New-York tribune., 1873-12-15

ITS RIVERS FULL EVEN IN DRY SEAS0NS-THEIR Pc
CULIAR USEFULNESS FOR MANUFACTURING PUR-
POSES.
To the Editor or TIE Tribune.
SIR: More and steadier water power is
quietly running waste in Kansas than In any other
State in this Union. We're this be said of Idaho or
Montana 1t would meet with prompt and unhestatng
credence; but that strong and unfang streams should
be found in Kansas where there are neither mountains
extensive forests, where there heavy
and where all the rivers have their sources either
on the Great Plains on our undulatlng prares, is
really remarkable. The annual rainfall of Kansas is
fully up to the average of the Atlantic States. During
the Spring and early Summer months We have what
be called rainy The latter part OF Summer,
Autumn and Winter are usually dry. Our larger
streams, such the Kansa5, the Neosho the Repub-
ca the Solomon the Blue aud many other considerable
streams flow In deep channels through vast deposits Of
sandy slluvium often several miles wide. SO deep
these channels that these streams rarely overow their
banks During the rainy season these deposits are
charged with all the water they can absorb. They are
reservoirs of immeasurabe capacity which are slowly
and steadily discharged by percolaon, as the streams
sink lower and lower in their channels and thus main.
@ a @ 9w aSsts M 'oe o s yss
During the present oyear the people OF Lawrence
in the midst OF their city, 1t is mainly composed OF
stone WORK. with fumes OF 80 feet and 60 feet
one on the north, the other on the south shore
through which the water carried canals
running down the banks OF the river The work IL
y completed The water s lifted some eight feet by the
dam and there is fall rapid below the dam OF about
foot The power thus created e estimated at
the dam was about 10000. When l stood upon that
heavy masonry the middle OF the river, and saw
the strong volume O water rushing through the yet nm
closed portion and this after three or four almost rain
less months feeling was one OF asonishment In no
State OF Massachusetts, have seen like IT,
What has been done at Lawrence be done ut many
other points the river and still easier on smaller
streams, such the Neosho, the Blue, the Republican,
the Solomon, the Grasshopper and Others AZ Junction
City, OF less than mile will throw the water OF
River, considerable distance above their confluence
dam OF moderate elevation will give, with the natural
fall head OF about twenty feet aud probably rs much
power that az Lawrence. The Republican comes
down from the northwest, and has an average natural
fall Of less than ten feet per mile, that the water
Of the long drouth of the present year It had o
water sufficient to drive the lheaviest works Tic SOLO
mon, some forty miles further west Is similar 70 tue M
publican, but smaller. Tie Big Blue. when uhtes WIN
Nebraska, through magnificent country Is perhaps
our best water power stream have seen less wate, IN
the Schuylk above Philadelphia than nc Due nau AT
Its lowest depression this year ana hs hc n DO
come the Merrimsc OF Kansas. AZ Blue Rapids
ana Watervle there are already hve mourning mills
and WOODEN factory, all doing we'll paper mil Is IN
progress Near Manhattan there Ia very substantial
dam and large Touring mil. Whon WIS 'nere, near
was wer enough TO operate dozen such mills. 10
pouring the dam In an unDroken cascade moro than
10O long In tho spray OF which we little
bows. The Grasshoppor In much smaller stream hut
In Its measure It the same character Of per
manence, and the same Is true Of numerous other
streams which need not particuarize.
Owing 10 the sandy and loalay nature OF the hanks