Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-17
THE CLEAR WATER QUESTION.
Az Examination of the galked-of Artesian
Wells near the City.


RECORD UNION went out TO examine the
sanborn wells. concerning which all sorts Of
rumors and street talk prevailed. They are
on the lands of e. Sanborn. one mile beyond
Thirty first street, and just below the old beet
sugar works. The wells are sunk in the bee
of Burns slough. The head OF that slough
is on Sanborn's place. One can walk around
the head Of it III few strides, within 10 rods
of the wells. The levels run show the wells
TO be several feet above the level of Eleventh
street-fve or six at the least. All the wells
are within a strip of land 20 feet wide and
250 feet long. No. l is 20 feet deep and II
inches wide. The water flows from it a cool
gushing stream three feet above It's mouth.
ter for 60 feet, and - for the lower so feet.
The water spouts out four feet above the
mouth of the well. No. 3 is 60 feetdeep and a
inches in diameter, but the well is closed now,
as the flow was so great it kept the waters of
Buns slough too high. No. is 60 feet deep
and Al inches In diameter, and the water is
now conducted into hydraulic ram, which
by its pressure forces the water twenty feet
up the bank of the slough. Two of the wells
were sunk ten months ago, and two eleven
months ago. They have st no time shown,
says Mr.. Sanborn, any diminutien, nor has
the hight of the river at any time affected
their flow. Hence, he reasons, that the sup
ply is independent of the river, and that he
has struck lower water vein. The water is
sweet to the taste, as clear as crystal, as soft
as river water, and from the surface of the
well gas bubbles constantly rise. The wells
were bored with common well augur. and
are not tused or cased, but are
simply holes in the sand. They
must now receive. therefore, some supply
of surface or sipage water, but if tubed this
would be shut off. Nevertheless not the
slightest brackish taste is apparent. The
luscious streams that gush from these wells
tempt one to plunge into the pure flood. The
water va. les in temperature from 60 to 20 de-
grees, but is cooler than the river water, APP
pareDtly. Nearly, if not all, the water now
running down Burns slough comes from
these wells, and at Sanborn's place the
slough water is four feet deep and fifteen feet
wide on the average. These wells are the
only flowing wells of which information is
given. llquiry developed the fact that San
bonn pumps up for irrigation 200, 900 gallons
! er day from a pool in the slough supplied by
the wells fully 200, 600 more gallons per day
run to waste, and at night al the discharge
wastes. The estimate is therefore that
the three wells at the lowest discharge
400 coo gallons per day. Sanborh holds
that if the closed well was open and artificial
power applied to draw from the wells they
would supply double the quantity, as they
now flow under but about four feet of press
ure. It is probable that the wells could
be made to greatly increase their supply by
the application of pumps. Sanborn thinks
he has got a good thing in these wells.
Others evidently thinks so, too, for capital
lists have visited the place and propose to
sink one of bis wells to a greater depth and
tube IL as an experiment. But artesian wells
ara found elsewhere. Mr.. Rose is the au-
thority for the statement that he has no diff
Guilty i'll sinking them at Poverty ridge and
getting plentiful supplies of good water.
The RECORD UNION representative also Wis
tied Scheld's brewery, Twenty eighth and NJ
streets, and saw there an artesian well 200
feet deep, 6 inches in diameter, in which the
water rises to within 10 feet of the surface.
1t has been in use many years. The water is
clear, apparently pure, soft and as pleasant
to the taste as any could desire. 1t is used
and has been for years in the manufacture of
beer there. The men at the works declare it
TO be the best drinking water in the State.
Two heavy steam pumps lift from the well.
One is powerful Hooker pump. They have
never been able TO lower the water materially.
In one hour they fill three tanks estimated to
hold 20 600 gallons. This gives 200, COO gallons
for every ten hours of work, but it was not
known if steady test of ten hours has ever
been made. The workmen at the brewery
believe that twsnty-four hours steady pump
ing would not lower the well an inch, If so
it will yield 100000 gallons per twenty four
hours with its present pumps. But these are
mere estimates, for no accurate measure
ments have been made. At Vessels tan
merry constansly-supplying well OF good
water exists, and shows no diiuinution,
though in use several years. The well at the
Natatorium, K street, between Tenth and
Eleventh, is about 1l6 feet deep. The water
is pure and sweet, and many families now
use it. 1t rises within fifteen feet OF the
surface. The supply seems inexhaustible,
and ardent admirers of the well say it will
supply from go, 600 TO $50, 600 gallons per
day with ease, and think it would do even
better with machinery of proper capacity.
Messrs. Rose, Laufkotter, Churchman and
Jeans are all practical we'll orers, and are
understood to be of the unanimous opinion
that millions Of gallons of pure water can be
had from artesian wells at many points on
the borders of the city. and that there are
veins of water below US easy of access and
The same report is made
from the Florin and Brighton sectious, where
the deep wells show no lessening and supply
clear, good water. Further inquiry is being
made regarding other artesian wells in and
about the city, and information will be given
as obtained. There seems to be an idea prev
alent that private enterprise will speedily
give the city plenty of pure water, but exam.
nation OF the Constitution discloses Article
XIV, which reads:
Section l. The use Of all water now appropriated,
or that may hereafter be appropriated, for sale,
RENTAL or distribution, is hereby declared to be a
public use, and subject 10 the regulation and control
of the State in the to be prescribed by law
provided, that the rates or compensation To be col
lected by any person, company corporation in
this State for the use Of water supplied to any city
and county, or city or town, tie inhabitants
thereof, shall be fixed, annually, by the Board of
Supervisors, or city and county, or City or Town
Council, or other governing body Of such city and
county, or city town, by ordinance or otherwise
in the manner that other ordinances legislative
shall continue in force for ole year and no longer.
Such ordinances resolutions shall be passed in
the month Of February Of each year, and take effect
on the Ist day 81 July thereafter Any Board or
body falling TO pass the necessary ordinances or res
outions fixing water rates. where necessary, within
such time shall be subject to peremptory process to
compel action at the suit of any party interested,
and shall be liable TO such further processes and
penalties as the Legislature may prescribe. Any
person, company or corporation collecting water
rates in any city and county, or city or in this
State, otherwise than established, shall forfeit
the franchises and water-works OF such person,
pany corporation TO the city and county, city
or town where the same collected, for the pub
lie use.
Section 2 The right to collect rates or compensa.
ton for the use of water supplied TO any county,
city and county or town, The inhabitants thereof,
is franchise, and cannot be exercise1 except by
authority of and in the manner prescribed by law
The water question is one which is Just
now engaging the public attention, and the
general belief is expressed that the city can
now secure a good supply by use of her pres
emit water revenues The expression every
where is open and loud in favor of sorle
active inquiry and experiment being had by
the city authorities.
FOURTH WARD REpUBLIoANs-T Fourth
Ward Garfield aud Arthur Club met last
evening at their hsll, No. 1910 o street, be-
tween Thirteenth and Fourteenth, President
S. c. benson in the chair A communica.
ton was received from the State Central
Committee calling the attention of the voters
to Sections Toss, 1887 and 1i06 of the Polit.
zeal Code, relating co registration. and it was
read and placed on file. Eloquent addresses