The Dickinson press., 1890-05-10
Artesian Well Farming.

ATCtSluu VIGIL CNfUlluSs
Under the above heading the next
issue of the Orange Judd Farmer
will contain an editorial on the ques.
tion of artesian well irrigation fol
the Dakotas and the following ex.
tracts taken from advance sheets of
the Farmer may prove interesting at
this time:
"W were glad to learn that by an
act of congress, approved the 4th of
last month, an appropriation of 500
600 was made, to investigate especial
ly the subject of artesian wells, the
extent and limit of the wa%ter-bearing
strata, which could be utilized for
such well, through the region he.
tween the meridian of 81 degrees
west longitude and the Rocky noun
tains, the direction of this investiga-
ton being placed with the secretary
OF agriculture. Proceedings were
promptly taken and we are glad to
learn that the general direction of
the enterprise, in the field, has been
placed in charge of Col. E. S. Nettle.
ton, formerly State Engineer of Col
orado, who has been engaged the past
two years in the extended surveys by
the General Government. frequently
alluded to, with reference to irriga.
ton, storage reservoirs, ETC.. in the
whole country"
"We have to-day (April 24) had an
interesting interview with Col. Net.
Teton, who is OH his way to the field,
having already organized sundry
corps of competent assistants in diff.
ferent parts of the country to be en-
amined. He proceeds directly to HUI.
ron, S. d., to meet there on April %
with Geologist Culver and others for
consultation, then proceeds to James.
town, N. d., to meet with others in.
terested, about May LIST. He then
goes north to Devils Lake and west.
ward, probably to the Missouri. lin
this trip lie will doubtless have all
eye out with reference to the feast.
bility of conducting water from the
upper Missouri to North Dakota and
to the upper part Of the James river
valley.) Col. N. then returns down
through the James river valley to en-
anime the artesian wells there, and
receive reports from engineers who
are in the meantime gathering statis-
tics and figures, and from the geolo.
gists examining the strata. From
there he will proceed to Nebraska to
meet Prof. Hicks and others, and go
westward through Nebraska to Den.
ver. After that lie will go to west
ern Kansas and thence southwark
through the Indian Ter, and western
Texas"
Several corps of men are organ
lied through the whole region, to col
lect data, and meet Col. Nettleton as
he arrives at the different points.
The whole field is to he examined
generally and a report made up i'll
time to present to Congress by July
LIST, so that, if desirable, further APP
preparations can be made for contin-
uing the work even before the pres
ent session of Congress adjourns."
On Friday of last week the com.
mission made a thorough examina.
tion of the well at Jamestown, where
the party was joined by Hon. L. $.
Underhill, field agent for North Oak
ota. On Saturday they came west
stopping at Sims, examining the
springs there and then went west us
far as Medora and Glendive, where
examinations Of the geological form
alton were made, returning to James
town and over the jamestown &
Northern to the Great Northern line
thence out to the Missouri river and
back to Devils Lake and Grand Forks
After this general tour Of inspection
the commission proceeded to Nebras'
ka and other states in the limits, leav.
ing the detail work to be completed
by Prof. Culver, of the South Dakota
University and Il. 5. Underhill. This
is an important work for North OAK
ota and any information regarding
the necessity of irrigation in particu'
lar localities, or any scientific data tc
aid the commission will be fully APP
preciated and should be addressed to
the same at jamestown.