The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-07-21
WHY NOT TRY ARTEsIAS WELLS |?

CATION and the large amount OF arabic lands
yet unoccupied In Montana suggests the i'm
portance Of endeavoring TO secure water BY
Artesian wells. bitches or canals may yet
be brought from larger streams and by be-
Ing conducted long distances may irrigate
lands yet destitute of water, but even that
will not be half adequate to bring into culti-
Walton the good lands of the Territory yet
unprovided with water. While 1t Is true
that cultivation generates rains and the ex-
perience Of other sections gives us encour-
agement that the valleys Of Montana may
yet receive more liberal rainfall, this change
Of meteorological conditions is slow and not
absolutely certain. There is another and as
yet, In this country, al untried method Of
obtaining water that elsewhere has resulted
successfully-by sinking Artesiau Wells.
We believe the conditions are favorable In
Montana for procuring water In this way.
They depend upon the geological formation
which can be approximately determined by
superficial examination. Our valleys are
narrow, encompassed with mountains. The
conditions for successful AItesian Well Dor
Ing are basins Of q u shape, the bottom
representing the valley and the upper ex-
Lremes the rims of strata outcropping In the
mountains. FIN basins thus formed there
Is All upper and lower stratum Of imperne-
able character with an intermediate stratum
of sandstone or other porous matter, the in
filtration from the mountains will form
channels and pools In this stratum which,
when pierced by we'll, will force the water
to or above the surface by hydrostatic pres
sure. The number of lakes In our noun
talns, some Of which rise with the melting
Of the SHOWS and fall with rapidity not &C.
counted for by evaporation, suggest u SUBJ
terranean outlet. In the valleys the fire.
quency of constant thermal springs shows
connection with subterranesn reservoirs
having continuous pressure. These things
are indications to the unscientific that the
formation Is favorable to Artesian Wells.
The depth at which water Is obtained va
ries. In England, the depth ct which con-
slant 1ow Of water Is secured rarely exceeds
800 TO 500 feet. Some Of these aow immense
streams. One well flowing four and half
million gallons per day, supplies London
with one twenty-fourth of the water 1t uses.
Another at Passey, near Paris, flows five and
a half million gallons per day. In France
and America, however, the borings are gen.
orally deeper than In England. In Chicago
there are two wells, one 100 and another
1000 feet deep, flowing 800, 900 gallons Ct wa
ter daily; In some places wells have been
sunk TO depth of three or four thousand
feet without obtaining flowing water. While
geological examination to some extent may
give direction to enterprise In this matter, It
Is similar to the service II Is In gold seeking.
Gold 10 wbers it is to be found so Is Sster.
But as certain formations are favorable or
unfavorable 10 the deposit Of gold so are
certain formations favorable or uufavorable
for supplying water by Artesian Wells. It
would be . wise preliminary matter to Rave
geological examinations and the experiment
al well or wells bored where the indications
gre most favorable, and II may be that an
ample supply can be obtained In almost all
The valleys Of the Territory by sinking few
hundred feet. These wells have been IN use
for hundreds Of years In the old world, and
are no expense or care after once bored and
tubed. The perfection to which oil well
boring has been brought has reduced the
cost to very low figure and progress is very
rapid. Precisely the same appliances and
methods are required for Artesian Well bor-'
ing, s- 800,
The present desrth Of water supply sug-
gests this topic. The Government Of the
United States year ortwo ago appropriated
for experimental wells east of the Rocky
Mountains, but nothing appears to have been
done. The Legislature Of Montana some
ahree years ago also made an appropriation
having like object in view. but made the
expenditure conditioned on obtaining adow-
ing well, This requirement killed the pro-
iect, IS It threw the risk ell on the person
undertaking the enterprise. We should not
wait sor the thin possibility Of the United
States doing anything In this direction in
Montana, and we write this, while the desir-
ability Of flowing wells Is strongly apparent,
to suggest that the next Legislature should
make IN appropriation for the purpose, un-
incumbered by the proviso that rendered the
former one . nullity, providing that an ex
perimental we'll shall be sunk where geo
logical commission determines the condi-
tions are most favorable for tapping sub,er--
ranean channel tia: will reclaim sterile
lands, paying the expenses Of sinking the
well, aud giving II deemed best, bonus II q
flowing well Is obtained. II IL is a success,
private enterprise will follow where public
spirit has led the way, and there will be no
more public expsnse than the cost of the
first well, while success will vastly increase
the productive capacity Of the country. It4|
looks to us that this Is proper subject for
legislation and that the same spirit which in.
duced the former to act should now rectify
the error that rendered IL imperative. The
valley lands OF Montana need more water
than the clouds and streams supply directly,
and II It Is held In exhaustless reservoirs be-
meath our farms, let wise legislation be the
modern rod that shall tap the subtenanean
rocks Of Horeb and bring forth waters for the
welfare of the people.
EX-SENATOR CoSxLISG was serenaded
one evening last week by large party Of
friends, irrespective Of party utilization, and
In the course Of his remarks said. aTalking
Of those who are gone makes me think 10
well for those who ale left that We gather To-
gether sometimes without parley, rs was said
BY my friend, without faction, without acri-
mony, but In unity, to draw one TO another
and strengthen aud brighten the links ofth
chain which bind US together. Indeed, there
Is much In the present condition of the
country to make men think together, act to-
gether, feel together rs TO general public