Our First Half-Century: A Review of Queensland Progress Based Upon Official Information

by Queensland

Sunk by	Artesian Flows.	Pumped Supplies.	Progress Abandoned or Uncertain.	Total.
[a] Government Local Governing Authorities Private Owners	32 16 668	10 0 205	76 24 315	118 40 1,188
Total to end of 1908	716	215	415	1,346

[Footnote a:] Pioneering bores sunk to explore and ascertain the artesian possibilities of new country.

AGGREGATE MILEAGE BORED, AND AVERAGE FOR EACH WELL.

For comparison with former years I may mention (writes Mr. Henderson) that the total aggregate number of feet bored in search of artesian water in Queensland up to end of 1908 is estimated, from the best information at hand, at 1,498,700 ft., equal to 283·84 miles. The average depth per bore is 1,113 ft. The total aggregate depth bored is as follows:—

Date	Miles.	Increase in Each Year.
Up to the end of October, 1894 Up to the end of October, 1895 Up to the end of September, 1896 Up to the end of June, 1897 Up to the end of June, 1898 Up to the end of June, 1899 Up to the end of June, 1900 Up to the end of June, 1901 Up to the end of June, 1902 Up to the end of June, 1903 Up to the end of June, 1904 Up to the end of June, 1905 Up to the end of June, 1906 Up to the end of June, 1907 Up to the end of December, 1907 Up to the end of December, 1908	82·75 92·21 102·43 111·02 [b]135·85 159·61 [c]184·98 202·01 215·04 221·87 225·04 229·53 236·41 [d]273·66 [e]276·50 [e]283·84	9·46 miles in twelve months 10·22 miles in eleven months 8·59 miles in nine months [b]24·83 miles in twelve months 23·76 miles in twelve months [c]25·37 miles in twelve months 17·03 miles in twelve months 13·03 miles in twelve months 6·83 miles in twelve months 3·17 miles in twelve months 4·49 miles in twelve months 6·88 miles in twelve months [d]37·25 miles in twelve months [e] 2·84 miles in six months [e] 7·34 miles in twelve months

[Footnote b:] This includes a considerable number of old bores discovered and added to the 1898 year's list.

[Footnote c:] This includes thirty-four sub-artesian wells and bores in the Dalby district, representing an aggregate of 3,500 ft.

[Footnote d:] Data collected by Police Department at the beginning of 1907, which include a number of old bores not previously heard of.

[Footnote e:] Only a small part of data to hand, which was chiefly compiled from newspaper reports. It is a fact well known to this Department that never before was there in any year so much boring done as during the years 1907 and 1908.