The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1903-07-25
WHERE WATER IS boarded.
Western Australia Building Pipe Line
to Desert Gold Mines.


desert east of the fringe of fertile
grain lands and timber along the
sea was not supposed to be worth a
cent a square mile. The desert was
wholly unknown, except that a few
explorers had made their toilsome
way over the immense expanse of
;and; a few Others less fortunate had
persisted in these forbidding wastes.
Then it was found, says the New
York Sun, that this Sahara was real
" to be the treasure house Of the
colony. The precious metal dug out
Of these sands has made the gold prod
uct Of western Australia equal to that
Of all the other states in the common
wealth. Gold has helped this diyi-
sion Of Australia to become one of
the lustiest members Of the British
colonial empire.
Around the great mining center in
the desert $4,000 people are living
It's natural to ask how they get
water to supply their needs. Thefact
is, water is an extremely scarce COM
modify there. 1t probably does not
bring so high a price in any other
part of the world. Salt water is OBJ
tanned without much difficulty by dig
cling, but the cost Of c%ondensing it
to procure fresh water is so costly
that every pint must be carefully
used. There is an occasional shower,
and every house and tent in the min
ing district is supplied with tanks to
catch the rain water; but it is an un-
reliable source of supply. The result
is that every drop Of water must be
h%usbanded.
We have no idea here, where water
seems almost as free as air, how care
full they are in the mining region OF
western Australia to put every drop
to the best use. 1t is not comfortable
to be compelled to use water as
though you never expected to have
another pailiul. The Inconvenience
ard discomfort due to this cause are
a terrible drawback to that region.
and nothing less than the greed iol
gold would induce any one to submit
to the incessant deprivation.
To-day western Australia is hare
at work to remedy this great need
and to supply the C~oolgardie and Kal
g%oorlie mining districts with a gooC
supply of water. The total cost of the
work will be not less than $4,000,
600. but it will solve the water prob
lem.
About 25 miles northwest of Perth
neal the sea and the capital OF west
ern Australia, is the Green Noun
range. The Helena river crosses thi
range through a deep valley. dan
100 feet high has been built acros
the. liver, and the reservoir thu
formed is seven miles in length AM
will hold 1000, O00,0 gallons. Iii
neccs airy to lift the water 1900 fee
to the top of the mountains in orde
to give it sufficient Roadway to reac.
he gold camps out in the desert
The distance to Kagoorlie, the far
thest camp to be supplied, is 80
miles. The water is to be raised t
the mountain top by means of eigh
pumping stations, the machinery fo
which has been purchased at a cos
| of 81, 100000.
At the summit Of the mountain
the pipe line begins. 1t is 30 niche
| in diameter, and is laid a little unde
the surface along the railroad tract
except that in crossing various sa.
lakes on the route it is supported o
. piers. 1t is hoped to deliver from tn
r reservoir to the mining camps 5000
600 gallons of fresh water dali,
/. Even with this amount Of water it
not expected that the mining populi
! ton will have a crop to waste. The
t will have to pay a good price for /
4 The charge to the miners, for exam
5 pie, will be $3.50 to $1.75 per thol
e sand gallons at wholesale rates. "
e should probably have little stree
+ sprinkling, and garden hose woul
: become obsolete if we had to pay
5 high a price as this for the preciol
e fluid.
1 1t is not expected that the probe
: will become self-supporting for son
time. The plant is to be owned |
the state, and the deficit must be pa
out of the general taxes. Even if Il