Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-08-01
WINDMILL ECONOMY
ANCIENT DEVICE OF GREAT
VALUE IN MODERN TIMES.
WATER IN ABUNDANCE
Irrigation Possible on the Plains
Of the Arid West and Stock
Afforded Drink-Some Good Work
by the Government Very Little
Appreciated.

1t is interesting in this age OF new
ideas, when steam and electricity are
SO much in evidence. to notice how
some of the older methods of obtain
ing power are still proftably en-
ployed. Take for example the use of
the windmill. Nobody known when
this useful device was invented. 1t
is rurnored that the old Romans knew
Of its use, and there is another story
that the SaTacens introduced it into
Europe. But while the early history
Of the windmill is shrouded in un-
certainty, we do know that it came
to play so important part in the
little kingdom of Holland as TO be
considered a national necessity in
keeping that courageous nation out
Of the hands of the sea.
In Holland Wind-millS are used 70
get rid OF water; in America they
are employed to produce it. Out on
the great plains in Kansas. Dakota.
Iowa and the adjoining states. an
ideal place for wind-mills where the
country lies fiat, and the winds sweep
uninterrupted for miles, the land
scape is fairly dotted with them.
They are all sizes and kinds. some
tall and graceful, others placed low
and resembling huge paddle wheels
with the lower half housed, and the
upper half catching the wind? A
number Of the larger ones grind corn
or do ether similar work, but the
majority are engaged in pumping up
water, for the needs Of the stock and
the irrigation of the land. from the
exhaustless supply below the ground.
Of course each pump can bring up
but a small amount of water at
stroke, but it is astonishing to see
how much this little aggregates in
the course of year
An estimate has recently been
made of the capacity of a windmill
running ten hours a day for six
months from an interesting report on
wind-mills and their use, issued this
year by the United States geological
survey, which is studying The great
plains to make available these rich
underground water resources. 1t was
found that an average wheel. twelve
feet in diameter. with the wind blow
ing sixteen miles an hour is capable
of pumping 1920 gallons an hour,
1920 in a day of ten hours. =, 900
each month, and 3,456,O0O gallons in
six months. This is the work of only
one wind will. Add to it the work Of
| hundreds and thousands of others,
and realize the vast amount of water
brought into use by this means.
1t is difficult to appreciate the sig
nificance of this work and the value
of the windmill as a factor in the
development Of the country. It
means in the first place an abundance
of water for stock and irrigating
| purposes, and water always means a.
great increase in the productiveness
of the land. This is followed by an
| increase in values and the pos
sibilities of large population; bigger
| crops and better prices, and more
| business and Increased earnings for
| the transportation lines. This is
what the wind-mills are helping to do
| in America.
Government and Our Rivers.
1t is not generally known that the
government, through the United
States geological survey, has been
| making a careful study of the rivers
and the underground water supply
of the country. So important has
this work become, and so helpful to
many widely diversified interests,
that special branch, known as the
division of photography, has been
organized to conduct it. This division
has been in existence since 1888, and
is pushing it's Investigations as
rapidly as the appropriations will
admit. Broadly speaking its work
consists of a careful inspection Of
the habits and behavior of rivers, !.
e., the variation of the amount OF
their flow throughout the year and
from year to year. This entails a
study of their drainage basins and an
accurate measurement of their dis
charge. The knowledge thus OBJ
tanned is the necessary foundation on
which all enterprises contemplating
the use of rivers must depend. In
the east many rivers valuable as
source of water supply are under
examination. In the west for these
purposes also and for irrigation, they
are being measured. The very i'm
portant matter OF river pollution is
one which demands the same initial
Investigations, and the government is
rendering it's assistance 10 check and
avert this growing evil. Out on the
great plains, where the rivers are few
and the rainfall is light, the under
ground we'll waters, so necessary to
the inhabitants, are mapped and thus
made available.
A number Of states in different
parts of the country have seen the
vale Of this work and have made ap-
preparations to have it continued
within their own borders more
rapidly and fully than the govern
ment alone could afford to conduct
it. The country's water resources,
which are among the greatest g
possesses are practically inexhausti-
BILE and have but just begun to be de-
veloped.
. The Cannibal Chjef-You say you
are going to give me batter pudding