The Topeka state journal., 1897-09-29
DR.. j. G. Sutton Tells the Ir-
rigation Congress,
That He Has Perfected an Ap-
pliance for Finding Water
UNDER THE SURFACE.
1t is an Electro Magnetic Device
and is Reliable.
Judge Emery and E. r. Noses
Deliver Addresses.

Lincoln, Neb., Sept 29-Delegates to
the national irrigation congress, which
began it's sixth annual session yester-
day, made a record for industry by dis
posing of work on hand and setting a
pace for more elaborate proceedings to
follow.
The initial session was marked by
an overflow of enthusiasm on the part
of the participants and visitors Ad-
dresses by such men as Judge Emery of
Kansas, E. R. Moses of the same state
and Assistant Land Commissioner Best
OF washington, D. c., did not fail to
awaken interest in the movement they
championed and the sentiments they
expressed were applauded and re-ech-
oed by local speakers whose interest
IN lrrlgatlon projects is reaching the
point entertained by districts where the
enterprise is no longer in it's infancy.
Thus far there has been little said con-
cern1ng new officers of the congress.
secretary HeintZ is understood to be a
candidate for reelection and has strong
support The aspirants for the next
place of meeting have appeared in the
cities of Atlanta, Ga, and Guthrie, o.
Atlanta appears to be generally fav-
ored
On behalf of the congress Judge ]. S.
Emery of Lawrence, Kan with an in
ternational reputation as an authority
on irrigation subjects, responded to
addresses of welcome by the governor
and chancellor.
His speech was a happy mixture of
humor and an exposition of the queS-
ton which called the congress togeth-
er. So deep and abiding was his faith
in irrigation for soil culture, said Judge
Emery, that he with other KanSanS,
had come to regard that system of
farm moisture as the natural one and
rainfall as the second element. He con-
graduated the university of Nebraska
as being one of the first educational
institutions in the country to take up
the study of the irrigation problem The
virgin soil was the source of all wealth
and when the people learned to so re-
gard it and by scientific means aided
nature in supplying the deficient mois-
ture, it would mean regeneration not
only of the west, but of the sisterhood
of states.
E. r. Moses of Great Bend, Kan,
chairman of the national executive
| committee. gave resume of the ir-
rigation work for the year.
The question of the possibility OF To-
eating and tracing underground
streams of water, was the subject OF
an extended and carefully prepared
paper by DR.. J. G. Sutton of RuShylva-
mia, o.
DR.. Sutton at the outset admitted
| that his subject wasa an unpopular
one in as much as it invaded a field
heretofore held by water witches, or
those claiming to be endoWed with 'd1-
vine power, aided by forkeu stick
His instance was, however, that by foi-
| research the location of sub-surface
water was possible, and having no con-
nection with superstition ana otner
rubbish surrounding the subject. Upon
the established theory that the earth
is a magnet, he gave in detail the re-
suits of his Investigations covering a
period of II years. Water and matter
surrounding it, under the surface were
magnetic to such a degree, Dr. sutton
| claimed as to influence action above
ground. He concluded:
sI have been cautious about fall1ng
| into the error of assuming more than
my experimental results seem to JUS
tify. And now, dogmatic as the asser-
| ton may appear, I declare to you that
| I have been fortunate enough to de-
wise an electromagnetic device so fine
| Iv sensitive to variations in the earth
| magnetism, that I am enabled to ae-
curately trace and map sub-surface
IaS+ night the members of the con-
sress were rendered an informal re-
ception at the capitol building by
| Gov. Holcomb other state officers ana
Lincoln citizens.