People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-06-16

Nlnnescdn river AT Santh re, low wafer. H.
Wellington, old depot north OF town. :. "A #.
In summing up the whole matter,
Prof. Haworth's accommodations are:
First, that Wellington obtain its
water supply from the Minnesota
river at the Santa Fe railroad cross
ing at Belle PLANE; second, that We'll
lingtOn obtain its water supply from
wells in the river valley at Zyba,
Prof. Haworth's description of the
geologic conditions Of Wellington are
interesting. Wellington rests upon a
heavy bed Of shales known to the &C.
OlogiSt as permian shales. These
shales extend in north and south di.
rection for hundreds of miles reaching
northward into Nebraska and south
ward into Texas. Eastward they
crop out on the eastern slope Of the
Flint hills, and westward they pass
under the red beds and extend TO an
unknown distance. Thirty years OF
experimenting has failed to discover
any but small quantities of water
highly mineralized and wholly unfit
for domestic use. On top Of these
permian shales to the northwest, lies
4 covering OF tertiary and pleistocene
sands and clays, which cover nearly
the whole Of western Kansas. The
various streams rising in the tertiary
area or passing through the area are
well supplied with clear, pure water
furnished by innumsrable springs and
seeps. In this way the Ninnescah
river Is supplied SO that its water
never fails in the driest weather.
These tertiary and pleistocene sands
and clays are great water bearing
strata, but they do not extend any
nearer Wellington than Zyba, Occa-
slonally an abandoned channel or
drainage stream may exist that would
supply comparatively large quantities.
Slats creek at one time flowed through
such channel, where the Rock Island
depot Is now located. The channel
coaleSces with the present channel of
the creek, about two miles south OF
the city. This sanded area supplies
water for the well at the Rock Island
depot, and for various wells in the
southwestern part Of the city and for
a few farmers to the southwark and
northuard, but the supply is limited
and inadequate for the city's use, its
source OF supply being the local rain.
fall.
frOl. Haworth says that il a we'll
located at the Rock Island station
were pumped constantly at the rate
OF 100000 gallons per day during the
dry season, the whole area supplying
water would be exhausted very quick.
lJ. But as this particular sand area
reaches farther to the southeast. ad-
dltlonal water could be obtained by
having largo number of wells locat-
ed from 800 to 1000 feet apart at va
rlous places TO the south. However.
the excessive pumping at any one well
would soon drain the area tributary
10 1t and the same thing would happen
at each additional we'll.
Ii this sand area we're connected
wltha tertiary sand area to the west
where the underground water covers
so many thousands Of square miles.
the source OF water supply would be
beyond comprehension, but thorough
investigation shows that the sand
area is not continuous and therefore
does not connect with the tertiary
sand.
ANY citizen of Wellington can read.
lily confirm this view for himself by a
Few hours investigation to the west
OF the Rock Island depot. Here a
great ridge Of shale completely limits
the western extension of the sand and
passes southwark to the very walls of
the Slate creek valley, completely
shutting off any connection to the
west, leaving the Wellington sand area
an Isolated area that can obtain no
water from any source whsteve.
other than local rainfall
In concluding his review Of the
geologic condition Of Wellington and
Its Immediate vicinity, Prof. Haworth
very strongly recommends that the
city refrain from the expenditure Of
any funds whatever In further pros.
pecting this area with the hope, OF
securing q source OF water SUNNY any.
where nearer than Belle PLANE or
zyba.