The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-10

lists are now out. and two of these show the
following subscribers:
{. A. Broadwater ....... 1000
=. r., Hauser LOCO
\. Nj. Hotter 4 Bro. 500
Jno. s. M. Neill. 800
n. Il. Feeder IT,. .......... 500
Wallace 4 Ihornburgh.. 200
VIM. $500. 500
John B.. Wilson. 800
k.izur Beach. ........ 100
A. j. Seligman. =. 100
Total FOR one day ........ 49,. .......$ $500
This ID certainly an excellent showing for
the first day, and demonstrates that the
people of Helena are willing to test the ar
tesian we'll proposition in the Prickly Pear
valley. As but rs per cent. of the subscrir-
ton will be called for in any month,
the payments will not crowd any one. 1t
is hoped that all those who intend to help
in the matter will come up and sign the
subscription paper voluntarily. and thus
close the matter up quickly. There is no
reason why the total tonight should not
reach $4,000. There is no difficulty i'll
getting subscribers to the project among
those who nave studied the subject Of arte-
sian wells and the benefits they have
brought to the Localities in which they are
oOolCA 10 law bCOAl bhC Va
Dakota, in Colorado they have added thou
sands of dollars to the taxable wealth of
that state. The value of an a~rtesian we'll
in the Prickly Pear valley would be simply
incalculable, both to city and country. All
of the nine 9 disorders noted above are rep
resentative men of Helena-conservative
men who appreciate the benefits which will
accrue from the successful boring of this
we'll.
Col. Richard j. Hinton, special govern
ment agent in charge Of irrigation, artes-
sian and underlow investigation for the
de oartment of agriculture, gives some
points in his report on the practical side of
artesian we'll irrigation in the two Dakotas
as follows:
Among the largest wells of which the Of
tice of irrigation inquiry in Washington
now has any record, are those at Spring
field n Woonsocket, south Dakota. One
such well is reported as flowing under high
pressure about 6,C00 gallons per minute.
Ibis makes a total flow for twenty-four
hours of s,640,000 gallons. Tho usual al
lowance for domestic and town purpo es is
seventy-hve gallons per capita. With a
population requiring 10000 gallons daily
for domestic use, ETC., there will remain un-
consumed S,49o,Oc0 gallons. What can be
lone with sueh q supply in the mat
sufficient to raise the column of water to
any height that may possibly be required
for its storage. The waste water of the
well, stored in reservoir or stand-pipe, and
distributed as steadily as stored, would
give'a supply sufficient to cover daily 51s
acres with six inches of water. The irri-
eating season or period of water scarcity
viii not exceed more than 100 days in the
year. There will remain, therefore, 26;
days of surplus flow. which will nave to II
stored in order to insure the largest amour
of service from this bounty of nature. THAI
will give us 9. 249, $50, eco gallons of water
for iyrigating purposes. With a r~eservoi:
properly constructed. with a maximum o
depth and a minimum of surface SO as |,
save the waste of evaporation, the loss +.
that means will not be over 20 per cent
leaving an irrigation supply for tbs seasol
of ripening and harvest of 1888,
$4,000 gallons, sufficient to irrigat
with six inches of water per acre, 100 acre
of arabic land. Add to this area the 81
you will have a total under this estimate O
161.6 covered with water six inches deep TO
100 days. You can readily perceive that n
such amount Of water will be necessary
The rainfall for the period l am consider
ing will not be less than ten inches orr, 063
100 feet of water. It has been considere
that if this amount of rainfall could be dis
tributed with the same evenness and regu
iarity that water is distributed by irrigatio
processes. that not over Jour inches NOR
for the season would be necessary. A
least 500 acres may safely be estimated as
reasonable area of irrigation for such
we'll. This example will show you the pos
certainly will illustrate the necessity an
i advantage found in the seveIest O {
; water.
= "Let US look at this from the s~tandpoir
of profit alone. The cost of such a we'll
reported at less than $4,000. The arab
land, which may be served in the name
have suggested, will certainly not be wort
!. cultivated, not over 800. The present Co
of the we'll, estimating 500 acres as IL
least area of reclamation thereby, would /
less than SO per acre. The cost of I'll
reservoir and bitches will not exceed /
more per acre, or $12 in all. If, for great
3 be established, the total cost would be
4 the neiRhborhood of $15 per acre. Let
n take the latter figure for a basis. 1t is ia
to assume that with such a system esta
9 lished in the vicinity of a your
but growing community that eve
uncultlvated acre under it will
10 worth at once not less than s.
:, while the selling value. if cultivated. wou
70 easily range between $40 and 500 per acl
The character of the crops would large
improve. The quantity would greatly !
crease. The testimony on these poin
Of that has been taken within the last t,
v. years shows an estimated increase in vie
re under irrigation of from three to ten ia
in over that within our humid states. I
calculation of supply that l have made
readily attainable from one of the Woo
ry socket wells, will give with perfect CO
en- tainty in an ordinary season a yield |
acre of forty bushels of wheat. The pr
pie of the Dakotas know whether this "
Ia pay or not; but under irrigation other Gre
Ill will pay much more largely. Root GRO
* garden vegetables, small fruits, and orr
1at ard products, will 30 largely increase tn
yield under properly applied irril
ton rs to bring the favored
~ acres | am considering, up to a yield of
NJ. times more than would be obtained o
the same area within the older states.
the measure Of the water lmbibed by
soil is tho measure of it's capacity to p
duce food, surely the security of supply
inhibition at the right time, must
greatly add to this food producing ca
to city"
Near Huron, on A. X. Risdon's ia
about two months ago, p obably the gre
est artesian well in the world was strt
The well IL down 935 feet, and there
Jus flow through an eigiit-inch pipe 10 str
DRY that a solid stream of water eight inche
diameter. shoots fifty feet in the ali.
I. flow is estimated at 10000 gallons per n
ute. What would such a we'll be wort
yin Helena and to the valleyI
ills. -
New yeilings and r~ucllnga received this