The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-01-24
Artesian Wells.
The Baltimore Sun says

The Baltimore Sun says:
Denver, Colorado, which has long been
so inadequately and expensively supplied
with water, is now rejoicing in four arte-
sian wells, which yield 100000 gallons OF
an excellent quality per day and we are
told that she will soon haYe several others
in operation sufficient to supply the grow
ing wants of that young and fouri.hing
city. The vast plains lying east and west
of tho Rocky Mountains will doubtless ere
long have great demand for similar wells,
by means of which millions OF acres Of wa
terless and barren lands can be rendered
arabic. Wherever there is the scent of
water, the least sign Of vegetation, these far
Western lands are of unrivaled fertility,
resembling Peru, which has been ikened
to "conserYatory without glass" This
method of irrigating from subterranean
reservoirs is of immense moment to the
dwellers amid these sterile regions; and
the labor of boring to depth of only S75
feet--as at Denver-seems light when com.
pared with the 2,200 feet of the saline we'll
at Neusalzwerk, Prussia. The reservoirs
of petroleum springs are Of similar nature
to those of artesian wells, and the process
by which the oil is obtained, is precisely
the same Among the serious methods of
irrigation which England is adopting for
her Eastern possessions will probably bo
the introduction of these wells into the
desert-like portions of India, where grim,
gaunt famine has 80 often marched with
merciless, all-conquering tread. For the
past twenty years French engineers have
been actively engaged i'll sinking great
number of these wells along the western
border of the Great Sahara, the province of
Constantine alone containing not less than
$50, while the work is progressing slowly,
but surely, toward the interior. Among
the phenomena brought to light by this
boring, is the finding of fishes and crabs of
delicious flavor at very great depth. Sci
entists, as usual, are ready with many sage
observations, all, however, being mere
theory. The spirit of progress is abroad
reclaiming the waste places Of the earth,
and literally verifying the Scripture pro-
phecy that "the desert shall rejoice and
blossom US the rose." We believe the time
is coming when mans inventive genius
and wonderful power of achievement will
reduce all the deserts of the earth to smil-
ing beauty and happy utility; when he
will indeed be monarch OF all he surveys"
Now that the establishment of q" efi-
cient Fire Department in Anderson is con-
templated, quite difference of opinion has
sprung up as to the best mode Of supply
ing such department, and number of our
intelligent citizens advocate the boring Of
one or more artesian wells as the sureat and
most advantageous means to be adopted for
this purpose. One Of the serious troubles
we have to encounter in establishing Fire
Department is the scarcity of water, and
the expense of making cisterns. The arte'
sian we'll, it is claimed, would afford both
water and power to throw stream to the
top of any house. With such well the
expense of protection to property from fire
would consist in the laying of iron water
pipes. This could be done gradually, and
would afford ample protection as far as tho
pipes extend We do not know of the
practical application of these wells to se-
curity against fire in any city. but we can
see no reason why it would not be quite
efficient. The we'll could also be used for
irrigating gardens, furnishing water to
! dwellings, and for other purposes. The
matter should be thoroughly examined
into before airy decision is made.