranged side by side in such a manner that the
> first pair is on a 
> slope slightly elevated above the second pair which
> is above the third 
> pair.  The total length from end to end is
> approximately 16.5 feet and 
> a width of roughly 11.5 feet.  (We take metric
> measurements, but it is 
> most unlikely that this feature was constructed
> using metric 
> dimensions.)  The upper two pairs of these
> “wells” have iron drain 
> pipes that would carry a fluid (water?) to the next
> pair of down slope 
> “wells”.  We have yet to see any drain in the
> bottommost pair.  The 
> “wells” have cement floors and preliminary
> excavations in the “wells” 
> show that they have pea gravel and larger rocks
> resting on these 
> floors.  
> 	This feature may have been part of a WW I training
> encampment (Camp 
> Hancock) located here in the Augusta, GA area, but
> we are not certain 
> that it was part of that installation because
> although the property 
> line must have been close, we have not been able to
> determine if this 
> structure was within or outside of the military
> cantonment area.  While 
> the evidence so far points to this structure being
> related to water 
> purification, it would seem to be far too small to
> serve any sizable 
> military contingent.  Camp Hancock apparently had up
> to 36,000 soldiers 
> during parts of the 1917-18 time frames.  
> 
> 	Any thoughts or suggestions based on this
> information will be welcome.
> 
> Janet Jordan
> Lab Supervisor
> Archaeology Laboratory
> Augusta State University
> Augusta, Georgia
> 


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