The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-03-07
Brule County's Artesian Wells.
The Greatest II. the world

The artesian wells of BruIe county are the
greatest within given district in the world
greatest in size of bore, greatest i'll pressure and
greatest in volume of water. They are the
wonder of even the wonderful West and are at
tracing so much attention all over the country
that brief description of them seems apnropos
ut this time.
In early the days of Kimbal! un adequate water
supply for tae town was serious problem.
Chamberlain-at the west end of the county-
constructed n system of wa,cr.works by erecting
Il pumping plant on tho bank of The Missouri
and forcing the water to u reservoir upon the
bluits above the town. AS last resort Kimbali
decided to try for un artesian we'll This was
ten gear ago. At that time therc were outside
of Yanktnn county less Than II half dozen arte-
sian wells in the state, and situated kimball
is. upon the highest point between the Missouri
and the jim river grave doubts werr expressed
of ever striking II flow. But the we'll was a cue
cess, water mains and fire hydrants were put in
and complete system of water-works con-
structed ut n cost of less than $4,000, The ex-
pense of operating the system during these ten
years has been practically nothing and the re-
pairs on the we'll have not exceeded 500. In the
course Of few years Chamberlain abandoned
Its expensive pumping plant and also sunk an
arteslan well, and which has ever since fur
nished tho town with an abundant supply of
pure water.
From these initial efforts sprang a desire for a
greater water supply all over the county other
than that from the ordinary farm we'll. With
an abundance of the most nutritious grasses
known. climate unsurpassed, all it lacked Was
running streams to make it a., ideal stock
county and where the business could be engaged
IN on an extensive scale. Under tie operations
of II stnte law The county began the construction
of township artcsiaE wells--the township pay
ing one-fourth the cost, the county one-tenth
and individual holdings the remainder by
special assessment in proportion to benefit re-
celved, IN i've 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 OF
them is capable OF fcrcinG water through fifteen
miles OF bitches, the bitches being about tn,
size of ordinary meadow brooks. The county
now has over 800 mil les 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 S.
degrees aud as pure as spring water, without its
chilling effect. In addition to the running
streams, large lakes are frequent, tie one in
kimball covering % acres and atfording boating
and fishing in the summer. skating in the winter
and from which is gathered an abundance OF
the purest ice.
Daring the past two years irrigation expert
ments on small scale have been made by indi.
vidual farmers tapping the strcalas from tn,
township wells and with such wonderful success
that private wells aye now gong down all over
the county. \ few were put down last year and
nearly pnid for themselves with one crop. BY
the time tho planting season arrives in 1896 it is
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-
structed-one has already hoen completed--cost-
ing from 5000 to $4,000 each, in addition to
other private plants on q smaller scale. Owe,
10,OC0acres 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 and
flow from so to 90 barrels a minute.
ltis n peculiar featrra that in no other part of
the state-p or in the world, for that matter-are
| artaslan wells found of such uniform pressure
| and volume as IN Brule county. Wells which.
threw solid six or eight inch stream three feet
above the opening of the pipe are common. Tie
county appears to be located over the very heart
of tho great artcsian basin. Ore of the wells
recently put down in the county throws an eight
| inch column of water twelve feet above the
opening. During q test the stream was reduced
| to two inches and the tremendous pressure OF
| the we'll threw n stream of water 1862 Feet into
the air. The pressure Of the we'll ls l04 pounds
to the square inch and when controlled the well
deyelopes so horse rover. The flow from this
spouter is 1850 gallons miunte or 142, SO:
| b. rrels every q honrs,
| Think GIFT.
1 The artesian wells in l}Inlc county vary ir
depth from $50 to1 200 feet, but the average i:
less than 1000 feet. They are tcattered all oyel
the county and tits aow easy to estimate with
| in a foot almost at what depth flow will bt
struck. The wells range in cost from 81 coo tt
$1,000, depending upon size OF bore The cos
is largly determined by the labor and cost o.
fuel six inch wells capable of irrigating ca,
acres of land have been put down for $4,000.
/ The wonderful fertility OF prairie soil is
subject of discussion among all agriculturnlsts
The soil of Erule oonnty is not only the riches
known but very deep. The fact that the prairi,
countries have dry climate is not at all advers,
to coil fertility. 1t rather contributes to it
strength. Light and warmthare great fertil
lzers. Heavy and frequent rains nre destructiv
To fertility because the chemical properties o
the soil that makes it productive are hleachet
out and washed away and unless renewed b,
fertilizers the soil becomes sterile and unpro
ductiye. Irrigation, however, does not weaker
the soil, but strengthens it.
hrule county has raised some magniaoen
urofs of corn, wheat, oats, barley and vegetable
before artesian wells were thought nf. But TIN
advantage of having great volume of wate
ready for instant use in case OF immergenc
oven i'll any country wtirere .!:e rainfall is con
slant and regular in normal years is too appar
ant to enlarge upon. The climate, soil th
grasses, the absence Of deep snow and the wnte
supply makes stock farming and general farm,
ing in Brule county possible on grestss aral
and ut less nost than almost any spot On thi
continent Capitalists and visitors Arsf free j
stating that Brale is destined to be the tgssls
cuurty OF the Eurthwost, ss5SsS;