Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1895-08-29

mmunicatedl


Those who assert that oppose the
putting in Of water-works should read
the first paragraph Of my article pub
lished in the Herald and also the Teller
of the 25th ult. and learn that they are
mistaken. ! have always favored all
reasonable public enterprises, and have
cheerfully paid for such purposes my
due proportion of taxes; but cannot sit
still and quietly see the money of the
city squandered in an impracticable
and half-digested enterprise.
TO bring the water, as proposed
from the Griswold spring. win ulti-
mately result in loss to this city of
from $4,000 to $4,000. because the
plant in few years will have to be dug
ont and removed 10 the city and the
permanent structures abandoned.
In the report Of last March the COM
mittee advised that deep well be
sunk. In the statement of the COM
mon council Of the 18th nit, it said in
substance that it regarded the source
of supply as an open question, and
would employ a disinterested expert
and have him report on the availability
of the springs named and of deep
well, and would ascertain the cost in
each case of plant and the relative
cost of maintaining the same. and
would at all times invite the advice and
suggestions OF the people whose agents
they were. If any other source of sup
ply has been considered or any disinter-
ested expert employed, or the people
consulted, it is not generally known;
but as ] am one Of the people ! ask
respectful hearing.
In this place well can be sunk 500
feet deep for about 81, 900, and possibly
for less-not to exceed one-sixth of the
extra cost to bring the water from the
Griswold spring. But it is urged that
water. good for domestic use, cannot
be obtained in Lancaster from deep
well. Why not? Surely if good,
wholesome water has been obtained
from deep wells all around us, we
ought to find it here. Ny friends. do
examine and consider this as you would
any other important business matter.
Have you investigated the facts; or
rather have You not gone to a spring
and tasted and declared it good when
the taste is the poorest Of judges-and
gone to wells and tasted the waters,
and like the Jews declared that no
igood could come out of thatp 1t is
likely that some ~ you have done
these foolish things and come TO erro
neous conclusions. What are the factsP
Southwestern Wisconsin, Northwest
ern Illinois, Northeastern Iowa and
Southeastern Minnesota are in the
same geological district. The St. Pc
tiers is a water-bearing rock. The Pots
dam is the greatest of water-bearing
rocks The Potsdam crops out.in Cen
trail Wisconsin. and furnishes the flow
ing and deep wells from La Crosse and
Sparta south into Illinois. The bed of
the Wisconsin lies in it for hundred
miles. The ST. Peters is above
| with an impervious stratum between.
Statements have been received from
MAYORS of cities. superintendent Of
water-works or gentlemen well known.
of most of the wells within $50 miles
Of Lancaster, and some few have been
received from greater distance in II
Iinois. which ! shall refer to.
Janesville-Two wells. each about
1850 feet deep. about 500 feet in the
Petsdam, and about 500, 600 gallons
per day of good water.
Broadhead- Well 1902 feet deep.
struck Potsdam al 800 feet, furnishes
800 gallons per minute of not soft but
medium water.
Madison wells, $50 feet in Pots
dam, that a l4-inch main constantly
pumping cannot even lower below the
suction point The water is irst-class.
Mineral Point-Has three wells in
St Peters, 100 to 120 feet deep, fur
nishing an almost unlimited supply of
pure water These wells are below
the depot. where the rayine cuts down
about thirty feet into the st. Peters.
Monroe-Has now a we'll 610 feet
deep. of which 80 are in the Potsdam,
furnishing an abundance of good water.
| The springs and large aoell in The bottom
became impure md had to be abandoned
Prairie du Chien-1he Wisconsin
Geology says that the well, except the
sand at the top, was in the Potsdam
and was over 900 feet deep. and that
soft water was struck at q little over
800 feet. Horace Beech writes that
the water from the upper Potsdam vas
as pure as distilled alcohol and flowed
from the top of the well; but that they
were hunting for higher flow and
went down to over 600 foet and got it.
/ Some of the water he kept for over
year, and it remained clear and pleas
ant to the taste lie also writes me
that the McGregor water is of the same
class and the well went through the
same formations.
Richland Center-Well 751 feet deep
to granite H. Miner writes that Il
is used for domestic purposes and is
the best of water, and is not hard nor
quite as soft as rain water
La Crosse sunk a well in the Pots
dam and to the granite 573 feet deep,
got water to near the surface but not
/ flowing we'll The mineral waters