The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-09-16
The FIRST MEETING
Welcomed by the Governor
Mayor and President Simon.
WRlGHTOF CALIFORNIA PRESIDED
Rules of PrOceeding-The Latest From the
Committee on Observation-Disclosures
Of Geneyal Interest

GGAAOA1uk AGIC NJ nlSu mum yehb6Iudy VI
one of the finest bodies Of representative
men the entire west could produce.
The night and morning trains had been
filling the city with delegates and their sc-
compsnying friends, and all the forenoon
was taken up with the necessary caucus
ing for the initial work
At the midday hour the delegates began
to crowd the Exposition building while
strains from the Provo band awakened the
old hall to life with popular melodies, not
the least interesting being medley includ-
ing all of the fayosite strains from the
land of Burns to the Swanee River.
TEE HALL
was beautifully decorated; the main audi
torium being set apart for delegates, while
in the galleries ana on either side was
ample space for visitors.
The California delegation was the first
TO take seats and among their large body
could be seen the commanding figure of
John p. Irish, late editor Of the San fran
cisco Alta, Hon. NJ. NJ. Estee, the well
known author and possible United States
Senator from the golden state, and c. c.
Wright, their chairman.
The entire Utah delegation, particularly
from Salt Lake, was busy acting as
general committee on reception and infor-
NATION. Colonel John w. Donnellan in his
neat fitting Prince Albert was to be met
with 81 every turn and easily but firmly
directed the preliminaries Our executives,
the governor, mayor and president Of the
chamber OF commerce, on whose shoulders
had been placed the duty Of greeting the
guests, paced the floor with an1iously in
teres ted faces. a few ladies graced the
occasion with thoir presence.
The press, in addition to the home papers,
was well and ably represented.
The presidents table was decorated with
two elegant boQuets.
At 80 Colonel John W. Donnellan,
chairman Of the joint committees,
CALLED TEE CONGRESS TO ORDER,
sRd asked the secretary, T. K Gillespie, to
road the call issued by Governor A l..
Thomas 10 the executives Of the several
states and territories of the west At the
conclusion Of this reading the chairman in
troduced Hon. a. L. Thomas, governor OF
Utah, who welcomed the delegates in the
following lengthy speech;
THE GOVERNORS ADDRESS.
Gentlemen of the Irrigation Congress:
II is my pleasant duty on behalf of the people
81 the territory Of Utah TO give you cordial
welcome and to express their thanks and ap
preciRtlon OF the patriotic sense OF duty which
brings you here TO consider questions so closely
relaxed 10 their welfare and prosperity and also
10 the welfare and prosperity of the states and
territories in the arid region. I cannot in the
brief space OF time allotted TO an address Of wei
come, enter into u discussion Of the important
subject OF the history and development OF irriga-
llon, nor OF the vital questions which relate to
the great irrigation field OF the arid region. The
various phases Of the subject will be made the
basis OF several papers that have been prepared
for your information. can only refer briefly TO
the practical part of the question and to the
subjects enume rated in the call.
When the question OF calling al irrigation
congress was first discussed 1t seemed TO me
there would De special illness in holding ii in
the great Salt Lake valley, where, IN 1917 the
cultivation OF the soil by irrigation was com
mcnced by Mormon settlers and where, upon
success or failure, depended the life or death OF
the country, as q place OF human haoitation
The irrigation system which has been devel-
oped IN Utah is combination OF the two sys-
tens which prevail in the Dakotas on the east
and California on the west. In California q
great system Of direct irrigation has been de-
Veloped By division Of The waters from her
mountain streams. In the Dakolns an extern
sive system Of irrigation has been developed by
water from arteSlan wells. 1t was lifting
therefore, IN business as well as historical
kense, that the first great congress held by the
western people TO consider the Important sub
9ect OF irrigation should assemble in the Salt
Lake valley in Utah.
The congress g called for the purpose Of
Fastening The reclamation OF arabic arid lands
rs Tar AS possible, and for the purpose of
petltioniDg Congress 10 cede tc the states and
territories the arid lands within their borders
for the purpose: First, OF retaining the same:
second, In aid of the public schools, ana third
for such other public purpose as the legislative
assemblies OF the states and territories NAV
respectively determine.
The call has awakened national interest in
tbs subject OF irrigation. The reclamation In
the large portion Of The west is a subject of
absorbing interest to the people. The call
seems 10 have strGck popular chord and the
response has been most hearty; indeed almost
unanimous.
believe that this congress will be great
educator. But few people in the east have an
adequate idea Of the physical condition OF the
western country; or OF the amount OF capital
that IS necessary TO be expended: or of the diff
hculttes to be overcome before water can be
successfully diverted from the rapidly flowing
mountain streams for purposes OF irrigation.
These streams some OF which are not perennial
have their source in the hearts of the great
mountain ranges and are fed by the snow de-
posted on the mountain creSts and in the deep
recesses OF the caTonS in the winter time
Many Of these streams cut deep and enter the
valleys tar below the upper levels. In order to
bring the water out on the higher lands II Is
necessary 10 commence the work of diversion
lar back in the canon and make a way for It
along the rocky mountain side. When the val
ley JIG reached other serious difficulties are met
The valley, which appeared to the eye to be so
uniformly level, is found TO be intersected by
net work of burrows and ravines. made by the
rainfall and melting SHOWS of spring-Iime
When the ditch is completed unless the work
De OF an extensive character, the
amount OF water furnished is only suf
ticient to irrigate a limited area because in
JneSo ARD regions. Inc supply Is rapidly dlnlin-
ished by absorption and excessive evaporation
If 4 canal be constructed sufficient 10 reclaim a
large area another formidable difficulty is met;
the water supply cannot be depended upon. In
the spring time the SNOW meits RAPIDLY and the
flow OF water being beyond the demand the
surplus watcr runs TO waste. As the warm sea-
Bon advances the supply gradually decreases
Until, in the summer season, when the water is
most needed, unless the stream is very large,
which is not often the case, the supply fails al
together, or IS so much reduced as TO be prac-
tlcaiiy NalueleSs Tor purposes OF irrigation The
building OF large calals is therefore useless in
many cases, unless some provision be made for
storlng the water which now runs to waste
The building OF large storage reservoirs is the
remedy proposed, 10 be placed in the cafions
and other places specially adapted for the pur-
pose. / believe no one will question the state
inent that but little public land is left and in
but few localities for which water can be OBJ
taincd without great expense.
Ii seems, then. II the growth OF the western
country is 70 depend upon the settlement Of the
public lands, stationary period has been
reached, unless some intelligent and immediate
action be taken, looking TO the increase Of the
water supply. There may be some persons in
clined to doubt the statement that stationary
period has been reached and who will point 70
the recent phenomenal growth In certain local
lilies as evidence 10 the contrary. There has
been rapid growth In places where great COM
lnercial activity prevails caused by the build
ing OF railroads. the development of the mining
industry and other industrial causes and which
will probably continue for some time to come
In the FEDERAL census Will show that in the
purely agricultural counties, with some excep-
tons, the growth has been very SLOW Ths
truth is that Utah rich as she is in all that can
make state great and prosperous, has been
sending away thousands of her people to the
more sparsely settled states and territories.
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