Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-11-05
A PRACTICAL PLAN FOR IRRIGA-
TION

From the following taken from the
Garden City Sentinel. it is seen that
Judge Gregory's theory in regard to the
immense flow of water that underlies
that section of country and his plan Tor
bringing it to the surface in almost any
volume desired for irrigating purposes
have both been demonstrated to be feas-
IDLE and practicable. 1t is needless to
say that this demonstration makes the
judge very proud man, while it proves
him one of the greatest benefactors of
his fellow citizens that has yet arisen in
that part of the state:
son Saturday last we stood beside the
lnclplent fountain which Gilbert Bros.
are excavating on the south side Of the
river opposite Howell siding. They have
laid out supply fountain mile and a
quarter in length, 60 feet wide at the
head and tapering down to 40 feet at
the mouth. The headgates are in and
the excavation is completed as far as
| scrapers can do the work, i. e. down to
the surface of the wet sand. Along each
side, row of piles has been driven
to dept Of sixteen feet, the piles
being sixteen feet apart Between
these, sheet piling is now being driven.
When this has been done. thus forming
wall on each side, steam dredge will
be used to excavate the sand which lies
between, thus making long narrow
well, the bottom of which will have en-
eastward fall of two and one-half feet
per mile and the water will rush to the
lower end where the outlet and gates
are. Readers of the Sentinel who have
studied the diagrams presented from
time to time, will understand the plan.
But the most interesting thing is that the
Scrapers could not excavate as deep as
was at first intended, because water was
encountered at least eighteen inches
above the river bed level. This is the
result of capillary attraction in the sand,
and, since the work was done, the water
has continually risen to the surface and
run out at the headgates in a stream
ten feet wide and six inces deep,
twice per season, enough to irrigate,
furnishing water about 5000 acres
of ground, allowing a waste
of one-half in seepage and evapora-
ton and computing the velocity of the
stream at only little more than one
AAS1A Pei oCColl, VI Cuo AtlIC AIoAC eiAih
one-twentleth of mile per hour. This
most gratifying result has convinced the
builders that they can not excayate
nearly so large a fountain as was in
tended, without enlarging their ditch
greatly. represent intention is to con-
struct ditch fifteen feet wide On the
bottom, twenty three feet wide at the
top and carrying four feet in depth OF
water, covering $4,000 acres. By the
end of thirty days from this date, at
least twelve miles of the canal will be
completed and, in ninety days at most,
SO much of the fountain as is necessary
to fill it with water will also be COM
pleted. 1t is perfectly p ain to the most
casual observer. that but part of the
projected excavation will need to be
made. The Developments thus far are
as gratifying as they are surprising to
the managers. The difficulties most
feared have proven imaginary and the
success of this method of obtaining
water for irrigation is completely as
sured. For their enterprise in thus TAX
ing the lead in matter of such impor-
lance to the southwest and thus demon
strating its practicability, Mr.. Soule and
the Gilberts are entitled to the sincerest
and deeDest gratitude of all our DeOple )"