The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-02-24
in conjunction with this is why are

our Wells causing to flow or to furn-
ish as much water as they formerly
did. The answer to this problem
can be stated that the loss is due to
one of the following causes. First,
there may be tapping by erosion of
this porous sandstone somewhere,
down the valley of the Missouri. Sec
ondly, there may be a leakage of
these wells out into some subsurface
layer OF rock through which the
water can pass. Thirdly, the Quanti-
ty of water from the surface flow
has SO reduced the pressure as to
cause the lessened flow. OF these
possible causes the first is the less
probable. The second may be true,
but certainly not universally so. The
third is certainly responsible for a
portion of this great decline. If the
first were the cause, then We are
not responsible for we could not help
it, but if the second and third are the
causes, then surely we ought to be
able to do something to check the
enormous loss.
What is the most feasible plan?
With our present knowledge of the
subject, it surely would be Reasonable
for the state to insist that all wells
subsequently drilled should, when
they are piped, have these pipes
wedged tightly down into the imper-
vious rock which overlies the Da-
kota sandstone. This would prevent
any subserface leakage as long as
the pipe remained in good condition,
and in the second place there should
be a requirement making it incum-
bent upon the owner of all new arte-
sian wells, as we'll as those which
are now run, where it is possible, to
have stop-cock at the top of the
pipe enabling the owner to either
shut off or shut down the flow to the
minimum amount necessary for the
preservation of the we'll.
This we'll question is so vital to the
interest Of South Dakota that we
should not allow ourselves to be in
different to any measure that might
relieve us of the impending danger
that seems to overshadow the great
artesian we'll basin of South Dakota.
have been especially requested to
speak to the members of this Con-
gress upon the subject of coal beds
in our state. There are few topics
of more universal interest at the
present time to the people of our en-
tire country than the one of fuel
Coal is the most important, not only
of the non-metalliferous, but of the
economic products in America. 1t is
more valuable than gold and silver
combined or greater than iron and
copper, and brings us more wealth
than oil and gas. Coal, as it exists in
this country, may be divided into
three classes, first, anthracite, which
is the highest grade, secondly blum
nous, and third, Ignite. This last
is the grade found in South Dakota
AS to it's origin; 1 can make it ner-
fectly clear by saying that in the
first place coal was ordinary vege.
table matter, aceses, ferns, and even
trees, for the trunks of large trees
have been found in some of our coal
beds. The second stage in the devel-
opment of coal formation in that
condition which We call peat. This
material is familiar to us all as be-
ing the constituent found in many
swamps, not only in our own coun.
try, but especially those of Ireland
and other countries of the old world.
The third stage in the development
is Ignite coal which, as a rule, con-
tains about fifty per cent of water
and variable amount of ash. The
next step we call bituminous which
is better grade than Ignite and
not so good as the nfth stage which
Is known everywhere as hard or an
thracite coal. 1t has been suggested
by some that still great modiflca-
ton in this series has produced the
well-known substance called graphite
or black lead, the material of which
our lead pencils are made, and it
may be possible that the highest and
most specialized form of this carbon
series in the crystal condition called
the diamond. Whatever may be true
of the two last named subjects, the
intimate relationship of vegetable
matter, peat, Ignite, bituminous, and
anthracite coal can not be question
ed. It is not altogether certain just
what are the steps and the agencies
which have brought about this won
derful transformation from ferns and
leaves to anthracite coal. A number
of theories have been suggested as
possible explanation for the origin of
the series. 1t seems to be the con-
census of opinion by those who have