Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1889-08-08
1RR1GArlNG THE CONVENTION.

I'ne Senate Committee on Arid
Lands Visits the Con. Con.---Irre-
pressiblc johnson again Attracts
Attention. '.E
BISMARCK, August Especial This
afternoons session Of the convention
was devoted TO the United States senate
committee on irrigation and arid lands.
Senator Stewart of Nevada, was first
Introduced He said that the object Of
the committee was to gather and not to
impart information. He referred to the
great artesian we'll basin Of the James
river as the most remarkable of which he
had ever read and seemed to be very
forcibly impressed with the idea that
that section Of Dakota could be very
advantageousy irrigated by water from
system OF such wells. The only ques-
tions Of its practicability. he said, were
the extent of the basin and the perma-
nency of the supply. The committee IS
now investigating that and he promised
that Major Powell would devote consld-
cradle time TO that matter.
Senator Stewart thought we needed
but little water here to grow crop,
owing to the peculiarly retentive qualities
OF the soil but that we needed that little
regularly and needed it bad. He said
that Will a system of irrigation, land in
Dakota now valued at from 81 to $40 per
acre, would soon De worth from $50 to
500. and then branched off into long
disauisition on what he termed "lrrlga-
tion debts.
The senator talked for an hour on
financial questions and gave place to
Senator Reagan. who, after indicating
his practical knowledge Of irrigation by
drinking glass of water, proceeded IN
the same vein as that followed by the
senator from Nevada
Major Powell. chief of the government
tai geological corps. said about all there
was said on the irrigation question: he
declared that in the eastern portion OF
the territory there was enough rainfall
to grow crops;S that in the western por-
ton there was not; and that in the inter
meaiate conntry there would always De
wears of abundance and years OF INSULT
cloDCy. lib oUSsC6ClOAA 10 - ~
for ne said that where land is artitcially
watered it will always raise good crops
without the aid Of fertiiizers,-w lrrl-
cation by means of the running water IN
streams and by artesian wells. The
major only casually mentioned the arte.
sian we'll idea. in which your people are
interested. He suggested that the con.
vention should provide IN the constltu-
ton that the right to running water IN
the state shall never pass out OF the con
troll Of the people and instanced the
troubles which have resulted in Cantor
MIA. Nevada and Colorado as warning
At the close of these remarks johnson
of Lakota, got in his work once more
He called attention to the fact that
Senator Reagan was member OF Jefi
Davis cabinet and remarked that he re-
called the dav when the soil at Gettys
burg was .irrigated' with northern blood
Mr.. Purcell interrupted him and while
johnson was still on his feet the conven
ton adjourned.
soN THE SIDE.
Although a sick man, Hon. A. q
Whipple of Ramsey county, is prett.
we'll delegate. 1t will be remembered
that for the first few weeks of the session
he was in the Twin Cities under treat
ment for a serious throat trouble. III
arrived here several weeks after the ses'
sion opened, and after spending few
days getting properly introduced wen
mn to Nelson county to straighten out
little political tangle. He has returned
with his wife and Is now adding th'
weight Of his influence and ability t.
the constitutions making body. Mr.
Whipple is a banker mp in his cot'ntr!.
and one of the most influential men II
the northern, part Of Of the territory H
was formerly register of the,Devils LAX
land Office and has been prominent II
pnlitics here and IN the states. II Is nm