Haworth. | Physiography of Western Kansas. 23 
During times of heavy rains in eastern Colorado and western 
Kansas Bear creek carries a large volume of water, which it pours 
out upon the high plains of northern Grant county, and into the 
sandhills along the south side of the Arkansas river. In order to 
give the reader a fair idea of the character of this little stream 
during such freshets, and of its disposition of the water it carries, 
quotation will be made from a letter received from Judge W. E. 
Hutchinson, descriptive of the time of high water in July 1895.1 
“During the night of the 19th of July 1895 the water raised in 
“Bear creek about the line between Grant and Stanton counties 
“and proceeded slowly towards the end of the channel in the edge 
“of the sandhills near the Arkansas river south of Hartland. The 
“amount of water was such as could be retained within the channel 
“of the stream and not more than has often been seen in the chan- 
“nel of this creek once every two or three years. By the morning 
“of the 21st of July the water had almost subsided, but it was re- 
“inforced by the heavy rains in Colorado, and commenced to rise 
“again on the 21st of July and continued to run until the 25th of 
“July. Krom the places where it broke out from the channel, most 
“particularly which were near the Grant and Stanton county line, 
“the water flowed in northeasterly and southeasterly directions out 
“upon the highlands. The average depth in the bed of the stream 
“was about 6 or 7 feet; that on the highlands would average 
“about 12 inches. It spread out on each side of the stream one 
“and one half to three miles, carrying with it drift of all kinds that 
“nassed down the channel, particularly grass, weeds, sage brush, ete. 
“Tt seemed to run over the highlands as if in a newly made channel. 
“he overflow in a southeasterly direction near Shockeyville, Grant 
“county, continued as in a channel in which the current was very 
“apparent for eight or ten miles, spreading out on either side of the 
“well defined and recognized center, or channel. The velocity in 
“these channels out on the highlands was nearly equal to that in the 
“main channel for a distance,—it was at least on an average from 
‘‘a mile and a half to two miles an hour; the velocity of the water in 
“the main channel was probably three miles an hour. Bear creek 
1 This letter was written for a preliminary Report to the State Board of Irri- 
gation, and will appear in their final Report. 
