The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1911-09-16
l20 GALLONS A MINUTE
ARTESlAh WELL HISTORY
Dcknson End Deep Well Success lncreasng
3rd Started This Week. Will Materially Reduce Operating Ex
penses How Mandan and Dickinson Lost Money in Deep
Well Drilling. Coal Veinsin Bowels of Earth

The water question for Dickinson COM
mences to look food, and Supt.i W. j.,
Littlehales smiles when asked about the
matter. Mayor johnson and several 81
the city aldermen have visited the
waterworks plant the past week and all
express the belief that the present arte:
sian wells are goine 10 furnish q never
failing supply Of especially good water.
AS stated two weeks ago. the second
artesian we'll is 203 feet deep. The
water is found in about SO feet of clear
water sand and is very similar to the
water in the first artesian we'll sunk two
months ago and which analysized so
good. The water raises 145 feet. or
within So feet of the surface. 1t is
yielding 130 gallons per minute, or 49,
600 gallons every 10 hours This is
enough to more than supply the entire
demands of the city at the present time.
The we'll is about 1000 feet west of
the waterworks, on the north pipe line.
thus saving all expense of laying new
mains. The we'll man set his auger in
an abandoned surface we'll. sunk to a
depth of 100 feet two years ago, and by
going down 203 feet is able to get per-
manent supply of water.
A third we'll was started on Monday
about 800 feet south of the power house
on the west side of Sims street, also on
the line of mains previously laid for the
shallow wells If no accident occurs
this we'll should be completed another
week.
The first artesian we'll was sunk just
a few feet from the U.s. 900 gallon reser-
voir at the waterworks. This is on
lower land and the permanent supply of
water was found at depth OF 143 feet.
Water sand was found after passing
through layer of sand rock much the
same as in the second well. only at a
less depth. When the air lift pressure
was first applied the yield of water was
As gallons per minute but as it cleared
the flow increased to 70 gallons. - =. The
we'll has been in use for about two
months and has supplied seven-eighths
of the water used in the city during this
period.
If the present plans carry, the fourth
we'll will be put down this fall, and
then the city will have supply for any
emergency and ample to meet the
increasing demands of several years.
One of the things that the city will
need very much another season is 500.
600 gallon concrete reservoir at the water
works. The present reservoir holds but
100. 600 gallons and, the water tower
tank IS, 600 gallons, and in.case Of gen.
eral confagration in the city, the reser :
voir supply of water would be exhausted
in two or three hours. OF course the
engines at the plant could supply over
200 gallons per minute direct from the
wells but that might not be enough in
an EMERGENCY.
At present the air lift system OF
pumping is used at the water works. but
the manufacturers of the Hill "trip Pump
advise that they can take three
times as much water out of the wells
and at half the present cost with thei,
system. and they may be given chance
to demonstrate the fact without expense
to the city, at a near date. -. BE-.
Now that the supply of water is
assured. Supt. Littlehales wants to give
more attention to reducing operating
expenses and eventually to make the
plant pay out. He was able in August
to make q reduction of $102.66 over his
July operating expense.
The old surface wells, eight in mum.
Der, rot to point last spring where
they would only yield 200 gallons Of
water in "a hours, requiring two shift.
of .workmen. The pumping was moi
economical under those conditions AND
the plant was operated;ata slight los.
to the city and the users could not Gel
| the water wanted.
When W. J. Littlehales took hold oi
the city water plant nearly three year
ADO. q system Of deep surface wells wa.
jim nee, the deepest beina but 100 feet.
The supplywas increased for q time by
tedding occasional wells. until the ;num
Der reached eight. Last season the sup
ply dropped off and in May and June o
this year the city faced very serious
problem. 3s
Mr.. Littlehales was formerly superin-
tendent of water service on this division
Of the Northern Pacific and knew that
the artesian strata had been found a,
Sully Springs, Medora and Allard. a
depths Of 200 to 500 feet. and he ureet