The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-18
"A NEW SOURCE OF POWER.
Underground Streams Are Used in
South Dakota-The Plans.
From the Street Railway Revue,

Underground Streams Are Used in
South Dakota-The Plans.
From the Street Railway Review.
The artesian well district of South Da-
kota is located in the valley Of the James
river, covering tract about forty miles
wide and 200 miles long. The James river
is about half way between the Missouri
and the eastern boundary of the state.
| The water bearing rock is found at from
300 to 1000 feet from the surface.
The reasons for thinking that the sup
ply Is practically ineXhaustible are based
both on the theories advanced by the
United States government biologists and
on Observed facts in connection with the
sinking OF wells. The government theory
is founded on the fact that the same stra-
tum in which the water found outcrops
IN the beds of the Upper Missouri and
Yellowstone rivers, and the base of the
Rocky mountains. The water sinking in
this porous stratum of rcck, follows it for
hundreds of miles, until tapped by the
South Dakota wells. 1t has long been he
lieved that there is more water in the
Missouri river above the Great Falls than
there is thirty miles below. For twenty
five or thirty miles below the falls the
| river bed is composed of the same sand
formation in which the South Dakota
wells get their water.
II this theory is correct, as it probably
| Is, the supply of water to these wells may
be looked upon as inexhaustible-at least.
| as much as the sources of our Rocky
mountain streams. During the June
rise In the Upper Missouri river. the
| pressure in the wells rises. No diminu-
tion in presence has been noticed in any
OF the wells in the district, except by
clogging up with mud due to improper
piping. The city well at Redfled has
been down seven years. Its pressure has
been constant, although numerous other
wells have since been sunk at no great
great distances from it. The well fur
nishes direct pressure system of water
works, supplying all the domestic needs
OF the city, and so great confidence is
placed upon the pressure and supply that
the hre department requires no fire en-
glnes. The closed pressure of this well
is IN pounds, and cost for maintenance is
absolutely nothing.
About mile and a half distant is
another well, used for running an electric
light plant and for irrigation A descrip-
ton OF this well will suffice to give a fair
idea of all. 1t is 1000 feet deep, and six
inches in diameter from top to bottom.
When closed, the pressure is 1876 pounds.
When allowed TO flow freely through the
6-inch pipe, it yields 2,O27 gallons per
minute, and rises to a hight of sixteen
ADSe Al NuS all w ntu ln6 WdleE Is
escaping through 2-inch pipe the well
pressure is 12S pounds, and with 28I-
inch opening 80 pounds. From this it Is
estimated that with 4-foot Pelton wheel,
oO-horse power would be developed with a
PINCH opening, and 100-horse power with
"a inch. With the plain understood
wheel at present in place, 50-horse power
is developed, and it is calculated that
about 10 more is available with it, The
flow is absolutely steady. This will cost
about 5000.
AT Chamberlain 100 barrel -four mill
and light plant, formerly run by steam. is
now using "well-power." These two
plants were started in September, 1888.
AT Huron well is about to be sunk by
the city, for electric lighting purposes.
The first electric light plant in the state
run from well is at Mellette a town of
400 inhabitants. 1t is safe to say that
very few plants in the world are doing
paying business in so small place. This
plant is thriving, however, and has con
nected 10 4-ampere arcs and 1850 16-candle-
| power lncandescents. The well is only
~ inches in diameter from top TO bottom.
but 1t operates besides the electric light
plant. a flour mill, which grinds. 1850 bar
rels Of -four day and so bushels of feed
per hour. This work would require an
engine 40-horse power. The well is $40
feet deep. Its pressure when closed IT'S
pounds. The flow is 1000 gallons per
minute
Electric railways are already being
! considered, to connect farms and small
villages with larger railroad towns. The
most feasible of the plans proposed is to
take lands in tracts OF about four sections
and sink two S-inch wells at the middle
OF the tract, which would be divided into
thirty-two farms of eighty acres. The
| water from both of these wells would be
used for power and afterwards for irriga-
tion.
The power from one well would light
and heat the hamlet OF thirty-two fami-
lies, and the other would run an electric
railway connecting with the large towns.
Considering that the water is used for
irrigation, IL is probably the cheapest
power for use in small quantities in the
world. The outlay for an S0-horse power
well is, as was seen, about S. 900, the in
terest on which would be 81, 25 per horse
power per annum. This with the inter
est and depreciation on the water wheel
Is the only expense for primary motive
power, aside from labor A $500 or S4OO
building gives the wheel and dynamo a
good shelter.
The repairs 10 water-wheel ought 10 be
almost zero and the skill Of the men en-
ployed for attendance does not begin 20
be that required in a steam plant.
Judging from the fact that superb syna
gogue has just been dedicated az ST. Peters
burg u would appear that the persecution OF
lue hebreWs ny the Car ~ not altogether 30
terrible as has been described. The Kyna.
gogue ~ constructed iu ornate Oriental style
hhd ar the dedication ceremony there were
present "a large humber OF 0nleiRls u nigh
rank