The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-05-04
TIE IRRIGATION CONVENTION.
The Work of Education In Matters
OF Irrigation Commenced.

HinS, WnlIc NOT all the success that Its
promoters had hoped it might be, was
yet helpful to the cause of irrigation,
good seed was sown, and the work oil
education set in motion. The principal
thing attained was the organization OF
the Southwestern Nebraska Irrigation
Association, and its development and
influence will yet work out great eesults
for irrigation and this section of state.
Following we give brief summary of
the proceedings:
The opening session of the irrigation
convention was held in Menard's opera
house, Wednesday morning. Chairman
c. J. Ryan of the executive committee
called the meeting to order. Col. J. S.
LeHew, secretary of the committee, at
the secretary's desk. A temporary or
ganization was effected by the election
of Peter Campbell of Wray, Colorado,
as temporary president; c. H. Meeker
of McCook, Nebraska, as temporary vice
president; ]. S. LeHew and o. M. Peter
son of McCook, Nebraska, as secretary
and assistant respectively
Short speeches were made by 1. A.
Fort of North Platte, president of the
Nebraska irrigation association; H. H.
Benson, S. P. Hart and H. H. Pickens
of McCook, Nebraska. After which an
adjournment was taken until O'Clock
in the evening when the regular work of
the convention was taken up.
The afternoon hours were pleasantly
and prohtably spent in visiting the
Meeker ditch, few miles south of the
city, the delegates and visitors being
guests of our citizens. Quite a number
of carriage loads enjoyed the occasion of
seeing in practical operation, on several
farms southwest of the city, the most
successful ditch now in operation in
southwestern Nebraska.
The regular programme was taken up
at the evening session, which opened
with an address of welcome from the lips
of Mayor Kelley, who welcomed the
members of the convention to the hos.
pitality and freedom of the city in a
very neat address.
Judge H. H. Benson of Haigler respond
ed to the address in a most eloquent
manner, drawing an enrapturing picture
of the future Southwestern Nebraska
under the stimulating and certain bless
ings of applied irrigation.
On behalf of the McCook club, Hon.
J. P. Lindsay extended to the delegates
the courtesies and privileges of the club
rooms. Supplementing his remarks by
some general and practical observations
on the question of irrigation.
The evening session closed with the ad-
dress on water Supply in Southwestern
Nebraska and the Semi-Arid Region, !"
by President I. A. Fort of the Nebraska
irrigation association Mr.. Fort merely
touched on the topic of water supply;
stating that he thought we had water
enough to irrigate million acres, if in
telligently applied. He then spoke at
some length upon the objects and pur-
poses of the state irrigation association,
giving facts and plans which he thought
would bring western and central Nebras-
ka into prominence, not only from an
irrigation standpoint, but in a general
commercial way.
Before adjourning till Thursday morn
ing the following committee was ap-
pointed on permanent organization:
I. A. Fort of Lincoln county, ]. w. Cole
of Hitchcock county, L. Morse of Dun
dy county.
At ten O'Clock Thursday morning, the
convention reassembled. In the absence
of several parties on the programme, the
session proceeded somewhat irregularly.
The morning session was occupied by a
sort of a school of irrigation. "Applied
Irrigation" was discussed in a practical
way by L. Morse of Dundy county.
Intensive Farming and Horticulture
was the subject of NJ c. Maxwell's talk.
These and other topics were generally
discussed, and in some instances with
considerable enthusiasm. ]. w. Cole of
Hitchcock county, Samuel Porter of
Dundy county and John Evans of Lincoln
county took active and instructive parts
in the discussion
First thing on the programme after
the noon hour was the perfecting of a
temporary organization. The report of
the committee was called for and adopt
ed unanimously as follows: President,
L. Morse of Dundy county; Vice
President, S. P. Hart, of Red Willow
county; Recording Secretary, A. l..
King of Hitchcock county; Treasurer.
E. .. Willetts of Harlan county;
This was supplemented by talks and
discussions on various topics by Messrs.
Morse, Pickens, Douglass, and Caldwell
of the Denver News. Which closed the