Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-03-19
ArteSian Wells.
Special Correspondence of the CIrIzES.l
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WAsHINGToS, D. C., March :, 1882.
 The CITIZEN has been Gn earnest advocate for artesian wells in Arizona.
 believe, and deserves praise for its ef- | forts, in this direction and many others, to benefit the Territory. Probably the 1 'GITIzES7 has repeatedly and exhaustive iy treated the subject. and anything l might say as to the need and benefit to be derived from artesian wells would be superhuous. yet fmay write how tue subject looks from this end of the line. How to obtain abundance ot wa'--- Is thought to be a question ol universal ill., terest to the inhabitants of your Territo- ". Nowhere does the presence of a lit- tie water make itself manifest more than in the arid parts Of your Territory. Countless acres of land only need irriga- ton to become fruitful, and water IS peddled about from door to door in y UT young and progressing cities. There seems to be no other source from which to obtain puro water in large quantity than by drilling deep into the ground, and this it IS thought has never been systematically done. In varions localities in your Territory experimental drilling has been done, but nowhere has any depth been reached that should discour- age such endeavors. There IS every req son to believe that artesian wells can be obtained almost anywhere in Arizona, by sinking a well to a reasonable depth. Anything under a thousand feet is no test at all of the presence of artesian wa ter, in such a geological formation as underlfes' Arizona, and even several hundred feet below this ought to dis courage no one if unsuccessful. The flowing wells at the mint in San Francisco and other places in that city are from thousand to fifteen hundred feet, l believe. The artesian well that supplies Stockton. Cal, is about thou sand feet deep, and water does not gen. orally flow at q less depth; although all through the Santa Clara valleyS and at various places in southern California, water is obtained in shallow wells, aver aging less than two hundred feet deep.
 The transformation that has takeu.place in the Santa Clara valley since water was obtained ID this way is a wonderful demonstration of what arid tracts wll do under irrigation. In Arizona the need for artcsian wells is imperative and ever present. IL is perhaps net strange that private partiSs have not iuvestigat ed this matter and spent money in sink- ing a well, because mining has absorbed all capital and attracted the attention -o ocompletely. It is wonderful, however, that national assistance k not clamor- ously asked. That such help has not been extended to the Territory IS be- cause your people have not made them selves heard. Nr. Oury Is keenly alive te the need, and has been zealons in ask- ing for aa appropriation. On the 18th of last month he introduced a bill ask ing for an appropriation of fifty sthOu- sand dollars, L. be expended uu- der the direction Of the Secretary of the Interior in drilling five artesian wells in sucI parts of the Terri torysas the secretary should dictate. This bill wen, through thc usual course; was read @ Hrsr and second tune, referred 60 the committee on appropriation and ordered to be printed. This bill rests in the handsof iheabovl c lmmjttee. Among the mass of bills referred 70 this com mittee and ;he great number of requests for appropriations. It stands poor chance, unless the committee IS en- treated and urged 10 give Il attention and report it favorably. Then Congress mus; be impressed with the justice and extreme need for such legislation. This IS more than can be expected or could be | accomplished by Mir. Oury unaided. The newspapers and influential men of Arizona must agita,e the subject and give lt the momentum that will carry the bill through Congress, or the bill will sleep l the sleep that knows DO waking. The present time seems a favorable opporu- nity 70 urge such measures, as he ! present Congress is disposed to make | such worthy and honest appropuations ] as Fe within its ability. No time cOlld | be too soon tor the welfare of Arizola, ! and every public sriritsd citizen of Arr zona should add his influence 10 the ac- oomDlishment of so worthy an object
 BETA.