The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-23
title: where are you going to get the

| Bend, had finished, his paper was agreed
to be one of the best heard.
| Taking the subject in hand, he declared
that the great plains constituted the grand
| avenue or main street across the center of
the country along which the warm south
ern winds and the cool northern winds
were forever passing and repassing- He
| said that there was sufficient water under
its wide strata TO flood the whole re-
gion. He also declared that water
could be procured from the great SHOWS
and condensation III the mountains aud
when the volume Of water is greatest, il
should not be allowed to 20 TO waste but
should he stored up He called mountains
the true rainmakers He proposed TO store
mp the great volumes Of wafer which come
from the mountains AZ certain seasons, By
F.: RAINING a canal from the Missouri river
southwark along the plains. aud TO store
! the waste OF liquid into reservoirs, dams
and artificial lakes. We not only intend
/ tn irrigate the earth, but also the sky.
/ notwithstanding, Mr.. Baldwin said, tina,
! the old folks called this desert, it has a
/ great rainfall. But il comes spasmodical-
I ly. In Persia and Arabia they never let a
drop of water go to waste: they store IL
for a dry day. All southwes, Kansas is
uuderlaid with what is equivalent TO a
lake or submerged sea of fresh water 1t
| only needs TO be raised to the surface to
more than supply the moisture needed.
COLONEL WILLIAM TwEEDDALE.s
Colonel William Iweeddaie, civil and
hydraulic engineer. OF Topeka, read a
very interesting paper, entitled: "irrlga-
ton in Westera kansas-Source of Sup
ply of Water. its Character, Mode OF Pro-
curement and Method of Application" 1t
yas a great treat 10 the amateur irriga-
zionist, as we'll as to veterans in the move
ment He spoke about what has already
been done in the line of irrigation. and
what can he done in the future. He gave
graphic description of the various sources
Of the water supply. classifying each, and
giving its character in said classification.
He told how it is procured now in many
places where irrigation Is in practical
operation. and how 1t is applied, and
with what results, all making a very
interesting narrative. Colonel Tweeddale
illustrated his paper by means of chart,
giving the contour of the country, etc.
RUSSELL HARDING.
Superintendent Russell Harding of the
Missouri. Pacific road was the next OH the
program His subject was "Undsrfiow
and Individual Irrigation" The paper
was read by Mr.. Harding's chief clerk.
Mr. Purdy. and his discussion of the sub
ject was received with the most profound
attention. His paper was a vely intelli-
gent one, both from a theoretic and prac-
teal standpoint. for Mr.. Harding has a
very wide experience in the matter or pro-
curing water in a vast area of that terri
tory which constitutes what is termed the
arid regions. He came to the convention,
represented by his paper, ripe with
the experience of his company
in procuring water for its train service in
the arid regions of Kansas. through which
the Missouri Pacific road extends. He
said that the company found, by its sys-
tenn of wells. the underfow inexhaustib!e
and procurable at depth OF from sixty to
700 feet. He said hat some scientific men
claimed that the underfow Of water ex-
listed only at certain level; he claimed
this to be mistake aud cited numerous
instances in his own experience TO prove
his assertion. He said water passed uDder
the surface of the earth at various depths.
and gave An instance in Texas, where, in
IA raviue, a we'll was sunk over 100 feet and
no water found, while well bored
in an adjacent bill forty feet higher
"A well was sunk a less depth aud an i'm
mense sheet OF water found. He said that
his theory WAS that the under flow water
followed the natural surface of the ground
and il carried on its natural flow on the
syphon principle. He advanced the idea
that committee OF the convention should
be appoint ed 10 prepare resolutions 10 be
submitted to congress asking for aid to
the extent of making a complete survey
of the arid regions of Kansas for the pur-
pose of ascertaining how the lands in this
arid regions could best be irrigated and at
what cost. He thought that should ali
ar her nf l.rE fail far
could resort to wind pumps, suggesting
that Kansas never fails to produce n
Zypher capable OF lifting water from the
unGerfiow to the surface He thought
by wiudmiiis the water could be pumped
into tanks and from there carried by pipes
aud bitches To the places desiring irriga-
ton This system is inexpensive and ef
fective, and can be prosecuted by nearly
every farmer for cost not to exceed S..
per acre per year. or $ cents per acre per
month, As each mill Viii furnish one inch
OF water for every two acres of ground
daily. This with the natural preclpita-
ton would furnish one IDch OF water AT
least for 100 acres OF land each month. Il
is mpossI bic in limited space to do ju--
tice to Mir. Hardings paper, As it Is
solid mass of argument and Information
from beginning 10 end. His idea, how
ever is under the circumstances existing,
10 have the farmers adopt the windmill
aud tank system. as most OF them are AL
ready supplied with that msaus Of lifting
water to tue surface.
ROBERT HAY
State Geologist Robert Hay in his ad-
dress referred TO the influence OF creek and
stream damming on the soil OF the ada
cent country When streams are damned
the uuderflow of water is very potential
in the growth of crops aud cited expert
ments made in Decatur county il support
Of his assertion. During the past two
years several dams have been construct ed
III these creeks and the improved quality
and increased quantity of the crops raised
in the adjacent bottom land demonstrated
the success of the experiment. He said.
however, that the under flow Of water
caused by this system should De judi
ciousiy managed or otherwise it would be
injurious rather than beneficial a.
the under fow should Dot rise
toe near the roots of tine crops.
The influence of the wafer
damned up IN this manner on the soil OF
the land adjacent WAS demonstrated by
the fact thai it produced bountiful crops
every wear whereS. other land hear by,
not Inf iuenced by irrigation of this nature
failed IA producing crop very often dur
Ing the same length o. time He said that
small things should not be dispised in
this day aud age and that irrigation of
this kind, while on a small scale, would