The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-07-12
AS TO WATER SUPPLY.
The Scheme Of Improving Butte'S Pres
emf System Still a Secret.
Artesian Wells Considered lmprac-
ticabie Discussion as to the
Probable Intention of
the Company.
special correspondence Of the standard.

Special Correspondence of the standard.
BUTTE, July ia good deal of interest
has been excited about town In the new
scheme OF the water company for incrcas-
ing its supply. The fact that the capital
stock was increased from $4,000 tn $685.
OO shows that extensive improvements
are in contemplation, but what the new
plan Is, has not yet been given To the pub
lie and the company is not yet ready to
diyulge its plans. There has been some
talk of the adoption Of the artesian well
system, but this is utterly ~impracticable
in the geological, condition of thiss section
OF country.
Superintendent Wharton said to-day
that the scheme could not bc divulged for
some time yet. There will he no artesian
well system, nor will the new water COM
pany be bought out.
"rhe present water supply" said Mr..
Wharton, "is ample FOR this city.
a city of lOl, 200 inhabitants.
That Is what we are likely To be and we
are looking To the future. When our
plans are all carried out, WI will he ready
TO furnish an abundance Of good water
for q city of 10000 people.
I'VE are not yet more than one-thirl Of
that, but already thep present water supply
shows signs of weakening during the dry
summers. IL will do for this summer. hut
III we add 1000 or 15,OO people during the
next year, there may be a shortage. That
Is what we will look out for. Even his
year we will hav To use all the means at
our disposal 10 furnish n supply adequate
10 the city's wants. IL IL quite possible
that before h summer is over We will
have To dispense with the street sprink-
ling. That consumes 5000 10 1000 gal
Ions. We are also irrigatiug n farm and
IL Is likely that we will have 10 shut of ON
that rs well, in order To give the
people all they want and have an
abundant supply FOR fire contingencies"
This Is the dryesi summer WI have cx-
perienced yet" continued Mr.. Wharton,
as he noticed the reporters gaze Ia he
fastened on a passing teer wagon. AYES,
there were lots of showers in June. II has
been a good season for showers but n poor
one for water. The showers only wet the
grass; they did not reach down into the
earth and they did not help us ont at all
in furnishing water for Butte. | was ont
to our supply the other day and found one
OF our creeks gone dry. | thought at first
that somebody had turned OFF the creek,
and ! ollowed il up three miles. | then
came to "A little water, and going up still
higher until at the head there was plenty.
But IL dried up ON the way down.
Last year at this time the water supply
was better. But now the snow is all gone
from the hills on this side of the divide.
In fact all the water we are
getting now is from springs. Our main
creek is still doing well and | am conf
dent il has reached its lowest fall. We
now have n force OF men engaged on
Basin creek opening up beaver dams in
order to allow the full volume Of water tn
descend the creek.
'The people of Butte need feel no rom
Germ at all. There will be plenty of water
to drink. The only possible %inconvcn-
fence is that the city may he kept dusty ON
account of shutting oil the street sprink-
ling supply"
Ranchmen from near here report their
water supply low, but as yet apprebend
no serious trouble.
Ii is reported to-day that the Boston x
Montana's supply Of water was found Ia
he dried M his morning. The company
Park canyon.