The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1890-10-04
IRRIGATION.
The Possibilities Of the Effect of
Irrigating the Land of the
DakOtas Discussed.
A Convention of Farmers Held
at Aberdeen Which Was
Largely Attended.
Great Good VIII Certainly Re-
suit If The Various COnven-
tiOns Become United.

All CntnlSluSllC irrigation COnVen'
tion of Brown county farmers was
held at Aberdeen on the Both ultimO
consider the question of artesian
wells and the best means to get the
greatest number in operation at the
soonest possible moment. The con.
vention was called to order by +. ii
Hagerty, who, in a brief speech favor.
ed prompt and decisive measures to
procure irrigation from artesian
wells. j. ID. LAWN was made chair
man and Ira Barnes secretary.
Mr.. Loper, of Lodi, Wisconsin, urg-
ed the people to form organizations
and sink their own wells, owning and
controlling them.
Thomas Camburn submitted n
proposition coming from $. w. Mar
regang to furnish to farmers three
artesian well outfits with which to
put down wells, the farmers to pay a
stated rental.
Mr.. III. l.. Heeman, a German farm
er from near Columbia, gave the re-
suit OF some observations made by
himin trip which he made, driving
through the country, examining
the artesian wells up and
| down the jim River valley
as far south as Turner county. In
the south part OF the state he found
some farmers who were MAX
ing practical test of irrigation from
artesian and flowing wells. One man
near st. Mary's had forty acres of
wheat which he had irrigated and it
yielded forty-fve bushels to the acre,
while in an adjoining field wheat hav-
ing, aside from irrigation, equal OPP
portunity with the other gave yield
| Of only thin teen bushels to the acre.
He also spoke of a gardner near
Parker who had demonstrated the
beneficial effects of irrigation in the
production of vegetables. This man
had ten acres in vegetables from which
he cleared $4,000, his tomatoes alone
yielded n revenue of $500. Cabbages
and other vegetables grew to enor-
nous size and of excellent quality,
while vegetables on adjoining ground,
not irrigated, were Of meagre yield,
small in size and of inferior quality.
| Mr.. Heeman is thoroughly convinced
OF the benefits of irrigation and of its
necessity to successful farming opera
tlons in Dakota. He thinks that il
the government will listen to the ap-
peals OF the southern yellow fever sui
ferers or the flood sufferers of the le-
wee districts of the Mississippi valley,
or will fly to the aid of drouth strlCk-
en- Oklahoma, in all of which cases
countless thousands have been pour
ed out to relieve suffering and to save
life and property, surel y it is not too
much to ask that at least machinery
be furnished by the government to Da-
kota farmers to secure for themselves
moisture for growing crops by which
they may be eble to maintain life and
develop this great country opened to
them, and to which they were invited
and even urged by the government to
come.
Rev. Mr.. Comfort, OF Montana, who
is visiting in the city, made a very
able talk in which he gave his exper-
fences with irrigation during term
OF some twenty years. He described
graphically the methods pursued in
that country which from the condi-
tions are necessarily different from
those that must be employed in Dako-
ia. All his experience on the subject
was encouraging to the securing of the
same advantages for this country.
He paid high and merited tribute to
the capabilities OF Dakota soil and its
irrigation experiments, and bespoke
for Dakota u future of unsurpassed
prosperity when thorough system OF
irrigation shall be employed. At the
close of his address he was piled with
questions by the audience which elicit
ed much information as to the details
OF irrigation.
Ways and means of securing the
most early and greatest distribution
Of an irrigation system were various
ly discussed by membeas OF the con-
vention.
A motion was submitted by p. S.
Corklns that q committee be appoint.
ed by the chair to devise some means
OF presenting to congress the urgent
need Of prompt measures for securing
irrigation for Dakota before another
year and TO secure an appropriation
from the government to sink wells or
the loan Of machinery to be used by
the people i'll sinking wells for them
selves, the machinery to be furnished
by the government to the states and
by the state to the counties for the
&c HE,.n 4.
also a committee to confer with the
county commissioners and recon-
mend them to submit to vote of the
people the question of bonding the
county for funds to sink wells under
county supervision. An amendment
to the motion was proposed by max
ing the first committee consist of nine
members, and the second to consist OF
seven members who shall select COM
mittee OF eleven to lay the desire OF
the convention before the county
commissioners at their next regular
meeting. The motion as amended
was adopted.
The chairman appointed on the first
committee =. S. Corkins, +. Bach, G.
w. Topper, Geo. Miller, f. w. Mather,
7. f. Camburn, + II. Hagerty, c. r.
Kimball and j. l.. Brown.
The second committee was compos-
ed OF the following named gentlemen:
c. w. Swift, Geo. b. DAILY, f. S. Jenne,
J. +. Howard, NJ. Hayden, A. J. Pierce
and Geo. Perry.
The committee on congressional aid
submitted the following report which
was unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That a majority OF this
committee be empowered to meet in
Aberdeen on call o! the chairman to
discuss the matters to be laid before
congress at it's convening in Decem-
ber. and TO formulate some definite
manner of laying before congress the
capabilities of Dakota for irrigating