Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-09-25
WEALTH IN WATER.
An Exhaustive Sketch on the Prob
ability Of Getting Artesian
Water Here.
Its Reasonable Cost and The Enormous
Riches In It When Sc
cured.
To the Editor of the New Mexican.

To the Editor of the New Mexicail.
In compliance with your request when
last in Santa Fe, herewith forward you
some items bearing on the artesian water
supply that may be reasonably relied
upon for this locality, provided our Sal t.
Fe county people have the nerve and
enterprise that has wrought such marvel
GUS changes in other American localities
equally or more unpromising.
Prenising, however fOr it is as well to
talk plainly in order to he fully UNDER
stoOd), that your labor and mine too will
he bootless task, unless some extra
ordinary emergency occurs, no matter
how urgently the question may he put.
The reasons therefor are: Those that could
will not, those that would can not, rea-
sons sufficiently laconc ii not forclble
In order to be correct, sent everywhere
for documents" and have received full
and extensive official reports from sew.
eral sources regarding arteSan or other
water supplies, the average cost of well
sinking, lis value when obtained etc,
cts, that may be relied upon as purely
facts, and collect u few for your paper
WIDE EXTENT OF ARrEsIAN SUPPLY.
One OF the most remarkable steps in
the progress of irri 5ation in California
was the discovery that artesian wells
could be successfully sunk over II very
wide extent of territory" while reports
from Dskota, Wyoming and Colorado
indicate the same vide distribution OF
underground water eastward vi the Rocky
| mountains.
SOME CALIFORNIA WELLS.
The greatest development in this drec-
ton has been within the last ten years.
This development is mostly found in
ruare, Kern, Los Angeles and San Be-.
nardino counties, aud in some respects the
most remarkable features are to be found
in the last named section. The largest
wells are in Kern county, where there are
large number which have regular
daily flow of between 2,0JU,O0O and 81
OOO, 900 gallons.
| About four miles southeast from the
city Of San Bernardino, and on the bank
Of the Santa Ana river, is group Of arte-
sian wells known a. the Gage system,
which probably has not its equal in the
world, either Tor value or siren 9TH OF flow.
There ure tWenty-nne Of these wells
| within radius OF mile or Whereabouts
| they are from four to ten inches in dla-
| meter, and the average daily flow OF each
| is thrty-three miners inches, or total Of
| 9o4 inches OF perpetual flow. They vary
in depth from l4O to 22G feet, the average
being ljJ feet.
IMMENSE VALUE.
The immense value OF this water may
he learned from the fat that it is appor-
toned at the rate Of one in Ii to each five
acres, and that much of it has been sod
Tor as high as $3.50 an acre, or 81 $50 all
inch. The average price ut present is 500
u. acre, or 81 900 an inch. The 0j4 inches
OF water which flow from these wells i,
thus worth S954,O0J, while by the use Of
this water nearly $1,000 acres OF land cab
be converted into Il highly productive gar
den. Without the water IRON these wells
that land is practically wol thless. He
would be foolish who paid SO an acre for
il in the hope Of raising any crop which
would renunerate HIM for his outlay,
With the water, however. an annual in
come OF $lJ0 to 500 an acre is reached,
and even larger returns are not inlpos
sible.
COST OF SINKING THESE WELLS.
The actual cost OF sinking artesan
wells, it may he OF interest to know, is
small. A we'll 25o feet dee? costs bul
500 to 5000 where improved machinery
is used, and little more where only horse
or hand power is utilized. Beyond that
depth the cost increases rapidly. A 50J- |
loot well will cost $1,000 tO $1,000, IN
even $1,000 Where difficulties OF any kim
are encountered.
In those parts of the state wi the
sinking OF artesiaa wells is u regular bust
ness the rates charged are uniform
they are generally as follows: For the
first 100 ieet, 5O cents Il foot for the SEE
pnd 100 feet. 10 cents II foot for the lhlru
" feet, II II foot; beyond 80 feet the
lost increases rapidly in proportion t"
the depth reached The cost OF The casin.
depends entirely upon the size OF tie
we'll. Some are but TWO or three inrl' 5 |
in diameter, and from that they vuly t
ten inches. The pipe will cost from, ~
to 5O cents II foot, according to size and |
the material OF which it is constructed.
GASES IN THE DESERTS!
1t would not be fair to dismiss the sub
jet Of artesian wells without some men
ton of the marvellous work accomplished
Ivy them in that region known as the
Colorado and Mojave deserts.
This has been amply demonstrated AT
Indo, in the heart vi the Colorado desert,
where un aItesiun well has been sunk and
by the aid of Its Wafer u tract Of desert
has been reclaimed upon which luscious
fruits and vegetables are produced far in
advance Of any other portion Of the State.
The same work has been done Tor the
Mujaye desert, and by the aid OF artesan
water several thriving settlements have
been commenced Other wells are being
sunk, and those who are behind thest
enterprises are confident that there is al
abundance OF water to he had, and that II
is only u questi III of the depth WliIL
must lie attained. They are prepared to
sink anywhere from 1909 to 1000 feet III
the search for water, and are fully con-
hdent OF success.
PROBABILITIES IN NEW MEXICO.
Other numerous instances OF success,
and, mark scarcely failure, can lie given
not only for California but other places rs
well, but to- lengthy for the scope OF any
newspaper article.
The question that interests lis Is: Can
the same thing be done III New mexico?
[ N o.it,ttn,fly tho unsWpr Il yes.