Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1906-10-18
Good Flow Secured Last
Week at a Depth of
Only FifB-Six
Feet.

"A fine flow OF artcSiau water was
struck few days ago at a depth
of fifty-six feet in a we'll drilled |
on the premises of L. S. Marriott,
in this city. The six-inch pipe |
with which the we'll is cased pro-
jects about thirty inches above the
surface of the ground, and from
this the water flows swiftly, being
carried away in a stream eight
inches wide and two inches deep.
There is a Slight taste of soda in
the water, but this is believed to
come from the surface and will stop
as soon as the sediment settles
tightly around the casing.
While it has been expected that
artesian water could be obtained
here, finding it at such slight
depth is surprise. This well will
probably be drilled deeper and will
doubtless be followed by others, thus
settling the question of an adequate
supply of pure water for the town.
In this connection Colonel John
c. Freemont's account of his first
visit to this locality, while on his
exploring expedition to Oregon in
1643, may be of interest. He says:
SIN about six miles from our en-
cammpent we reached one of the
points in our journey to which we
had always looked forward with
great interest-the famous Beer
Springs. The place in which they
are situated is basin of mineral
waters enclosed by the mountains,
which sweep around circular bend
of Bear river here at its most north
ern point, and which, from north
crn, in the course of few miles
acquires a southern direction to-
ward the Great Salt Lake. A pretty
little stream of clear water enters
the upper part of the basin, from
an open valley in the mountains,
and, passing through the bottom,
discharges into Bear river. Cross
ing this stream, we descended a
mile below, and made our encamp-
ment in a grove of cedar, immedi-
ately at the Beer springs, which,
on account of the effervescing gas
and acid taste, have received their
name from the voyageurs and trap
pes of the country who, in the
midst of their rude and hard lives,
are fond of finding some fancied
resemblance to the luxuries they
rarely have the fortune to enjoy.
although somewhat dissapoint-
ed in the expectations which various
descriptions had led me to form OF
unusual beauty of situation and
scenery, found it altogether place
of very great interest; and travel
er for the first time in volcanic
region remains in a constant excite
ment, and at every step is arrested
by something remarkable and new.
There is a confusion of interesting
objects gathered together in small
space. Around the place OF en-
campment the Beer springs were
numerous; but, as far as we
could ascertain, we're confined en-
tirely to that locality, in the bot
tom.
'Tn the bed of the river, in
front. for a space of several hun
dred yards, they were very album
dant, the effervescing gas rising
UP and agitating the water II
countless bubbling columns. In th'
vicinity round about were numerou:
springs of an entirely different ane
equally marked mineral character
In a rather picturesque spot, abou
1900 yards below our encampment
and Immediately on the river bank
is the most remarkable spring of the
place. In an opening in the rock
white column of scattered watei
is thrown up, in the form OF a Je
mingled with spray, to variable
height of about three feet, and
though it is maintained in con
slant supply, its greatest heigh
is attained only at regular intervals
according TO the action of the fore
below. 1t is accompanied by
subterranean noise, which, togethe
with the motion of the water
makes very much the impression G
steamboat in motion; and
without knowing that it had bee
previously SO called, we gave
the name of the Steamboat spring
THE rock through which it
forced is lightly raised in conve
manner, and gathered at the open
ing into an urn-mouthed form
and is evidently formed by a cor
tinued deposition from the water
and colored bright red by oxide
iron. 1t is a hot spring, and tn