Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-24
THE IOWA ARTEslAN FELL.

THE IOWA ARTESlAN FELL.
! The United States geological survey
has very recently made considerable
appropriation for field investigation to
be conducted into the ground waters
of Iowa. northern Missouri and south
| ern Minnesota. 1t is we'll known that
underlying this region is one of the
! greatest artesian basins in the United
States. In Iowa especially there are
many famous wells from 1000 to 5000
feet deep that afford enormous
amounts of water flowing at high pres
sure, so high in some cases that towns
have. not needed to install pumps to
4 furnish pressure. Perennial foun-
tains that cost nothing for
maintenance can be found in
1 the public squares Clearly then the
great source of water for this coun-
| try is the ground. There is one fatal
defect, however, the water is generally
unfit for manufacturing purposes.
] however satisfactory it's quality may
| be for household use. The majority
of the waters contain ingredients that
damage manufactured products and
corrode or scale steam boilers. Untold
| in the search for favorable boiler wat
ers and great industrial enterprises
l!have been abandoned because the
search was unsuccessful. Nevertheless,
there appear here and there thruout
/ the region wells that supply excellent
water for all purposes, and this indi-
Gates that, were the facts concerning
the ground waters properly studied, the
depth at which this good water occurs
might be determined for each locality.
Thru the efforts Of several of the
congressman representing the region
above indicated, the United States
geological survey, thru its hydrograph-
ic branch, began some months ago
study Of the water bearing strata be-
meath the surface of the ground in
-
thorough examination of the quality OF
the water from each of the under
ground sources. 1t was found to be
purely an Interstate problem, the arte-
sian basin not being confined to the
state boundaries but extending over
all three. Therefore the problem could
h1Y oit h
of the states. Up to the present time,
| the sources of many Of the bad waters
have been definitely located as we'll as
some of the good ones, and it is en-
couraging to note that apparently in
| all parts of the region the good wat
| ers are available after proper exam
ination has been made of the condi-
lions that prevail.
The press bulletin issued by the
government calls attention to the fact
often advanced by the Times Republi-
can; that the natural resources of
southern Minnesota, Iowa and north
ern Missouri will not realize their
maximum development in agriculture
| alone, great as this industry has be-
come. The region should be the great
| west as it has a central location, ex-
ceuent railroad facilities and almost
innumerable sites favorable for indus
trial activity. There is, however, one
important difficulty in those states
which, until solved, will hinder or
prevent manufacturing development,
namely. the lack of good water sup
ply.
The economic Importance of the
work In progress can hardly be over
estimated. Cities and towns thruout
this region that have been obliged to
use bad boiler and industrial waters
can now look forward to the time
when favorable waters will be avail
able and industrial development is
likely to proceed with all the speed
regions deserve. The whole investga-
ton presents an instance of the prac
tical value of some lines of govern
ment Investigation. Here is an inter
state problem, never to be well work
ed out by the Individual states inter-
ested because the controlling condi-
tons are widespread and it is nee
.essary to consider them all before any
great amount of benefit can be OBJ
tanned.