The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1883-04-11
THE sURGING SHONKIN.
SWELLED BY THE RIPPLING HIGH
WOOD TO FLOW THROUGH
THE STREETS OF
BENTON.
A Water Works Scheme that Promises to
be a Grand Success-What the
Shonkin Tunnel Is Likely
to Bring Forth.

On Saturday Of this week the Shonkin
tunnel, which is being driven through
the grade across the river, together with
the dam, will be completed, and as soon
as desired the waters of the Shonkin
can be turned upon the valley on til
opposite side Of the river from this city.
Looked at alone as an i%rrigating scheme
n is led to believe it would be a great
success, and a source Of big revenue to
its projectors, but irrigation is not a 1.-THE
OF the good results expected to follow the
completion of the tunnel. Desiring to
lay before its readers all the information
attainable on the subject, a RIVER PRESS
reporter interviewed Sheriff McDevitt,
with the following satisfactory result:
Now that the tunnel is about COM
pleted, to what good purposes do you ex-
pect to put the 'hole:'u we asked.
Zone of the uses to which it will be
put and before many months, will be TO
supply Benton with water. The mouth
OF the tunnel is seventy feet higher than
the valley, and with this difference in
level, and a dan that will maintain a
constant body Of water ten feet in depth,
1t is apparent that water can be carried
easily to the topmosJ part Of any house
In town. No wells, no pumps, no en-
CINE, no reservoir is needed; in fact, we
are ready at once to lay the mains and
furnish water in i~neXhaustible supply
without the expense attendant upon the
ordinary systems Of water works.
but can you get your main across the
river"
Eyes. / have the opinion of Mr..
Griffith that it can be done easily"
"That matter settled, the next and
most important question is, have you a
sufficient supply of water at command?
Many are inclined to doubt it.
There will be more water than we
will require at any time. 1T is true that
the Shonkin goes dry in some places a
month or two Of the year, out at such
points it simply sinks to bed rock, COM
ing to the surface again elsewhere. If
you tap the creek at bed rock, as we have
done, you will always have water. But
we do not intend to depend on the Shon-
kin alone. 1t is our intention to bring
HlghWOod to our assistance. The latter
river can be turned through the Sag into
the Shonkin by running a light ditch a
distance Of about four miles and emptied
into a natural lake for storage, whence,
when wanted, it can be carried into the
Shonkin by a creek leading from the
lake to that river. In this way, and the
project can be carried out with little ex-
pense, we are insured an unlimited sup
ply of water, and what, then, is lacking
to make the water works scheme a sue
cess?'
"As the thing is so easily done, how
soon may we expect to need the services
of a plumber in Benton?"
much sooner than a good many think.
The practicability Of the scheme is al
ready established beyond question, and
[ want to say to you there is no lack of
confidence or capital to carry it into
e~ffect.n
.Can | tell the readers of the RIVER
PRESS that Benton Will have water
works before the beginning of another
year?u
II think you can safely do so. The
ball is now rolling, and if [ can help it
it will not stop until the desired end is
accomplished
The sheriff is certainly enthusiastic on
the subject, but he has the best of found
alton for his enthusiasm. The project is
practicable and will be carried into effect
speedily. What a grand thing it will be
for Fort Benton!