The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-04-11
Brule County's Artesian Wells.
rhe Greatest ,n the World.

The artesiaa wells OF Brule county gre the
greatest within given district in the world
grcatcstin size Of bore, greatest in pressure and
greatest in volume of water. They are the
wonder of even the wonderful West and are at
tracing much attention all over the country
that brief description OF them seems appropos
at this time.
In early the days of kimball an adequate water
supply for the town was a serious problem
Chamberlain at the west erd OF the county
constructed system of wacr-works by erecting
Il pumpng plant on the bank of the Missouri
anu lorclns the water to reservoir upon the
bluffs above the town. rs last resort kimball
decided I" try for an artesian we'll. This was
ten year ago. 1t that time there were outside
OF Ianktnn county less than half dozen arte-
sian wells in the state, and situated n Kimball
is. upon the highest point between the Missouri
and the jim river. grave doubts were expressed
OF ever sttlhirg How. Bat tie well was a uc-
cess water mains and fire hydraMts were put in
ana Il con!'iet" system of water-works con-
structed at cost of less than $1,000. The ex-
pensc OF operating the system during these ten
years has been practically nothing and the re-
pairs on the well hnye not exceeded 800. In the
course OF few years Chamberlain abandoned
It's expensive pumping plant and also sunk an
artesian we'll, and which has ever since fur
nished the tGwn with an abundant supply of
pure water.
FrCm these initial efforts sprang /; desire for
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, Il climnte unsurpassed. all it lacked was
running streams to make it an ideal stock
county and where the business ceull be eugaced
in on mn extensive scale. Under IL operations
of state law The county began the construction
Of tiosy1ship artesiaii wells-the township pay
ing one-focIth the cost The county one-tenth
and individual holdings the remainder, by
special assessments, in proportion to benefit re-
ceiyod,i in five annual payments. Twenty of
these wells have already 6sen constructed, and
their magnitude will be more readily under
stood when it is stated that nearly everyone of
them is capable of fcrcins water Through fifteen
miles OF bitches, the bitches being R6.nut the.
size of ordinary meadow brooks. Tho cos.nty
now has over 300 miles of ruunin; 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 flom 20 to IS
degrees aud as purc as spring water without its
chilling effect. In addition to the running
Kimbail covering % acres and uffordins boating
and fishing in the summer, skating in the winter
AMI from which is gathered I'm abundance OF
the puIest ice.
Caring the past two years irrigation experi-
ments on small scale have been made by indi-
vidual farmers tapping the streams from the
township wells and with such wonderful success
that private wells are now gong down all over
the county. few were put down last year and
nearly paid for themselves with one crop. BY
the time the planting season arrives in 1886 it is
safe to estimate that the county will have f.rty
ar.esian wells all told, sending out millions of
gallons of water every twenty -four hours. Four
extensive irrigation plants will have been con-
structed --one las already been completed-cost-
ing from 5000 TO SI0O00 each, in addition to
other private plants on n smaller scale. Over
10.ooJacr will be irrigated in 1895 from these
private wells and all of the wells except one or
two are six ard eight inches in diameter and
flow from 80 to GO barrels minute.
1t is peculiar feature thnt in other part of
the state or in the world, for that ma,ter-are
arteslan wells found of such uniform pressure
and volume as IN Brple county. Wells which
| threw u solid six eight inch stream three feet
above the opening of the pipe are common. The
county appears TO be located over the very hear.
of tho great ar.esian basin. One OF the wells
recently put down in the count. throws an eight
inch column of water twelve feet above the
opening. During a test the stream was reduced
to two inches and the tremendous pressure Of
| the well threw n stream of water 162 feet into
the air. The pressure of the well Is 10l pounds
| to the square inch and when controlled the we'll
dcvelopes 50 horse power. The flow from this
spouter is 1850 gallons a miuute or l,2:s3
b.rrels every q honrs.
1 Think Of i'll
| The ar.esinn wells III BIule county vary in
depth from $50 to 200 feet but the average Is
less than 1000 feet. They are lcattcrcd all over
| The county and it is now easy to estimate with
| i'll foot almost at what depth n flow will be
| struck. The wells range in cost from 81 600 ia
S!,CGO, depending upon size of bore. The cost
is largly determined by tho labor and cost of
| fuel. Six inch wells capable of irrigating Gao
acres of lard have been put down for 81 900.
| Tho wonderful fertility OF prairie soil is 4
/ subject of discussion among ail asriculturalists
The soil of 'rule county is not only the riches,
known but very deep. The fact that the prairie
countries have dry climate is not at all adverse
to soil fertility. 1t rather contributes to its
strength. Light and warmth are great fertil-
izers. Heavy and frequent rains are destructive
tho soil that makes it productive are bleachec
out and washed away and unless renewed b,
fertilizers the soil becomes sterile and unpro
ductivs. Irrigation, however, does not weaker
tta soil, but Strengthens it.
\ Brule county has raised some maguificen
orors of coru, wheat. oats, barley ndyegetable
Z before artesian wells were thought of. But til,
advantage of having great volume of waite
ready for instant use in case of immcrgenc
even in any country whrere the rainfall is con
stant and regular in normal years is too appar
ant 10 enlarge upon. The climate, soil, tn
grasses, the absence Of deep snow and the waite
J, supply makes stock farming and general farm
inrin Brule county possible on greater seal
: and at less cost than almost any spot on thi
!. continent. capitalists and visitors are free i
!. istating that Brdle i destined to be tho garde
s county Of the Northwest.