Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-01-12
ARTESIAN WILLS.
DESCRIPTION OF SOME OF THOSE IN
TULARE COUNTY.
the Transformation of Former Barren
Land to Greatest Producttveness
and High Value

and High Value,
A correspondent of the San Francisco
Post. under recent date, writes from Tu-
lare, in this State, concerning the artesian
wells in that vicinity, as follows
Since wrote you on the 9th instant, in
which | presented your readers with gen.
ersl view of the srtesian belt of Tulsre
county land in which l touched briefly
upon the process of sinking wells IN this
section, and the expense attending such
undertakings) and promised you continu-
alton of correspondence descriptive OF
number of the wells, quality Of lands sd.
jacent and agricultural possibilities, /
have rambled to and fro all over the area
glanced at heretofore, and will proceed to
transportation from my notes taken at the
different v ellis from their respective
owners.
J. T. CHIsM's WELL
], T Chism, whom l found at Page &
Morton's farm, is an old resident of Stock
ton, having lived in that city and near
there for many years. His attention was
turned toward this county, he said, after
reading descriptions of the wells here in
the Post last summer, and in the Tulare
county papers subsequent ly. He had q
good deal of faith in the rolling stone ]"
proverb, he said still, he at last made up
his mind that he hadn't gathered very
large amount of moss at Stockton and con-
cluded to roll along further south. He
first leased a portion Of the Page Morton
ranch early in the spring of 1888, and dur
ing the summer commenced the boring OF
well in section 80, township 20, range "a,
at point about four miles southeast of the
railroad depot at Tulare. He got several
spurts of water at various depths, but
kept on sinking until he get down to 500
feet, when a tremendous volume Of water
was reached. 1t took four men p days to
complete this well, which is seven inches
in size (diameter) and has flow OF i've
inches. This well cost 81, 234, which was
the largest amount ever paid for we'll In
this section of country. Mr.. Chlsm &C
counts for this, partly, because ne was in
hurry, and was willing to pay extra rates
to have the work commenced at once The
81 234, however, includes all dlsburse.
ments, including board for four men, pay
of cook, piping, hauling, feed of horses,
etc. Mr.. Chism has IFS acres of land, a
great portion of which he will improve the
coming year. He already has good barn,
and is now building a reservoir which be
intends shall hold enough water from which
to irrigate $50 acres. Most of this land is
as good as any that exists anywhere in the
State, and will yield immense crops of
either vegetables or grain.
p.rp Z, uopTnE'c Wells
The next place l visited was the ranch
of Page L Morton, where | first met Mr..
Chism. They have three excellent wells,
one of 800 feet, seven inches in size, and
two inches in flow, in section s. township
20, range "a another is 800 feet, seven
inches in size, and two-inch flow, in Sec
ton l3, township 90, range % and third
of 800 feet, seven inches In size, and IL
inch flow, in section 7, township 20,
range "a. Messrs. Page K Morton have
about 3, 900 acres of excellent land in all,
portions of which were formerly Govern
ment and railroad lands, which they pur-
chased for mere song, of course; but
which are worth now, with these three
flowing wells, at least from $50 to $50 an
acre. The country hereabouts is much
like that extending from San Mateo to
Gilroy, upon the line OF the Southern Pa
cifc Railroad, being either level or slightly
rolling, and dotted all over with oaks, from
which both fuel and fencing are easily OBJ
tanned. The $50 foot well has just been
lowered to 500 feet, and an additional flow
has been secured. During the past season
these farmers raised 500 acres of Egyptian
corn, which yielded about 20 sacks to the
acre, and sold for 81 40 per hundred on the
ground. The firm used the greater part of
it, however, for feed for horses and hogs.
The reader will bear in mind that ia rails
ing Egyptian corn (which is fed to horses
in place of barley in this country all that
has to be done lie to wet the ground once
iii it does not rain just as the farmer wante
it, for blowing and planting, after which
no further irrigation and not much work
is needed. Messrs. Page 4 Morton
also produced a good deal of mil
let the past season, the seeds and
roots of which are greedily devoured by
hogs, while seed for planting brings %
cents a pound on the ranch. They also
have 900 acres of alfalfa, part of which
they feed green and part make into hay,
for sale and for feed. Besides good
many horses and cattle, these men have
5000 sheep and 5000 hogs, all of which
are fed on alfalfa, which was cut four times
during the present year. This ranch is
only about two miles and little over from
the railway station at Tulare.
J. NJ. CREIGHToN's WELLS.
J. NJ. Creighton is a we'll. known Cali