The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-09-30
ARTESIAN WELL CUSHES FORTH ON
R. B. RICE FARM ON STRAWBERRY
PROMISE OF 800 GALLONS PER MINUTE
MEANS MUCH FOR MORROW COUNTY.

An artesian well flowing $50 gal
Ions per minute is the result OF days
of drilling by w. D. Newton on the
R. B. Rice farm in the Strawberry
section 16 miles north of Heppner.
Although no measurement as to the
exact depth of the we'll has as yet
been taken, it is estimated to be in
the neighborhood of 600 feet. Mr..
Newton states that owing to leaks
in casing, which is only temporary,
only small portion of the water now
comes to the surface. After the well
is properly cased it Is estimated that
the flow will be increased to at least
500 gallons per minute.
Can you imagine dry land farm
er in north Morrow county out with
hoe and shovel, working desperately
to keep the water from flooding his
premises and undermining house and
barn? This is just exactly what Mr.
Rice has been up against the past few
days, since the new we'll was un-
capped. Not suspecting anything of
this nature to result from the well
drilling, naturally he was unprepared
to cane for all the water Mr.. Rice
has excellent land on his place which
will be made highly productive by
the tapping of this underground
stream of water.
If there is one man in the entire
county who has had a hobby, you
might call it hobby, for any man
who accomplishes things worth while
in this old world usually has hob
by, it is W. D. Newton. Since COM
ing to this section some three years
ago. he has been laughed at and call
ed dreamer, and all because of the
fact that he saw possibilities of ar
tesian wells in this county and more
particularly in the dry land section
of the county known at "the banana
belt" Upon his arrival here, Mr..
Newton purchased land in north Nor
row and through the aid and advice
of Mrs. w. D. Newton began to work
out the proposition of artesian well
water. AS he says, II started it as
an experiment and hired the drilling
done, but soon found that the ex-
perience would come to me at a
cheaper rate by going into the drill
ing business myself" Hence, Mr..
Newton became an expert we'll drill
er and his tremendous success has
resulted, not from guesswork, but
from the study of geological condi-
tions as they axist in Morrow county.
The proof is the % wells he has drill
ed since going into the business.
There was not we'll whicl produced
less than 1000 gallons per day. but
the results from the drilling on the
Rice farm have in way vindicated
Mr.. Newton, for the most persistent
knocker must cease his hammering
after taking look at this beautiful
stream of water gushing out of the
ground from that eight inch pipe.
Some might consider the contract
between Mr.. Rice and Mr.. Newton
as being unique inasmuch as Mr.
Newton took all the chances. He
guaranteed to produce a well suffi
cient for irrigation purposes or was tt
receive no pay for his work Of drill
ing.
1t was lucky day for Mr.. Rice
when he met Mr.. Newton and WI
might add that 1t was lucky day fol
both when they got together on thi!
well drilling proposition. This is thu
second we'll Mr.. Newton has drilled
on the Rice farm, and he is confiden
that the first we'll will give stronl
flow above the ground as soon as i
is encased. The water now rises Il