The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-11-11
Our Artestan we1ls.

succeeding several partial crop failures
in Brule county. when as many were
leaving for lack Of water for stock pur-
poses as from any other canse, and it
appeared to be a question of artesian
wells or "hust," there was considerable
excuse for blunders and IA wasteful use
of public funds growing out Of haste
though not by any means to the extent
to which it was done.
Now, however, all is different. The
value Of the artesian wells is as apparent
as ever, but no possible excuse remains
for anything but the most business. like
proceeding in forwarding tile work al
ready begun.
The county now has ten good wells
and only n partial failure has been re-
corded in all the work done.
1t has been thoroughly demonstrated
that all that is required to complete a
big artesian Wallin Br4le county is skill
and a proper understanding of the work.
If q failure or partial failure or delay or
mlshap Is incidental to work on a we'll it
is the fault Of the contractors, and no
part Of the expense of such mlshap should
be borne by the county.
In palmer words, when the county
shall have fulfilled it's part on existing
contracts not another contract should be
let except with the provision that the
contractor will furnish a we'll complete
for so much m0ney-eXactly as per the
contract with Mr.. Miles for the new we'll
in Willow Lake.
Mr.. Miles agreed to furnish this we'll
complete for $4,000, and Furthermore,
guarantees a satisfactory flow of water.
The we'll is nearly completed and it looks
at this whiting as though the county
would rot only gain another good well.
but that Mr.. Miles viii make a good
thing also. At any rate, if the we'll isn't
a success the county will not be out any
thing.
Herein lies the difference between this
kind of a contract and some others. The
other we'll in Willow Lake, which was
drilled within a few feet of the new one
and turned out to be a failure, cost the
county-or more properly speaking, will
cost the township Notwithstanding
like $4,000 for which they will not re-
cieve a particle of benefit. The contract
for this we'll, like others, called for casing
and coal to be furnished by the county;
and tho worst of it is. tho contractors
under these kind Of contracts were adj
vanced money from time to time. So
that in event Of failure the county was
out almost the entire cost of the we'll.
Happily the Willow Lake we'll is the only
failure, and as Shakespeare says, "AlTs
we'll tina: ends WELL" nevertheless
some Of wells have cost 5000 or
$4,000 under such kind OF contracts,
just about double what they should
have cost. No one knows this better
than the commissioners. and the present
board have for the past year or so been
working hard to get this artesian we'll
business down to business principles,
and we understand do not propose to let
any more contracts for wells except
where the contractor furnishes every
thing. 1t is to uphold them in this de-
termination and to strengthen their
position that this has been written and
not to find fault with what has been done
and what cannot be undone and which
cannot be laid directly TO the present
board, The mistakes and bad manage
ment started a long time ago and it has
taken time to grow ont Of them; and, as
said at the beginning Of this, we are ali
willing to overlook much in consider
alton of the largely experimental
character OF the undertaking to supply
Brule county with an abundance of sur
face water. But the experimental stage
has been passed, and the commissioners
can be assured of hearty and unanimous
support if they adhere to their resolution
to stop work entirely rather than pay
two prices for a we'll.