The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-03-06
The Underfiow Waters of the West.

OF the great West is more important than
any other. Is rapidly developing n new
phase. that OF exploring and tapping the
artesian basins
Prodigious as is the capital already in
vested in dams and bitches between the
Mississippi Valley and tho Pacific. its en-
ployment must be restrictcd in many arid
regions by the distance Of the sources from
which water is to be brought. The scgre-
gation OF reservoir sites for public uses must
still 40 on: the millions OF money laid out
by the canal companies will become millions
more through increased investments; but
after all the available surface supply is
limited. Beneath the certh's crust, how
ever. Is river system, according to geOo-
gists, which Is OF extraordinary volume, and
can DO drawn upon in the arid regions us
well as in others. The legislation of tho
Fifty-tlrst Congress permitted n prelimi-
nary investigation of the underflow waters
OF the West. and tho result Of it is n great
addition to tho possibilities of irrigation.
The conclusions OF Mr.. NETTLEToN OF the
Irrigation Bureau are that underlying tho
Dakotas is a very largo artesian basin. rs
shown by the number OF flowing wells seat
tered over about $4,000 square miles: that
this basin probably extends far west OF the
James River Valley. where its chief scat is
found: that Texas probably has n similar
basin. but not so near the surface. In the
Dakotas years OF experience with arteslan
wells shows an abundant supply OF under
ground water in very thick stratum of
loose sand. There Is good reason to believe
that in the eastern part of Florida the un-
| deriiow can in time be used for the orange
plantations. while Oh the Gulf const of that
| state are found enormous flowing springs
from underground sources, creating
| streams several feet deep. In Indi-
ana and Missouri subterranean rivers
are known to exist, and their sur
face Outbursts in some cases furnish
the power for mills. In tho caves OF
Kentucky and Virginia similar disclosures
are familiar. Under some Of our great
| cities the water courses mako tho question
of deep foundations for buildings serious,
| while mining and boring for oil are often
| checked by striking the underilow system.
According to Mr.. II. j. HINTON. in the
Irrigation Age. there were. up to tho latest
returns. 1892 flowing wells in this courl-
| try west OF the 9th meridian. Some dim
| mutton Of them by use had occurred but
| this was exceptional. THE use OF these
| wells in irrigation" adds this authority,
has only Just begun. The estimate in the
+wo Dnkotoa y, the oroos o., ;rr;sxnt,, =,
5000 acres. In California it will be at least
$4,000 acres. Elsewhere there will be sufll-
Gent irrigation through artcsian water to
make the total area not less than 10000
acres. A marked increase during tho past
year OF an artesian supply for farm and
orchard purposes has been noted in South
Dakota In western Kansas in the San IniS
va,Iov in Irtoh IN ,vestorn To- ~ r.,;san
Mn md to limited axtnnt T., o"s.an
Woobino+on" Toxns ro. on ,,o,, Ga,,.;r
wells enno - .ho,, o,,nnn t,a ,,,os 1919 ,a.
bio an ,ha oontinont Wn I,,ro,',., $500, .o
nonol,s S e. 40 t,Ii,,,,s. ''"9'"'
.nnn,,s" n,ses ~ We"s or oner
served surface supply. by storage or lowing streams
where the rainfall Is insufficient for agriculture But
it demonstrated beyond dispute that the utilization
o. su'n supplies az .na' from ~enA from oearoc.
dran.r. or from imroundmv local r,ins mr. nr.cn,,,
tion may be OF the greatest service wherever small
farming IN the ara region can DO mAdo 10 have be-
s', 'A'S" ",'SA'"
IN the same lourhhl MI. F' r. WEEKS de-
scrines inc great 'rrisatlhg wells OF Call
iornia' louha IN lu'hre' hern' Los Angeles.
ana oan berharuiho counties. In Kern
county 1here are over seventy wells some
OF then having daily How OF from two
mii'ioh 10 tnree million gallons. Near sun
herhuru,ho Is group OF twenty-nlne arte-
siah VOLS ~h'ch nave converted ''ooo acres
ihto Va'uabo gardens. mo land would
haraly DO worth sio an acre Tor crop raising
WITHOUT the water out from $3.50 to $500 an
acre Is realized from II annually with irri-
eatlon. inc 91t Inches OF water which flow
from these wells, says Mr.. WEEKS, is
worth Sso4'ooo. Inc average price at pres
Gnu - SSoo an acre. or Sl'ooo an inch sin
gle wen Oh the largest capacity Will irrlgate
se'erai hundred acres OF trees and vines;
una ~ Is aoded that rev elorts Mt find
ing artes'an water nave proved unsuccessful
III oaiiiornia. ferhaps sun more wonderful
~ accomplished results mas been the arte-
sun lTrlgatloh OF portions OF the Colorado