Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1921-03-19
SOURCE OF AMARILLO'S FUTURE
WATER SUPPLY YET UNKNOWN

That water bearing sands De- beneath
"a. sIfflr. ~ Amarillo plans. that per
haps rivers "f fresh water wcnd their
way through M. sand strata. that II
would cost million dollars ~ bring
water from distance ~ % miles tn the
city and that from present develop
monts Hereford sands present the most
frnfibl" source ~ supply are som" ~
'he points brought ont ~ q meeting ~
engineers with the city commission Fri
day
other Information DEVELOPED hv ~"
conference ~ engineers Is that east iron
Pip" line and Cuncret" ar. the most
lasting ~ means 10 conveying water.
Reference was made e. a east iron pin"
line In France that has h-rn doing sery.
Ice 500 years Their. II IN existence con.
create work constructed 900 years b..
fore Christ according TO Engineer III.
rod
i u wns also trough, out hy some ~
the engineers and passed undiSputcd.
that water through artesnn nictlnn II
not expected near the city ~ Amarillo.
The wat.r.benfing sands ~ m" Plains
deposited In the Tertiary period. IL was
agreed d. on q red clay impervious tn
water Beneath this clay IL an impure
salty water. II was stated and M.
merous instances were cited 20 prove
hat wells penetrating the clay inveri.
ably produce salt water
All the fresh water used on the
Plains Country. according a. the en-.
ginecrs. II rain water that finds It's
way % the sand beds through seepagr
and Is kent near the surface by bed
n clay There IL western terminus H.
the water.bcaring sands In the opinion
II u y. Elroi. due TO n dixie or other
volcanic action near the New Mexico
state line The sand b.ds trend In a
ward. says Engineer Elrod and he cites
ward. says Engineer Elrod. and he cites
discovery ~ artcsan water 40 Waco
and other southeastern points. In cor
rohoution ~ hi statement.
All the engineers except \. r. Dickcy
'hied NJ giving figures an cost Dickey
estimated that water supply cannot
W. delivered at the ci,y's gates for less
htan 81 900 OOO \ limit ~ 20 miles was
placed on the distance water might be-
brought at that figure. In referring to
,he expenditure that confronts Amarillo
N securing a watc- supply. Ed u May.
n used the figures $3.50. 900 TO 81 500. 4.
900
There was much talk u pipe lines,
%rvo.rs. filtration plants dams and
| - ltfg 10 81
recognized by all the engineers was
Where II Amarillo going to get her
water supply" All other questions.
aid Chester u Cleeg. supervisor of wa.
tor for the Santa Fe. are capable ~ de-.
termination by engineers. but nobody
AN locate the place ~ supply. Expert.
nentation. or location Of the best wa.
'er supply available Ca the city, all
greed Is the big end ~ the establish.
ncnt 81 an adequate water system for
amarillo
Another phase n the water problem
On which all engineers agreed was tina,
h. first and important thing for the
commission Is 20 employ an engineer.
It's a man.sizc job" said X. l.. Nc.
Oonn"ll - the firm III Burns 4 MELON
1ell q: Kansas city. The importance Of
securing the services ~ competent en-
,ine.r on the start. and one IN whom
n" commission and people have implicit
confidence was emphasized by MELON.
'cll The relation 81 the municipality
its water engineer should bc similar
that Of the patient and doctor. En-.
:inecr Nelson told the commission.
, Burns 4 Mcdonnell have installed
'lants al over the United States. and
h, commission was cautioned agalns,
.Vpec'ing 20 give Amarillo water sup
'ly IN short time. The history of sim
lar enterprises were cited In north
vcrt,rn towns where six and seven
, ears We're required to install plants
Z u l.. Mcdonnell made valuation on
: he present water plant for the city
Z Amarillo six years ago His recon
nendstiun WAS that the city acquire the
ys,cm from the city Light and Water
'0npany Competition. he thought
: would not b. desirable on thu part oi
i,hcr the city or the private company
g. also recommended the city begin
ow 10 make apprnisnls and take op
| ..NNN 'Nl iAlNl AlthA NlhN lffNfN ~
Z .uu'ction with the proposed water sys
ON
" T. Elrod told the commission that
% rlght.inch pin" would H. Inadequate
. carry - supply 81 water Ia the city
Z Amarillo. The pressure necessary &,
~ through enough water tu supply
h. city would b. entirely too great
M Tho cust too high. said Elrod. Th'
~, II filtration. II II develops that III
ration n necessary. should he lowei
ierc than anywhere In the state. ac
ording =" Engineer Elrud an account
4 tn elevation he expressed the be
I, icf that thrfr nr. underground river'
I, N the Plains and recommended th'
implement Of hydrologist and geolo
/. list % locate them.
II. e. Nelson ~ the G. u. Nicholi
'omp,ny. wichi,a Falls did not con
ider Amarillo's water problem insur
noun,abl" ~ any means hut pronounc
Il n y tedious one. IT would b. non