Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1893-08-24
PLUG THE WELL"
.Artesian Well Work Comes TO a Sud.
den End-The sheriff Takes
Hand.
A Seuf1le on the well Platform for Pos
session of a Drill Hanging
In the Well.
The Machinery ana Rig Advertised for
Sale Under Chattel
Mortgage.
WELL EXCITEMENT.

The long delayed aud apparently un-
to repair the Miller artesian well cul
minated this week in little excitement,
that approached dramatic finale, be-
cause OF Mahanna's reported threat that
be would plug the---weIl so that not
drop of water could be had This threat
stirred mp the volcano that has been slum-
berlng for some time, and caused the
officers to take charge of the well rig un.
der mortgage. Exciteme mt run up to a
white heat Tuesday afternoon when Ma
hanna and one Of his men drove to Mil.
Ter, went 10 the Well. aud tried to unscrew
long drill suspended partly in the we'll
Notwithstanding efforts of Deputy Sher-
i'll Dunn to stop them. As soon as Ma
hanna and johnson came on the platform
surrounding the well Deputy Sheriff
Dunn told them he had charge of every
thing as an officer. They repied that he
did not have charge of the big drill, and
very quickly each took wrench and
tried to unscrew it from the fastening
above which connected with the cable.
The Deputy knocked the wrench off and
interiered. o. II. Pruner being near,
saw the rumpus and
CALLED FOR HELP.
In just about one minute, or less time,
men began swarming about the we'll,
when Mahanna let up, and asked to see
the Sheriffs authority. MahaIna said
he wanted to take the drill off and return
it as 1t was q borrowed one. However
lie made no further attempts. which
judging from the expression of the faces
around was perhaps wise on his part, and
Deputy Sheriff Dunn was left in posses
sion. The impression seemed to pre-
vail that Mabanna wanted to let the drill
drop into the well.
This we'll question has been a source
OF considerable trouble, AID was likely
10 break cut in any torn at any time. To
had been leaking several months, when
the city and township jointly entered
the lowest piece of pipe, said to be q in-
ches in diameter, and repipe the well
from top TO bottom ll45 feet, with three
inch pipe. Water WAS turned off from
the city water works early in June, and
has been of ever since, causing an ex-
perience the people would be 10th to 90
through again, just at that time of year.
Work vas commenced by Maha ana with
set of tools. jar, drill and whatever
completes the set, borrowed from the
county outfit, at the Greenleaf we'll. He
got down within about 20 feet of the
bottom where this set of tools lodged.
The rope was cut. and he iished patiently
getting them out,
FASTENED ANOTHER SCI OF TOOLS
ON top OF the trst ones. This almost
entirely stopped the wells flow, and
nearly everybody bid good bye to Mil
ler's fine artesan we'll. However by
working with another set of borrowed
tools, the we'll opened up again ina cou.
very good flow of water ever since, bu,
Mahauna gave mp hope Of getting the
tools out and he could then get dowl
900 feet, OF about lSj feet from the bot
tom.
With this understanding a meeting o
the committee was called having th,
matter in charge. This committee, ID
II. Smith and A. 5. o er, Of the town
ship boaid. and A. S. Sayles, Of the cit,
board, met with Mahanna Monday even
ing Members OF the committee say they
agreed on the failure to complete wei
as originally contracted. and that the
sueg, sted to Mahapna TO throw up th
old con,ract. when they would enter in
ioanew oDe, TO pipe the we'll as II nov
is, paying what vas reasonable for sucl
work. They also say Mahanna refused
to do this, and said he would either Fl
the well and get all the price as original
" agreed upon, or he would plug it SO
tight that no one would ever get drol
Of water from it.
So the matter stood Tuesday, when
was reported that Mahanna bad given
mortgage to Fred Gerhard, OF st. Law
renee, on the 100 feet Of three inch pip
and one to his workman Johnson on fh
we'll rig. As Miller had q prior mortgag
on the outfit, it was taken charge OF b.
Deputy Sheriff Dunn, rs before stated
and remains thus at this writing.
WATER FLOWING.
Yesterday morning the citizens were
agreeably surprised when Deputy Sheril
Dunn, Fire chief Beasom and others sue
ceeded in making temporary connection
and started the water once more through
the mains, aud hydrants that have bee