The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1894-03-30
IRRIGATION CONGRESS.

! 1t Assemblies At Omaha and Is Welcomed
| by the Mayor Resolutions Adopted
OMAHA. Neb., March 22-Three hun
dred delegates. representing Nebraska.
| Iowa, Kansas. Colorado, Wyoming,
Missouri and Montana, were present at
| the opening session of the interstate
irrigation congress here yesterday. W..
| n. Mason, of Omaha, called the con-
gress to order in brief talk and intro
duced President Noses who reviewed
the objects of the convention
After it had been decided to admit
oil residents of the arid region to the
convention Mayor Bemis welcomed the
delegates to Omaha. President Moses
then delivered an extended address on
irrigation. and Secretary Bristow, OF
Kansas. urged the convention to de-
mand from congress thorough inves.
tigation of the possibilities of the
semi-arid region when properly
watered
At the afternoon session ex-senator
Warren, of Wyoming, delivered an adj
dress on the general subject of irriga.
ton. He said it was too early in eX.
perience to name any particular method
to be pursued. The best results had
been obtained through the develop
ment of small farms until large ones
had been rendered profitable. Maj.
Powell. of the United States geo
logical survey, talked of the storm
water storage plan He thought
that this was still in the expert
mental stage. In Utah and California.
where it had been tried, it had been
successful He did not think storm
water could be economically stored in
main channel. 1t was better to have
it in lateral basins. Prof. Hayes. of
Kansas. made brief talk on the gen.
eral topic, and Donald Campbell, of
Denver, explained the well water sys.
tenn of irrigation in vogue in India.
Judge j. D. Emery, national lecturer
of the association, addressed the asso-
citation on the duty of general govern
ment in the reclamation of the semi
arid plains. All the economic facts
should be gathered by the government
and the rest left to private capital.
RESOLUTIONS.
OMAHA, Neb, March %. The irriga-
VioH conSreSS yesterday, duopteu Iuc
following resolution and adjourned:
Resolved, That it is the sense OF this cOnven-
to- that it is the duty of congress to make an
appropriation to test the practicability OF the
following methods of irrigation for these
plains:
First-That the government should by ex-
periments determine whether the underf1Ow
water is Of sufficient volume and can be brought
TO the surface at a cost to make it available for
general irrigation purposes.
Second That it should determine the extent
to which reservoirs can be constructed for the
purpose Of storing storm water sufficient in
quantity for irrigation purposes.
Resolved, That we fully indorse the follow
ing extrac: from the report of the special COM
mittee of the United States senate and the
same be made part Of the resolutions Of this
convention:
If nything can be done to encourage the
people of these great plains it is important
that it should be done speedily. There are
over l,C0l0JO people in the arid and semi-arid
belt, who have paid into the United States
treasury no less than $40, 600 for public
lands The government should demonstrate
to them the practicabilty before they can have
the courage or can command the means to
prosecute the work on any thing of a considera-
~