Artesian Water for Minneapolis. — Winchell. 269 
where the first flowing well was produced by drilling into the 
earth. From the city the name has been extended under the 
term "artesian" throughout all English speaking countries. 
It is proper that the term should be restricted in its application 
to only those wells which have a natural overflow ; however, in 
common use, the term has been incorrectly applied to all deep 
drilled wells, whether they flow at the surface or not. In this 
discussion we will apply the term "artesian" only to those wells 
which flow naturally. 
The Pending Investigation. 
In considering the supply of water for the city of Minneapo- 
lis from this rock source the inquiry may be divided into three 
parts : 
ist. Is there sufficient water? 
2nd. Is it suitable for the uses of a city? 
3rd. Can it be pumped to the reservoir? 
I, Is there sufficient water? The calculation which has 
been made of the cubic contents of the water in two of these 
basins will convey at the outset a correct idea of the vastness 
of the actual amount of water contained therein. It would be 
inevitable, of course, that, however great the amount of water 
in any basin, it should become exhausted after continued 
pumping unless there was a continued supply. Therefore, it 
is not necessary to consider further the actual amount of water 
but to inquire as to the source of the supply. 
The Source of Supply. Did you ever pour a pail of water 
upon the ground? Did you ever empty a barrel of water 
upon the ground? Did you ever empty twenty hogsheads 
of water upon the ground and notice the consequences? 
If you did, you observed the water running in all direc- 
tions, sometimes in little rills, sometimes in larger, but 
ultimately sinking into the earth and disappearing, some 
of the larger streams running farther and perhaps mak- 
ing little rivulets that ran for many rods before they finally 
disappeared. What would have been the consequence if the 
supply which gave birth to these little creeks had been con- 
stant? Of course, the answer is self-evident, the earth would 
become saturated with water and the saturation would be fol- 
lowed by the production of constant streams. Such water as 
sank into the earth and saturated it would quickly pass through 
