The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-03-14
Brule County's Artesian Wells.
The sreates4 1n tie world.


greatest within /; given district in the world
greatestin size of bore, greatest in pressure aud
greatest in volume of water. They are the
wonder of even the wonderful West and are at
tracing much attention ali over tho country
that brief description Of them seems appropos
at this time.
nearly the days of kimball an adequate water
supply for the town was n serious problem.
Cha,uberaiu-at the west end of the county
constructed a system of water.works by erecting
apnlnpiaE plant on the bank of the Missouri
and forcing the water to q reservoir upon the
bluffs above the town. As Il last resort Kmball
decided try for an artcsian well. This was
ten year ago At that time there were outside
OF fanktrn county less than n half dozen arte-
sian wells in the state, and situated kimball
is, upon the highest pcint between the Missouri
and the 5im river, grave donbts were expressed
of ever stnkirs low. Bat the we'll was sue
cess, water mans and fire hytirants were put in
and complete system of witer-works con-
structed at cost of less than 5000. The cx-
pense OF operating tbs system during these ten
years has been practically nothing and the re-
pairs on the we'll have not exceeded 800. In the
course Of n few years Chamberlain abandoned
its expensive pumping plant and also sunk an
artesinn we'll, aud which has ever since fur
nished the town with an abundant supply of
pure water.
From these initial efforts sprang a desire for n
greater wafer supply all over the county other
than that from The ordinary farm we'll. With
an abundance OF the most nutrihous grasses
Known climate unsurpassed, all il lacked wat
running streams TO make it M ideal stock
county and where the business could be engaged
in ON an extensive scale. Under tie operations
of township artesiar wells-the township pay
ing onc-fourth the cost, the county one-tenth
and individual holdings the remainder, by
special assessment in proportion to benefit re-
ceiSed, in five annual payments. Twenty Of
these wells have already been constructed, and
tl.eir magnitude will be more readily under
stood when it is stnted that nearly everyone O.
them is capable of fGrcinG water through fifteen
miles of bitches, the ditohes being about the
size of ordinary meadow brooks. Tho county
now has over 400 miles of running streams, IN
| addition to the Missouri on the border. No
| county in Iowa and Illinois is SO we'll supplied
| with running water. Tie water from the wells
! is of high temperature. varying from 20 to IS
| degrees and rs purc rs spring water, without it's
4 chilling effect. In addition to the running
streams, large lakes are frequent, the one in
| kimhull covering - acres and etfordirg boating
and fishing in the summer. skating in the ewlnter
| and from which is gathered nn abundance OF
| the purest ice.
Curing the past two years irrigation expert
ments on Il small scale have been made by indi-
vidnai farmers tapping the streams from the
township wells and with such wonderful success
that prvntc wells are now gong down all over
the county A few were put down last year and
nearly pnid For themselves with one crop. By
the time the planting season arrives in 1896 it is
safe to estimate that the county will have forty
artcsian wells all told, sending ont millions OF
gallons of water every twenty -four hours. -Four
extensive irrigation plants will have been con
structed one las already becn completed
Ing from s5,te9 to Sla,e01 each, in addition IL
other private plants on q smaller scale. Over
I10,000acrcs will be irrigated in 1896 from these
private wells, and all of the wells except one OF
two are six ard eight inches in diameter ant
t,ow from 90 to 60 barrels minute.
1t is peculiar feature that in no other part o
the state or in the world, for that matter-ar,
arteslan wells found of such uniform pressure
and volume Gs IN Brule county. Wells whicl
throw asolid six or eight inch stream three fee
above the opening of the pipe are common. Th
county appears to be located over the very hear
ofthe great nrtesian basin. Ore Of the well
recently pnt down in the county throws an eigh
inch column of water twelve feet above tn
opening. During II test tho stream was reduce
to two inches and the tremendous pressure c
: the we'll threw ST roam of water 1G2 feet int
the air. The pressure Of the well Is 10l pound
, to tho square inch and when controlled the wei
developes SO horse power. The flow from thi
spouter is 1850 gallons miuute or 1i2N
bsrrels every q honrs.
Think IF it!
The artesian wolls in BIule county vary i
depth from $50 to 200 feet, but the average
loss than 1000 feet. Tley are ccattered all owe
. . the county andit is now easy to estimate witt
= = in a foot almost at what depth flow will b
y struck. The wells range in cost from 81 900 t
. $1,000, depending upon size of bore. Tie CO,
: is iargly determined by the labor and cost {
. fuel. Six inch.wells capable of irrigating O.
! acres of lard have been put down for 50 coo.
The wonderful fertility Of prairie soil is,
7 subject Of disrussion among ail agriculturalist
. The soil of Brule county is not only he richie
: : known but very doep. The fact that the prair
countries have dry climate is not at all adser
to soil fertility. 1t rather contributes to i
strength. Light md warmth are great ferti
izers. Heavy and frequent rains are destructil
tofertilSty because the chemical properties
4 the soil tI,at makes it productive are blenche
Il ort and washeu away and unless renewed
O. fertilizers the coil becomes sterile aud nnpr
n ductive. Irrigation, however, does not weake
! the soil, but strengthens if.
a Brnle county has saised some magni6cel
IL crops OF corn, wheat, oats, barley md yegetsbl
Ia betoze artesian wells were thought Of. But Il
i advantage of having q great volume Of wat
n ready for instant use in case OF immefESn,
Il. even III any country whrere the rainfail y ~
Eant 10 sealsrge upon. Tho ciimate,
grasses, the sbsence 81 dssp snow ana shsSwat
supp,s iaakss stogk s mo far
z, ing ii Hfule count % al Sfes' scp
81 add at less cost ttban hinsost Apy spoid tfss'
8. continent. Gapitaliats md Visitors nse q.
aG ao stating that Drale il destigsd to DO tl
> county of the Northwest