The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-08-26
AANNANNNA
IF ALL the many things
which make one town diff

which make one town diff
ferent from another the dis
~ ~guishing feature as regards
3inita is her famous flowing
artesian wells, now numbering
Between fifteen and twenty. A
time there was when the great
est problem confronting the
town was the source from
whence water supply was to
he obtained, and like many mo-
gnentous questions the solution
was found by accident A lit
lie home company was formed
by George w. Miller to sink a
test we'll for gas or oil. In
Stead, artesian water was found
at somewhat over 500 feet depth
and after prosecuting the work
Several hundred feet farther the
Grill was stopped, the ,conclu-
sion being that they had a good
enough thing. That well was
subsequently sold to the Elec-
tric Light and Ice plant. Prev
ious to that time Cabin creek
hnd even the Neosho and Grand
livers were considered in con-
nection with our soon-to-be-
needed public water supply.
But the finding Of artesian
water quickly changed the situ-
ption. Without waiting for the
city to act on the subject of
water, save that she has sunk
pne public well in the center Of
Ne business section, fifteen or
twenty wells have been OF are
being put down by private en-
terprise and at a uniform depth
Df a little over 500 feet the same
! strata Of water has beentapped.
In some instances wells are
owned individually, but gener-
ally from three or four to a
dozen families have Joined in !
the expense and benefits, the
city granting permission to lay |
pipes on streets and alleys at a
depth Of Is inches. For this
latitude this depth is considered |
sufficient to be safe from frost.
The fiat price for drilling a
well may be said to be $3.50, |
though the drillers will not COW
enant to go more than 600 feet
for that sum. For a greater
depth the price is 81 80 per foot.
The uniform pressure of these
wells is 35 pounds to the square
inch. This is sufficient to con-
vey the water to all parts of the
houses in which it is installed
by direct pressure, correspond
ing with the Holly system, with
the simple expense of piping.
What has been done by indi-
viduals is now on the eve of
being elaborated and made COM
Rlete by the city, an election to
vote on the proposition of issu-
ing 500, 900 of waterworks and !
$4,000 of sewerage bonds be-
ing called for the 24th of this
month. tits gratifying to state
there is substantially no opposi-
ton to the measure. Three
artesian wells are provided for
with the employment of the
standpipe syGcem.
Aside from the public con-
venience thus provided it is
promised by the insurance COM
panies that a considerable re- ]
duction of premiums shall fol-
low the installation of a COM
plete system Of waterworks. I
This viii go far towards COM
pensating the slight tax as in ]
terest and sinking fund, a tax
which will fall, it is expected in {
a few years, on not less than ]
10000 people.
The quantity of water which {
the wells of the city would dis !
charge in an hour is not known. [
Most, if not all of them, are so
cased that the discharge is !
through a two inch pipe and if
permitted they flow a full stream /
with the pressure stated. The 3
Marks well, sunk by a local de- y