The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-08-26
The Geological Survey-Important Pub
lie Service Which Requires Stout
Hearts, Strong Limbs and Indomit-
able Perseverance.
able Perseverance.

company that was interested in III,
development of that region. The ran
road man said that the greatest dill
Guilty lay in the lack OF water, as ever
wells We're of necessity of great deptl
and hard to get.
why don't you 20 after artesiar
water?' asked the explorer, who was
as are all of them, geologist.
If we could get II 1t would be the
making of the country" said the rail
road man.
1t is a mere matter of boring" said
the geologist, THE water will be
warm and my tables will tell you the
depth at which it will be reached"
The two men conferred over the de-
tails, report was made to the head
quarters of the railroad and it flnanc-
ed the first well. At the depth pre-.
dicted by the geologist a magnificent
artesian we'll of hot water was en-
countered. Others followed. The
town is now abundantly supplied and
! even its houses are heated in winter
with the water from these wells.
How the GeoIosist Knew.
! The geologist knew of the existence
Of this flow Of artesian water because
he had explored all that region from
the Mississippi to the Rockies and he
knew the secrets of its formation He
knew that at a certain depth there
was a stratum of rock extending under
this whole country. He knew that
as the Rocky mountains had grad
ually pushed themselves up they had
elevated the western end of all this
rock floor Of the plains 1t had come
to the surface where the mountains
broke through. Back of that break
the rain fell and the SHOWS Of Glacier
park find their way into the earth be-
low this layer of stone AS they start
down the mountain side they are
crowded always deeper into the earth
They lie just below this stratum of
rock The pressure of the water above
them caused them to seek an outlet. If
the rock is punctured in South Dakota
the water that got beneath it in west
ern Montana will gush forth. The well
proved the wisdom OF the geologist.
These official explorers go into the
wilds every summer Just now there
are score of them scattered about
the map where least is known of the
conditions that exist. With well ma
tured plans for meeting the difficulties
that are to be encountered, they are
pushing into the bad lands of Texas
up among the mountain peaks of Utah
into the solitudes of interior Alaska.
Prepared for All Emergencies.
These men have a peculiar philosO-
ply of risk and adventure. They say
for instance, that only the amateur
meets adventure. The scientific ex-
plorer foresees every possible eventu-
atty and prepares against it. He mas
food cached against each possible de-
lay. He has all methods of transpor
tation provided for He has an alter
native prepared to meet any accident
that may occur. All possibilities have
been foreseen and discounted. Moth
ing can therefore happen that will
place him in danger Of starvation, Of
getting lost, of getting killed. If he
were an adventurer an amateur I'M
dertaking the same task there might
be many risks, for he would not know
In advance of every possibility moi
would he be prepared to meet it. He
probably would not live through many
seasons, while, as a scientist, he Is
safe.
An expedition starts into Alaska, for
instance, into the back country that
has never been mapped. 1t sets on
with abundant supplies for two years,
for 1t may not finish it's work in a sea-
son. The supplies are packed on tn,
backs of horses that are never intend
ed to return. These animals bear their
burdens as far as horses may go, swim
strange streams, climb uncharted
HlOuuJdlHS, III IuolI SSINlCS W man
they exhaust thon4selves. Having
served their purpose, they are killed.
They can not go into the rough re-
gions ahead. If abandoned they would
die miserably when winter comes. Of
ten their flesh is stored where it may
be used as food If necessary on the re-
turn trip.
The supplies are transferred to
boats. The best way to reach the in
terror is UP stream. 1t is too swift
for rowing or polling, and progress
along the banks is difficult. The men
take to the bed of the stream, wading
up it and dragging their boat. To be
sure, this water is from the snout of
d glacier and ice cold, but the scien-
tific explorer knows that the marvel
GUS adaptability of man will make 1t
possible for him to work under these
conditions for IL hours day and suf-
fer no III effect.
Thus is a stream followed to its very
source, which is usually near water
shed. Beyond will be other streams
leading into other regions Of the I'M
known. The supplies must be portag-
ed over this divide, placed in the new
found stream.