Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1861-09-13
XRTEsIAN WELLS IN ILLINOIS.


on which the people of that section of the
country are forced to depend for. a supply
of water 1.-The most frequent objection
of casual visitors to Illinois is the appar.
ent want of wood and water. These are Of
course essential to the successful culture
of any country, for without them, how
ever rich and inviting the soil and climate
may be, dense population, possessing all
the elements of modern civilization, can
not exist in any country. The first Of
these objections is removed by our rail
ways, which cross the state in all direc-
tions, distributing the coal from our ex-
haustless mines for fuel and lumber from
Chicago and other sources cheaply and
rapidly, for building purposes. AS to
the other element, water in some sections
of the state it is still not so abundant or
so good as is desirable. If other sources
fail, carefully built cistern, with filter
and in the summer the addition of ice
will supply family with the very best
of water. During this visit we have found
the southern portion of Iroquois county is
most abundantly supplied with excellent
water from artesian wells.
ut is obtained at depth of from forty
to hundred feet, and in most places flows
from the stop of the pipe in beautiful
stream. There are now as we learn, more
than hundred in the county, and they
prove of inestimable value. At this place
a steam mill is furnished with abundant
supplies from Ole of those wells, and
enough runs over to fill small pond on
the east side of the railway, at which the
cattle from a considerable distance around
gather to quench their thirst From the
taste VIC should suppose the water is some.
what tinctured with iron and sulphur;
but the people soon become accustomed to
it, and prefer it to any other. Thus far,
also, it has proved very healthy, and per-
sons drinking it even immoderately expe-
rience no i'll effects from it. This we
have personally tested, for being out on
the prairie exercising severely during the
excessive heat Of yesterday and to day,
we have INDUCED most freely and
felt refreshed at every draught. Cattle
once drinking it will travel miles to get
it in preference to any other water
Some of these wells are so arranged
as to be objects of surprising beauty.
One of them on farm about six miles
southeast of this place, boiling up from a
four inch tube some three feet above the
ground, falls over on all sides in pure,
sparkling sheet, and in the bright sun
light, as we saw it this afternoon, formed
one of the most beautiful objects we ever
saw, Another, on the farm of A. Z.
Blakesley, Esq, nine miles from Oharga
has no taste of the sulphur and iron, and
seems as pure and sweet as the best spring
water. 1t flows through four inch pipe,
and would fill tube three inches in d.
ametcr. AS the temperature of the water,
from the wells is about that of spring
water it is usually led into long, tight
box, in which milk and butter pans and
crooks are placed in summer, answering
the purpose of an eastern milk house.
In winter it keeps the milk from freezing,
and in thousand ways this abundant
supply Of good water is perfectly invalua-
Bile to the citizens of Iroquois county.
On the farm of DR.. I. L. Hewins, whose
courteous hospitality our party enjoyed
last evening, there is an immense spring,
which is thought to be fed from the same
source that supplies these artesian wells.
Since their discovery this county has been
improving very rapidly. The soil is
very rich, and in all respects twill soon
become one of the most wealthy and popu-
GUS counties in the State. For stock
raising and general farming purposes it
can scarcely be excclled any where in the
West.
"In boring for the water the auger be-
fore reaching 1t passes through strata of
blue clay almost as hard as q rock.
This layer of clay keeps the water,
down, and it is very interesting geologi-
cal question where the source Of these
wells is TO be found. 1t must be looked
or in some section of our own or adjoining
States where the land is higher than in
Iroquois county, and where this strata Of
clay comes to the surface, =