The Wolf Point Herald

Abusing Artesian Water Privileges

Sunday morning residents in the vicinity of the swimming pool and new ice rink (under construction) awoke to find the neighborhood flooded and water still flowing. The artesian well that supplies the pool and is being used to fill the newly excavated rink, has for a long time, supplied all who wished to come and get it, soft water for laundry and other household uses (cooking excepted) and served a useful purpose. There is a big valve for use when the pool is in use and a tap for community use. Saturday night a man, an Indian, who came to the well to fill a barrel, was seen by children to turn the big valve to make the water flow faster. The valve had been tampered with before and the street commissioner had taken off the wheel handle. But pliers were used to turn the stem and then the person doing the stunt left the water flowing full force all night. The dikes of the rink were overflowed and the water then cut a trench in one wall and flooded the surrounding territory. Street Commissioner Shamley says that about one more such prank and the soft water privilege will be lost to everybody.