Uncle Willie’s property was at the far west end of San Antonio Street and now is a subdivision of homes. He had a wooden water tank, that perhaps might still there but probably not. It was rather large, made of cypress and served Willie and Mattie for many years.
Willie had bought the tank from the City of Boerne. It was originally located next to a well on the extreme western portion of the Plaza in downtown Boerne. Willie also acquired the six inch brass cylinder and several joints of 2½ or 3 inch galvanized pipe that were part of that city well.
The tank and well had been installed by the City to supply water for the use of the people of Boerne and for travelers who might stop to camp on the Plaza. This was in the days before city water ran from house to house and was especially for use by the citizens that could not afford their own well.
Cypress tanks were unique in the fact that when they would spring a leak and a wooden shingle would be driven into the crack or hole where the leak was located it would not immediately stop up the leak. But wait a day or two and no more leak.
Even more interesting, but common for this tank, was that it would spring a leak two or three days before a rain, and then quit leaking the very day that the rain occurred. I saw this happen on numerous occasions. Seemed like HOCUS-POCUS!
John Eddie Vogt’s Uncle Willie appears again this issue in Uncle Willie and Zodiac Farming from last month’s issue. For more Musings of JEV, read Musings of JEV: Earl Wellborn and Musings of JEV: Sheep Dip.
