Arizona republican., 1896-12-16
GAY C0LORS AND FLOWERS.
The Opening Day Full of En-
 couraging Features.
Papers Read By Brainy Men Ac- corded Close Attention Public Reception at City Hall Last Night Brilliant Affair.

If the fifth annual meeting of the Irrigation congress is not productive of substantial results, it will not be for lack of enthusiasm on the part of the delegates. Old members of the congress say they never attended a first days session of the body which was so full of encouraging features as the one which was called to order in the Phoenix opera house yesterday morning. The delegates to this ses- sion are for the most part men who appreciate the magnitude of the prob lem to the solving of which the con- gress has addressed itself. They are methods are not at all agreeable to them. This was evidenced by the manner in which they perfected their organization yesterday and began the consideration of the weighty questions pertaining to irrigation
 The weather was far from agree able. Jupiter Pluvius tried his best to furnish an old fashioned shower by way of showing his good will to the cause of irrigation, but although he succeeded in keeping the sky overcast all day something was wrong with his1 machinery and the rain did nothngt more than threaten, until after rnid- inh l X~~ torrents. The delegates did not appear to mind the absence of the sun, but every resident of this town who is wont to brag about the climate felt blue.
 The threatening signs in the sky did not prevent a good sized attend Ance at the opening proceedings. Badges of all colors were seen on the streets long before the session began Every other person wore one and the demand for them was sufficiently heavy to satisfy Secretary McMillan, who had undertaken to provide full stock of this kind of souvenir Be- fore the delegates began their work there were many consultations at the hotels, and the old-timers declared that the indications favored most in teresting session. The events of the day were thoroughly in line with this prediction.
 Ten o'clock was the hour set for the congress to begin work. Long before that the opera house was comfortably filled. Many women were among the early ones, thus attesting to their in- terest in the great cause The main portion of the hall was reserved for the delegates. Both galleries and all the boxes were crowded by the time the presiding officer was ready to call for order.
 The opera house was handsomely decorated. The walls were partially hidden by palms and red, white and yellow bunting, the colors of the con. gress, while from the ceiling were sus pended streamers and small flags. A large American flag covered the win dow in the rear. The stage was drapet artistically with palms, peppers ant chrysanthemums.
 MT. E. R. Moses, of Great Bend, Kan sas, chairman of the National e1ecu tive committee, was one of the first o the noted visitors to reach the hall He soon found himself in circle o friends. There was period of hand shaking when the delegates got to gether. Many had participated in ear Her sessions of the congress and wer well known. In order to avoid con fusion the local committee had cause standards to be erected to indicate tn places of the different delegations. Tn arrangement was identical with tha which prevails at National conven tions. First at the right of the stag was the space allotted to Arizona. Be hind Arizona was the New Mexic reservation. California held the lei of the line, being directly opposite Al