268 Gould — Tertiary Springs of Western Kansas, etc. 



maxim on the plains that for steadiness of flow and purity of 

 water the JSTorth Canadian excels all other streams of the 

 region. The reasons are obvious. 



Throughout a great part of Oklahoma and southern Kansas 

 the water is not good. This region lies within the area of the 

 great Red-beds of the plains. This formation is composed for 

 the most part of reddish shales and clays containing great quan- 

 tities of salt and gypsum. The water in many wells is so 

 strongly impregnated with these minerals as to render it unfit 

 for use. In a region of this character a spring of such soft 

 water as those I have described constitutes a veritable oasis. 

 Not infrequently families haul their water for household use 

 for several miles. A whole neighborhood is often supplied 

 from a single spring. Fortunately it is usually the case that 

 the springs are located well up on the hills. As the country 

 develops and the people can afford it the water from these 

 springs will be carried to more and more towns and even to 

 farm houses. In dozens of localities in the region the final 

 solution of the now vexing problem of the water supply will 

 be found in the presence of Tertiary springs. 



University of Oklahoma, Oct. 12, 1900. 



