Rocky Ford enterprise., 1894-11-08

bio; d. Rock Canon; e. Canon City.
1t will be seen that Rocky Ford is
probably nearer the bearing sand
stone than Pueblo. but all will concede
the difficulty of telling at Just what depth
the sandstone will be reached.
Prof. Gilbert says that the rocks under
Rocky Ford will be easy to bore, and
that no casing need be put in until the
well is completed, as the rocks are hard
enough to keep the well in good shape.
The object i'll casing will be to keep out
water Of kind not desired. and also pre-
vent the water wanted from flowing off
into crevices above.
From the examinations made Prof.
Gilbert concludes that nrtesian water
can be obtained at Rocky Ford at from
800 to 1900 feet, most probably 1000
feet. At the conclusion OF Prof. Gill
bert's talk hearty vote Of thanks
was given him for valuable inform
alton furnished in such an interest
ing and pleasing manner. AS soon as
the election excitement wears of, which
will be very soon, the artesian well mat
ter will be taken in hand by our citizens
and some definite action taken or the
project abandoned.
At the last meeting of the artesian we'll
Co., VIM. Matthews was appointed a
committee Of one to obtain all available
information bearing on the probability
Of successful artesian wells in Arkansas
valley. In the performance Of his duty
Mr.. Matthews wrote a number Of letters,
the answers Of two of which we give be-
low:
L. G.. Carpenter, professor Of engineer
ing and physics in the State Agricultural
College, Fort Collins, wrote Mr.. Mat
thews as follows:
"RegnrdiDg the finding of artesian
water, which shall flow at the surface, I
am sorry to say that the prospect Of OBJ
tainiDg any quantity seems rather poor.
At Pueblo the flows are not great. At
Fort Lyon a well was sunk to consider
able depth with very slight flow from
depth Of about 100 feet. This is u.s.
ually reported as having had no flow.
Tho amount of information we pos
sess is limited, it is true. As have be-
fore stated in a report on the Artesion
Wells, that unless there are local basins,
which is possible in various places, and
is true Of the Valley near the state
line, the prospect is poor. If your COM
munity should go into it, the safest way
in order to avoid disappointment would
be to count it as an experiment, without
expecting return other than the inform
alton obtained Of the strata underneath.
II then you do not find water, you will
not be Disappointed; il you do, it will be
80 much to rejoice over"
In answer to Mr.. Matthews letter. F.
H. Newell, topographer Of the u. S.
Geological Survey, whose work has been
in Colorado for several years, wrote as
follows from Aberdeen, South Dakota:
"At this distance I fear that cannot
give you any advice Of value. 1 am
studying the artesian wells here and find
3D. many things which need further ex-
PLANTATION that I feel that man must be
very cautious in such matters. In fact 1
should hesitate a long time before putting
much money into an experimental well
as so largo a proportion are failures, and
unless very carefully drilled nnd cared
for the life OF successful well is quite
short.
1 have written to the Washington office
asking il Mr.. g. X. Gilbert, our geologist
now near Pueblo, cannot come down to
see you. Possibly the matter can be ar
ranged. He knows more about the rocks
Of that vicinity and their probable con-
tents than amy other man, besides being
without doubt the greatest Of our geolo-
gists."