Mesa free press., 1898-06-03
v. D. NORTON. A.P P.sHEwMAN,
MORTON & SIIEWMAN
n
Publishers
POSSIBILITY OF ARTESIAN
WAFER IN HE SALT RIVER
AND GILA VALLEYS.

.,ess ,At-s (PreIimiuary ReportJ T
Water aa 4 widely distributed min
eraf forming the larger part OF che
earth's surface, flowing both above,
through and between the rocks. and
in wide regions of the gloho existing
in the solid state, as rock, probably
falls III the purview of the geologaNt.
| When, also, we consider the fact that
the presence of water ID essential to
organic life. and that without It's
presence, liz considt trabte quantities,
even the ordinary Industries cannot
exist, we see that It IL paramount IN
importance. Those who lave lived
oaly in regions where water IL always
in abundance ran scarcely appreciate
the condition Of q region in which
water is rare and hard to obtain. In
such regions while water is not abun-
II 1e = 4 j ~ I ~
dapt on the surface here may be
and usually are, underground sources
and reservoirs in the rocks. Under
such conditions 1T is peculiarly the
province Of the geologist TO iilvesti-
gate and to ascertain If possible where
aud in what quantity, such snbterra-> :
mean hidden stores of the precious
hnid exist.
In the province of Artois, France,
the the underlying rock formations
are disposed ina BASIN like form. They
may be compared 70 a series OF basin
like layers or dishes one within an
other and varying in their capacity
for holding water. some Of the lower
layers being permsable &c water and
the layers above being impermeable.
Obviously if the lower permeab!e lay
ers are filled with water it is held
there under pressure, and If tapped
BY bore hole it will rise to the SUR
face and overflow, provided the upper
edges of the pervious layers holding
water are higher than ths top of the
bored well. Such conditions exist in
Artcis and the wells. so bored are
known as artesian. The sane name
is applied in the United States TO all
bored wells VIII th.r the Water reach
I'D by the boring rises above The snr-
face or not. In this report the term
is used in liz original and more re-
stri.tive ser s-.
NOTES UPON THE GEOLOGY OF THE SALT
RIVER AND GIsA VALLEY. i
Time and opportunity have not
beer adequate 10 the breadth and i'm
=. rtance of this euhject aud t"e fol-
lowing not-s are to be regarded AS
slslnty contributions to our knowledge
Of the great area covered under the
.irle OF the Salt River and Gil. Val
Il lry. 1t is also to be understood that
the few obserrations made Of ths rock
formations were conilel chirhy tc
the region north, south and east OF
Mesa, and within a radius Of twenty
miles from that point.
MT. MCDOWELL AND HILLS NORTH OF
TIE VALLEY.
As seen from Mesa and frou Tenn
~ the hills and mountains on the
north Of the valley appear to form q
continuous range, but exploration
shows that they are much broken and
char the topography is poorly repre-
sented on any Of our maps. Cave
Greek cots through these mountains
| on the west and the Verde OH the
east. Nearly opposite the mouth of
the Verde OF it's confluence with he
Salt River. the isolated mount n
known as Nount McDo we'll is nd ID
landmark. This mountain was mad
ed IN honor of the late General Irvi
Mcdowell, OF the United States ar
my. for whom the military post 0
the Verde few miles above was alsl
named
McDowall mountain is formed Of