94 University Geological Survey of Kansas. 
face for mining and milling operations; second, water to be 
pumped from the mine to prevent the mine from being 
flooded ; third, water of either class which has a deleterious 
or corroding effect on machinery. 
First.—Throughout the Galena district water which is 
used for mining and milling purposes is obtained in two dif- 
ferent ways: in part pumped from the mine and in part sur- 
face water impounded at or near the mill site. It is more 
important to have pure water for use in steam boilers than 
for any other purpose. Different devices have been used to 
supply this kind of water. Sometimes mine water is suf- 
ficiently pure so that it may be used, particularly when a 
shaft is not very deep and is new. Mine water in old mines 
is never suitable for this purpose. An apparent exception 
to this is found where a shaft has been sunk and has encoun- 
tered limestone, and abandoned with little or no stoping. 
Such a shaft may contain large quantities of water quite 
suitable for steam boilers, and in some instances consumers 
have found it to their advantage to put a pump in an aban- 
doned shaft and force water to different places, so as to sup- 
ply a large number of boilers. One notable instance of this 
kind occurred a few years ago, when a number of companies, 
operating on or near the Mastin land joined and pumped 
water from an abandoned shaft west of the cemetery, or near 
the southeast corner of section 15, west of Galena. 
Water for boilers is frequently obtained by building a 
small surface reservoir and impounding rain water. In fact, 
this is the most common way throughout the mining district. 
The next and last method that is frequently employed is to 
buy spring water hauled by wagons. A number of teamsters 
are employed to haul spring water for boilers and for domes- 
tic use. Years ago the Galena Water Company began pump- 
ing water from Shoal creek for domestic consumption. At 
first this was very satisfactory, but as mining operations in- 
creased up Shoal creek and its tributaries water in the creek 
became perceptibly contaminated with iron sulphate and zinc 
sulphate, making it somewhat objectionable. In 1899 Empire 
City put down a deep well for artesian water and obtained a 
