WINFIELD’S DEEP WELL 
J. M. LINDLY 
Winfield’s waterworks system was installed in 1914. The 
supply of water was from a drilled well about sixty-five feet in 
depth. Its purpose was fire protection. Its installation was just 
in time to cut short several fires which, uncontrolled, would have 
been very destructive. Its cost was saved several times in this 
manner during the next few years. 
Winfield had suffered very little from fire until the 28th of 
December, 1909, when several large brick buildings, comprising 
the largest brick block in the town, were completely destroyed by 
fire. A few years later, the people voted on the proposition of 
issuing bonds for water works, but the proposition was defeated, 
chiefly for the reason that the amount was considered larger than 
necessary and that the firm that would probably install the plant 
was outside of the state and practically unknown to our people. 
In 1914 the proposition was again submitted to a vote of the 
people for a smaller amount, and carried. The work was done 
by the Des Moines Iron and Bridge Company of Des Moines, 
and the plant has given very satisfactory service during the 
seven years since its installation. 
As the number of users of town water increased, and the peo- 
ple began to use the water in cleaning their automobiles and on 
their lawns, etc., it became difficult to keep a sufficient quantity of 
water in the supply tank for protecting the town from fire. To 
meet this increased demand for water, another well was put down 
in 1919 to a depth of sixty-five or seventy feet. But this proved 
inadequate. In order to secure an abundant supply of water, it 
became apparent that we must have a deep well. 
On the 9th day of February, 1921, the McCarthy Well Com- 
pany of St. Paul, Minnesota, began to drill a deep well within a 
few feet of our other wells, completing the drilling work on the 
23rd of April, reaching a depth of 1268 feet, in sixty-three days 
of 24 hours each, Sundays excluded and one day on account of a 
break of machinery, making an average of twenty feet a day. 
The log of the well, as given by Eric J. Hoff of St. Paul, is as 
follows : 
