The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-12-31
MANY ARTESIAN
WELLS PROMISED

The new year is not only ushered in
with excellent prospects for activity
in all lines of railway construction. but
another industry which will call for
the expenditure of thousands of dol
lars within the coming twelve months
has been inaugurated-that of drilling
for artesian water in many parts OF
the valley. Since the drillers on the
BlaIock fruit farm met with such un-
qualified success in securing a big flow
farmers and promoters throughout the
valley, who need an unlimited sup
ply of water, have been considering the
proposition of sinking artesian wells,
and there are now three drills at work.
new we'll is being sunk on the
Blalock farm near the buildings for
use in emergencies for re-fighting
purposes and excellent progress is be-
ing made, weather conditions having
been favorable for constant operation.
Announcement was made today by E.
c. Burlingame, of the Walla Walla
Irrigation company, that machinery is
now being transferred to the site of
the company's intake from the Walla
Walla river, just below MeadOr park,
and that an outfit, prepared to go to
a depth of 1000 feet if necessary will
be in operation within the course OF
the next few days. The water thus
secured. in case the drillers are sue
cessful will be converted into the big
ditch of the company, which is to re-
claim thousands of acres of land in
the neighborhood of Gardena, and a
series of wells along the big ditch are
to be sunk in case an artesian flow can
be located at the intake.
u S. LOdgsdon, an experienced drill
er from Waitsburg, is now engaged in
sinking a shaft at Touchet, and a re-
port today was to the effect that at a
depth of 80 feet, water is pouring
from the pipe. although the real "gush-
err has not yet been secured. The
driller there is prepared to go down
more than a thousand feet, and it is
considered q certainty that an arte-
sian source can be gained
w. S. McCausland who sunk the
well at the Betz Brewing plant in this
city, but failed to get the water de-
sired, is engaged in sinking we'll on
the Eureka Flat ranch of Slime &
Paxton. and is now at a depth of 100
feet 1t is considered almost a GER
tainty that an artesian flow is avail
able at that point, although it may be
necessary to go to a depth hitherto
not of record in this section. In case
the Flat country produces a flow such
as is desired. all future troubles of
wheat growers for their water supply
will be over, and practically every
ranch will have such source within the
next five years.
Plans for a well on the knoll above
the state penitentiary are being con-
sidered, and it is thought probable that
the members of the board of control
who will be at the institution next
Monday at the sessions of the prison
board, will interest themselves in the
proposition, which looks feasible, for
better water supply at the prison. 1t
is believed that a "gusher'' could be
secured there at a nominal depth
though if the work is started, arrange
ments will be. made to go to any
depth necessary.
1t is not improbable that the well at
the Betz Brewery will be sunk several
hundred feet deeper in an endeavor to
secure the water, the demonstration of
the drillers on the Blalock farm having
convinced those interested that the
farther east the wells are sunk, the
deeper must be the shaft to tap the
underground flow of warm water.
With activity along artesian lines
SO marked, indications for the develop
ment of the new industry which means
so much to the Walla Walla valley are
bright and thousands upon thousands
of dollars worth of Improvement will
be added to this already favored cline
by the success attained in tapping the
practically ineXhaustible supply of ar
tesian water which underlies the val
ley