El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-08-27
WATER FOR DESERT MINES.
A Question of Much Importance in the
Southwest.

/
Southwest.
| The various sources of supply from
distant rivers springs, tunnels in
| the mountains, and wells are generally
| located at varying distances from the
mines. rendering a pumping plant nee
| .essary, says the Mining and Metal
lugical JOurnsl. Pumping water to a
mine in the desert sections OF the
southwest is a branch of the Industrial
which is not so much a drawback as
many would suppose for it is a known
quantity.
The problem of keeping wet mine
free from water, and conteudipg with
IN ever-increasing water flow in a wet
mine is much more troublesome, diff
ficult and exp Ansive operation, and
one which there is gene rally little or
no profit, unless the district as a dry
one like the southwest, where the
water can b. used for mining and mill
ing purposes. 1t is, however, generally
the case that deserg mines are dry, aud
water has to be transported from the
nearest source of pure supply.
Given pure water supply these ques-
lions are easy of solution, and the
trOub'e is liquidated in short Orde-. by
the use of the various well known
classes of pumps.
question is one of cap tai on hand and
amount. of water required and distance
it has got to be piped. There are, how
ever, many sources of water supply in
the southwest, where the wster is aka
line or salt to greater or less extent.
Such water is unfit for domestic pur-
poses, steam use, gold mill supply. and
concen trating some ores. 1t is there
fore necessary to purify such water.
and make 1t available for domestic and
al mining applications. There are so
many large districts in the southwest
where this condition of salt water sup
ply at present is not made use of, and
the mining interests of these sections
are in consequence neglected and I'M
developed, and tn . necessity of sys-
tenn of water distillation for these see-
tions is the only n cans possible of ak
ing such sectors large ore-prod ucing
camps.
The impurities in the water are
generally larger or smaller proper
tons of common salt, sodium chlOr-
ide) sodium sails, (carbonates and sui
phates) magnesium salts. (sulphates
and carbOnates) and in many instances
lime borates, iron, arsenic copper, etc,
when present in varying quantity
render the water poisonous to both
man and animals In some instances,
the mineral impurities, such as borax
and soda salts might be made to ay
part of the expense of distillatiOn. The
use of evaporatOrs and condensers, to
produce good water from sea water on
ship board, is a well known operation.
The economy of the plant required
renders it well adapted for use at
numerous placs in our large desert
sections, where wood for fuel can be
obtained.
There are many stations on our num-
erous lines of railway where plant
of this kind could be operated with
more economy than by hauling water
in tank cars for a hundred or more
miles, to supply the station employees
and locomotives, as the salt water at
these points is unfit for use under pres
emit conditions. When the usual price
of drinking water is cents a gallon,
the value of an economical plant for
the production of a domestic supply of
water is necessity which any one
with the most incomplete knowledge
of our desert districts can appreciate.
To those who are, however, well &C
quainted with the posi- bilities of many
camps, where the supply of alkaline or
salt water is large, and fresh water has
to be hauled along distances. the nee.
esSity ard value of cOndenSing plant
can be properly estimated. The ranch
ers borde' ing on the desert are also
interested in this subject, and a con-
densing plant for domestic use would
make thousands of points habitable.
where at the pre- ent time no one can
live for lack of pure supply of water.
From these facts it can be seen that
this subject is of the first Importance
to the settlement and mining develop
ment of the south western states.
Fifty million bushels is the estimate
for the wheat crop of Kansas. This is
the largest crop since 1891 or 1892.
The corn crop will be what is called
fair one in that state, and there are
81 100000 bushels left over from last
year. The average yield of potatoes is
over twenty five bushels to the acre,
which will make a crop of 25, 600, 900.
For the first, time in many years Kansas
eally has a fine crop of most agricul-
tural products and the farmers are
happy. More than that, they are pay
ing off their mortgages and taking care
of back interest, which the east never
expected them to do. Politics have
almost disappeared in the face of the
goodness of Providence in sending such
crops to reward the farmers. The oc
cupation OF the professional politician
will be gone.-(Chicago Chronicle.l
About 200 bicycle riders who took a
1 to- H. Il