The First Military Reclamation Well

　　         Introduction          In order to realize the vision of developing the new city of Shihezi, in August 1950, the Production and Construction Corps established a survey team of over 30 members from the 22nd Corps. The team was composed of engineering technicians and soldiers, and in late August, they headed to Shihezi to begin sampling and surveying. The team members were divided into three groups: two well-drilling teams worked simultaneously at different locations, and one logistics team was responsible for the daily life of all survey members. Amid the vast barren land covered with pebbles, the team had only simple iron tools, and with these, they began the arduous task of drilling wells.

　　      They first selected two drilling points, No. 1 and No. 2, along the northeast and southwest diagonal lines of Shihezi, then discussed how to dig the wells. Eventually, they decided to build their own “excavator.” They bought six discarded telegraph poles from the post office in Suilai County (now Manas County), custom-made two elm wood pulley hooks, cut elm branches to weave baskets, purchased two thick ropes, and divided these materials into two parts to install at the No. 1 and No. 2 drilling sites. Three telegraph poles formed a large triangular frame, under which hung a pulley attached to a well rope about 20 meters long. One end of the rope had a hook holding a soil basket, while wooden planks were laid at the wellhead. This makeshift “excavator” was soon put to work. Within just ten days, water was struck at Well No. 1.

　　      Today, visitors can still see this well—the First Military Reclamation Well—while strolling along the wooded path southeast of the recreational plaza, about 200 meters south of the Shihezi Science and Technology Museum. The well has a diameter of about 3 meters and a depth of 18–20 meters, with groundwater flowing from the southeast to the northwest. Since the purpose of digging this well was solely to detect whether there was underground water in Shihezi, it was never utilized or reinforced and was soon filled in with earth. In 1992, the People’s Government of Shihezi City decided to restore and protect it as a cultural heritage site.

　　       Shihezi, Xinjiang