The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-04-04
Brule Colnty's Artesian Wells,

Bfule C0untyS ArteSlan Wells.
The Greatest II. the World.
Tie artesan wells of Brule county are the
greatest within Il given district in the world
srcatestin size of bore greatest in pressure and
sreatcstln volume of water. They are the
wonder of even the wonderful West and are at
trhctlDg so much attention ull over the country
that n brief description Of them seems appropos
at this time.
In early the days of Kimbell an adequate water
supply for the town was a serious problem
Chambcrain--at the west end of the county
constructed q System of water.works by erecting
pumping plant on the bank of the Missouri
and forcing the water to reservoir upon the
hlufts above the town. As Il last resort Kmball
decided tn try Tor an urtesian we'll This was
ten year ago. At TINT time there were outside
OF fankt"n county less than huif dozen arte-
sar wells III the state. and situated Il Kmball
Is, upon the highest point between the Missouri
and the Jim river. grave doubts were expressed
oil ever striking flow. But tho well was Il rue.
cess, water mains and fire hydrgnts were nut in
ana complete system of wutcr-works con-
structed at cost of less than $1,000. The ex-
rense of operating the system during these te,
years has been practically nothing and the re.
pairs on the we'll have not exceeded 500. In the
course OF a few years Chamberlain abandoned
Its expensive pumping plant and also sunk ap
artesian we'll, and which has ever since fur
nished the town with an abundant supply of
pure water.
From these initial efforts sprang [; desire for o
greater water supply all over the county othe,
than That from the ordinary farm we'll. With
an abundance of the most nutritious grasset
known, climate unsurpassed, Ill it lacked WA
running streams to make it ~, ideal stock
county and where the business could be engagec
in on an extensive scale. Under tie operations
of state law The county began heconstructioI
of township artcsinE wells-the township pay
ing one-four,h the cost, the county one-tentt
and individual holdings the remainder by
special assessment in proportion to benefit re-
ceived, in five annual payments. Twenty Of
these wells have already been constructed, and
their magnitude will be more readily under.
stood when it is stated that nearly everyone o.:
them is capable of forcing water through tifteei
miles OF bitches, the bitches being about tn.
size of ordinary meadow brooks. Tho count,
now has over 800 miles of running streams, i.
addition to the Missouri on the border. NJ,
county in Iowa and Illinois is SO we'll supple,
with running water. TIE water from the we'll
is OF high temperature. varying flom 20 to s.
degrees aud us puro as spring water, without its
chilling effect In addition to tho runninr
streams. large lakes are frequent the one il
kimball covering y acres and affording boatin.
and fishing in the summer. skating in the wlnte,
AMI from which is gathered an abundance oi
the purest ice.
Caring the past two years irrigation expert
meIlts on u small scale have been made By indi
vidnal farmers tapping the streams from tn
township wells aud with such wonderful success
that private wells are now gong down all over
the county. y few were put down last year and
near'y paid for themselves with one crop. B..
the time the planting season arrives in 1896 it il.
safe to estimate that the county will have forty
artesian wells all told, sending out millions OF
gallons of water every twenty-four hours. Four
extensive irrigation plants will have been con-
strncted-one las already been completed cost
ing from 5000 to $4,000 cach in addition t,
| other private plants a smaller scale. Oyei
10000 acres will be irrigated in 1895 from thes,
private wells, and all of the wells except one OF
two are six AID eight inches in diameter ano
flow from go to SO barrels minute.
1t is peculiar feature that in no other part OF
the state or in the world, for that master-aff
artes,an wells fonnd OF such uniform pressure
and volume as IN Brule county. Wells which
throw solid six or eight inch stream three feet
| above the opening of the pipe are common. Th.
county appears to be located over the very henr,
| of the great nrtcsian basin. Ono of the well,
recently put dowl, IN the county throws an eigh
inch column of water twelve feet ubove thu
opening. During Il test the stream was reduced
to two inches and tho tremendous pressure G.
| the well threw a stream of water 1G2 feet int
1 tho air. The pressure of tho well is 1Ci pounds
| to the square inch and when controlled the vel
developes 50 horse power. The flow from thi
spouter is 4,33d0 gallons n miunte or 1895
b'rrels every q honrs.
4 Think Of it,
The artesian wells in BIule county vary il
depth from $50 to 200 feet, but the average Il
| less than 1000 feet. They are Lcattered all owe
the county and it is now easy to estimate with
| in faot almost at what depth u flow will b.
struck. The wells range in cost from $1,000 t,
| $4,000, depending upon size of bore. The cos
is largiy determined by the labor and cost o
fuel. six inch Wells capable of irrigating 81
acres of lard have been pnt down for 5000.
The wonderful fertility OF prairie soil is
subject of discussion among all agriculturnlists
Tho soil Of Brule county is not only the riches
known but very deep. The fact that the prairi
countries have dry climate is not at NIL advers
to soil fertility. 1t rather contributes to it
strength. Light and warmth are great fertil
izers. Heavy and frequent rains arc destructiv
to fertility because the chemical properties q
the soil that makes it productive are beache
out and washed away and unless renewed b
fertilizers the soil becomes sterile and unprs
ductiye. Irrigation, however, does not weake
tile soil, but Strengthens it.
Brule county has rnised some nagnifcer
crops of corn, wheat, oats, barley and vegetable
before artesan wells were thought of. Buttll
advantage of having Il great volume of wate
ready for instant use in case OF immergenc
even il, any country wiirere the rainfall is col
3 slant and regular in normal years is too appa
4 ant TO enlarge upon. Tho climate, soil, II
q Rfssses, the absence Of deep snow and the wat.
81 krpny makes stock farmirg and general farn
ing in Brnie county possible on a greater sca
Il md at less eost than almost any apot on til
scontinent Capitalists nnd visitors are free
stating that Brdlc is destined to bo the gard,
.r,,unty j ot ths NORTH eg7Fss-