The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-15
Believes Underflow in Western
Kansas Can Be Developed.
Senator Has Made a Thorough
Investigation.
WILL ASK FOR HELP.
Hopes to Interest Government
in Problem.
Did Not Talk Politics While in
the West.

Senator Charles Curtis has spent
four weeks in western Kansas and
would have visited other counties in
the northwest part of the state but the
storm prevented him from doing SO.
Mr.. Curtis said he was agreeably
surprised at what he found the peo-
pie in the various sections in western
Kansas were doing and had done to
develop the underfloW and the efforts
they were making to secure water
necessary for irrigation and he further
said that the result of the experiment
so far made should be encouraging be
cause they had demonstrated that
there were underfioW springs or veins
which would supply plenty Oh water
There are several counties where ir-
rigation plants had been put IN ana
good crops produced TINS year from
fields that were irrigated.
Mr. Curtis said he found the people
of western Kansas not only deeply IN
terested in the question but very actlNe
and doing everything possible to dem
onstrate they have the water IN the
l1nderf1oW and show the people what
the soil will do when irrigated
He said the people of western Kan
sass were not only entitled to the con-
CALCULATIONS of the people of the state
and nation. but were entitled to the
assistance from both in their effort to
ascertain the extent of the underdoW
and demonstrating Just what could be
done and in determining the best
methods of raising the water 70 the
surface. That he believed when proper
information was secured and the best
methods were determined that a great
part of the vacant lands IN western
kansas would be occupied.
Several years ago the geological
people, at the request OF MT GURUS,
sent a man to northwest Kansas TO
study the underf1ow, another man was
sent to the southwest part of the state
to examine into the plan of the storage
of the food waters and last July a man
was sent to examine and report Oh
the artesian wells in Morton county
on his trip Mr. Curtis visited the
artesian wells in Morton county ana
he spent some time IN other couIles
where an effort is being made to find
artesian water
At Goodland gas was found at
eleven hundred feet but no test has
been made so the extent of the gas
rrbere are two small wells near
C,oodland from which reports are CONS
ing in In various sections the people
have found at least Two goou IloWs,
the first is found at from six to one
hundred feet and the second at from
thirty to two hundred and seven Ieet,
depending upon the locality The hrSt
flow is quite strong in some places and
furnished water for irrigation of quite
large tracts of land In other places
it affords only enough water Tor use
in the houses and for the stock.
and lin most places inexhaustible and in
a number of places large tracts have
been successfully irrigated from it
There seems to be no specific plan tol- !
lowed for the raising of the water In !
some places various kinds of engines are |
being used and in other places windmills !
are depended upon
Mr. curtis believes with a proper report !
and suggestions from experts, such as are |
employed by the geological survey, Il |
general plan would be followed for the |
cfra wing of the water from the various |
flows. and that such plan would Of |
great value.
The object of his visit to western Kan
sas was to secure full information in re |
gard to the various flows and find out |
IS being done in each county to develop |
the underflOw for irrigation purposes.
While he does not know what can be |
done. vet he hopes with the data he has |
secured and that he expects to secure /
later from the counties he was unable to |
visit to be able to get the geological sur
vey to send corps Of men to the west |
ern part of the state to carefully invest- |
gate and report SO that definite infOrma- /
ton may be had and given in a public re-
port on conditions in each county in that
section of the state so that the people |
may be informed as to just what amount |
of water can be secured from each flow.
how much land can be irrigated from the /
same and the best and cheapest method /
OF securing the same
Such a report would enable the people |
TO know what they could do and if the |
by them then the matter could be pre-