The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-09-24

has increased greatly in recent years
assumed that $50 gallons per capita
will be the general average cOnsump
ton, being 80 per cent mere than the
detailed calculation would indicate.
1t is unfortunate that NO means are
at hand TO determine the present &C
tual per capita consumption at Walia
Walla, but $50 gallons should be az
ample average suppl;, and if the son.
sumption is more than this amount
| the only remedy will be meters.
know of no cities in the west using
| more than this amount, except Spo,
kane, which has a larger per capita
| consumption than almost am city in
tie United States.
Assuming per capita consumption
of $50 gallons, we would require tor
Walla Walla, with $4,000 inhabitants
an actually daily supply of 3,750,00
gallons.
Source Of Supply.
The first consideration to be met
after the purity Of the supply is deter
mined, is the quantity Of water avail
able; the kind OF plant to be built and
the probable cost Of the completed
plant.
Thomas Springs.
The deporits made in stream chan
nel5 and overlooked plains are usually
composed Of irregular layers of bOWld-
ers, gravel, sand, clay, etc, through
which the stream waters percolate.
The waters in the pervious layers is
sometimes under moderate pressure
and will rise to the surface when
wells are dug.
This is the condition we find on the
Thomas ranch, with Mill creek as the
source Of supply for the percolating
waters.
An attempt has been made to de
velop water on the Thomas ranch by
means Of infiltration bitches. This is
an excellent method Of conducting the
percolating water Of alluvial deposits
to the surface. The object in obtain
ing a water supply from such a
source is that the perviOus beds are
usually irregular and Of small extent,
and the water supply being furnished
by the stream which deposits the bed
varies with the volume of the stream.
No one can tell. without making prac-
teal tests, such as have been made
on the Thomas ranch, whether a
strong flow Of water is going to be OBJ
tanned or not.
While do not approve Of the man
ner in which the infltration bitches
were constructed Oh the Thomas
ranch, l think there has been enough
work done to demonstrate, without
question, that a sufficient quantity
Of water for the needs Of W7alla Walla
can not be had from this source.
The quantity at present obtained
about 700 600 gallOns-might be meas
urably increased, (possibly to twice
its present discharged by a proper
construction of the infiltratiOn ditch
eS, but the results are doubtful and
the cost Of development would bel
very expensive. 1t is my judgment
that the infltration pipe bitches
should have been laid at a much
greater depth on the actual base OF
the water carrying strata and at an
giles Of 90 to 40 degrees with the di-
rectiOn OF the slope, trending up
stream. Had this common rule been
followed, l have no doubt that the re-
suits would have been much more sat
isfactOry from an experimental stand
point, but the supply would not be
equal to your requirements for water
works purposes under any circum
stances. Another class Of under
ground water, is water under pres
sure. When we'll reaches such a
water horizon, the confined water
rises and we have
Artesian Wells.
The United States geological sur
vey has the following to say relative
to artesian wells in the Walla Walla
district: In the valley Of Walla Walla
in a general westward line connecting
the cities Of Walla Walla and Milton
Oregon, there is an absence Of can
yons In this region. also, there is a.
least one clay stratum interbedded
with the basalt, but no evidence of the
presence Of layers Of sand has been
obtained This is the only region
south Of the Snake river which sug-
gests the possibility Of obtaining arte-
sian water at reasonable expense
Even in this region the certain meth
Oh OF utilizing the abundant surface
water is much to be preferred to the
uncertainty Of attempting to obtain
flowing wells. The geological cOndi-
tons in the valley Of the WalIa Walla
are not such as to warrant the predic-
ton that success would follow the
drilling Of a well, but simply that
there is possibility Of success
Since the above report was made, q
we'll has been drilled on the Blalocll
ranch hut tho rpyl11Tc yyhi1a oroi rorr