La Junta tribune., 1913-04-19
srusss' PUMPING PLANT.
Model Farm Of Nearly 1000 Aeres
viii be Irrigated From Pump.
ing Plant.

Developing the waste places Of
Colorado by pumping water supply
from the underground sta that
seems To underlie the territory ada.
cent to the Arkansas river has been
the dream OF many promoters, but
none Of the dreams came true until
w. II. Stubbs. ex-governor of Kan
sas, and his brother, j. f. Stubbx.
of Lawrence. Kan. woke up one
morning and found themselves with
1000 acres OF undeveloped aericui-
tural territory on their hands with
no water available to make 1t bloom
and blossom.
The Stubs ranch Is located thir.
ty-five miles west and trifle north
OF La Jun'a, ON the north side Of
the Arkansas river and about six
miles north and east OF Fowler.
The headgate OF the Catlin canal is
only half mile away from the
Stubbs' pumping plant. The Stubbs'
ranch consists OF 1879 acres In one
compact body. and until two years
ago II was practically virgin terri
tory. and had been since the days
OF Adam. The pumping plant was In
and since that time abou, 600 acres
OF land have been brought under
cultivation, As the supply Of un-
derground water seems to be mnlim.
tied. It is the intention to install
two additional pumping plants during
the present year, and have the entire
1923 acres under cultivation In the
shortest period OF time possible. II
Is proposed to make a model farm OF
the Stubs ranch. and In time to
have the entire tract OF nearly 1000
acres In alfalfa Six hundred acres
are already under cultivation. much
OF II In alfalfa. and this fall II is
the intention to break up 100 acres
of virKta territory and plant the en-
tire trsct in winter wheat
The stubbs' pumping plant was In
stalled two years ago M an expense
OF about 5000 II is equipped with
forty horse power gasoline engine.
costing 81 $50. and has been In use
every day for two years with n loss
OF less than two days time during
that period for repairs. u has been
operated for period OF two weeks.
day aud ngiht. without being shut
down There are two lifts at the
pumping plant-on~ Of twelve feet
and another of rcyeDteen feet. aud
there is only five cents an hour dif.
fersnc. IN the expense of operating
the two lifts. For lifting the water
twclv. feet the expense IL fifteen
cents an hour. and for the seven
teen foot lift twenty cents an hour.
tn" capacity II the well Is nine c,i.
bic feet per second Of time. and II
pumps at this rate. night aud day.
without lowering the level Of the
water IN the well. II does not seem
To make any diff.rcnc. whether the
river Is hank full or dry. the capa.
city of III. well Is Just III. same
under either condition.
Tn. engine IL operated with dis.
itiiai. oil. which costs seven cents
PER gallon. gasoline being used only
when starting the engine. II In
claimed that this sinxi. pumping
plant. working TO It's full capacity ~
nine cubic feet per second of tim"
VIII furnish sufficient water TO irri.
ga'" sso0 acres four times = year nj
an expense of 81 per scr"-on IN.
lsasta that \ cubic font of water per
second II sufficient tn irrtxmte 100
acr~S. II this h true. pumping for
irrigation Il tho cheapest proccss.
and with = never failing supply. like
tho Stubbs' project. II better than \
siIs.cds~d water right In the hcst
canal system In tho Arkansas Valley.