Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1889-08-09
The AlI-Im portant Subject.

The commissioners of LaMoure county
have taken the following formal action.
which places the subject of artesiau wells
succinctly and clearly before the public
Whereas, The sinking of arteslan wells
in various parts of Dakota affords salts
factory evidence OF the existence of vast
reservoirs or ineXhaustlble currents of
water beneath the soil, which NAV be
utilized by the construction of such
wells to flood present and open new
water courses, to create reservoirs, and to
irrigate large quantities of agricultural
lands; and
Whereas, 1t is believed that such an in.
crease of surface water will exert bene-
fetal effect upon rain and snow falls, and
thus afford assurance of an ample supply
of moisture for agricultural needs there
fore, be it
Resolved, That it is the judgment of
this board that public attention should
be turned to artesian wells as a resource
against the evils now being suffered for
lack of rain supply, with view to no,
merely county but to state and national
assistance in meeting the exigencles of
the situation.
Resolved, That we respectfully and
earnestly invite the attention of the COM
mittee appointed by the senate of the
United States. to investigate as to arid
lard, to the needs of the northwestern
plains, and to the necessity of supple
menting efforts Of exhausted settlers
with the strong arm of the government
The commissioners appointed the fol-
lowing as committee to confer with
other county committees and with the
senatorial committees on arid lands in re-
]ation to artesian wells for water supply
for Dakota: Waldo NJ, Potter, w. E..
Brewer, and G.. R. Fralick
The Hope Pioneer has the following
testimony to local improvement
The result of the waste water from the
Hitchcock artesian well is that on both
sides of tie ditch for distance of from
four to six rods the yield OF grain will he
from 50 to 100 per cent better, and that
all the ground that was flooded III the
spring by the water from the ditch will
yield from 25 to SO per cent more grain !;
that the grain is green and that the head
is filling plump to the tip, and that the
dry weather and hot winds have not
affected 1t in the least.
Wheat]and township, Ill Cass county,
has already gone to work under the
artesan: well law of the last session and
petitioned that an artesian we'll be con.
structed IN that township. The law
makes the judge of probate the we'll COM
missioner and empowers him to contract
for the construction of wells, to appoint
commission to condemn laud for the
purpose, to appraise it, etc.
1t is believed that the enactment of the
last legislature corrects the clumsy and
irregular provisions Of the 1887 law under
which Foster county made its fruitless
effort. Whether or not our people decide
to do anything for themselves now, it
looks as if it Is desirable for our county
board to CO operate with any other coun-
ties in directing public attention to this
allolmportant matter.
Judge Moody, one of the ablest of
South Dakota's public men, when in HUI.
ron the other day gave out that if elected
to the senate he would advocate liberal
appropriations by the general govern
ment for the development of Dakota
artesian- well system, Darlington News.