The silver star., 1897-10-07
IRRIGATION CONGRESS-
SIXTH SESSION HELD AT: LIN
COLN.
Opens With Rapid Dispatch Of business
How to Water the Arid Region and
Prevent Floods.

Prevent Floods.
Lincoln. Neb.. Sept. 2S.-Delegntes to
| the National Irrigation Congress, which
began its sixth annual session to-day.
made n record In dispOsing of work on
hand and setting pace for more elao-
crate proceedings TO follow.
| The initial session was marked by an
overflow of enthusiasm on the part OF
| the participants and visitors. All
dresses by such men as Judge Emery OF
| Kansas, Il. H. Moses of the same state.
and Assistant Land Commissioner hest
of Washington, ID. c., did not fnii 10
awaken interest in the movements they
championed. and the sentiments they
expressed We're applauded and re-
echoed by local speakers whose interest
in irrigation projects is reaching the
point entertained by districts where the
enterprise is no longer in Its infancy.
Thus far there has been little said
concerning new officers of the Congress.
| Secretary HeintZ is understood to be II
candidate for reelection. and has
strong support. Two aspirants for the
next place of meeting have appeared
| in the cities of Atlanta. Georgia. and
! Guthrie. Oklahoma. Atlanta appears
TO be generally favored
| 1t was . D. III. when President Booth
called the Congress to order in assem-
| bly, hall of the University of Nebraska.
On the platform. besides officers of the
| Congress. were Governor Holcomb.
\ Mayor Graham and Chancellor Mnc-
Lean of the university. Rev. NJ. j.
Mailley offered prayer. Chairman of
the National Committee Moses an
nOunced the secretaries and Secretary
HcintZ read the call for the meeting of
duced Governor Holcomb, who well
coined the delegates in an address of
some length.
Chancellor MacLean of The Universi-
~ of Nebraska seconded. on behalf of
the educational interests of the state.
the welcome of The governor. On he
| half of the Congress- Judge j. :. En-
cry of Lawrence. Kansas. with an in
tcrnaiional reputation as an authority
on irrigation subjects, responded to ad-
dresses of welcome by the governor
and chancellor.
Judge Emery +. Best of Washington.
ID. g.. assistant land commissioner of
the General Land Office. took the place
of Commissioner Hartmann rs "A repre-
sentative of the federal government,
and was followed briefly by Elmer X.
Mead. state engineer of Wyoming.
President Booth. after announcing
various committees. addressed himself
10 the convention proper in Il carefully
prepared paper.
Il. II. Moses Of Great Bend. Kansas.
chairman of the national executive
committee. gave resume of the irri-
CATION work for the year. saying in
part:
"1'he time has come to the minds of
all who fully know the condition OF
the East and West. that this country
can no longer remain half settled and
half unsettled any more than 1t could
have remained half free and half slave.
Individual and cooperative efforts
have gone as far as they can go.
Uncle Sam owns this unsettled land.
and II has now come TO the parting of
the ways: either the government must
open these lands for settlement, or
turn them over in fee simple to the
states and territories In which they
lie. that they may open them for set
tlement. The settlement of the West
means only that the products OF the
soil 20 East for the products of the
loom and factory; that the settling of
the surplus population in the West re-
lieves the East of great financial bur-
dcns which give only temporary re-
lief. The opening OF the West will not
less. but TO future thousands. instead
of forcing them abroad like England.
France and Germany do their home
less people for want OF territory.
"lf any bill is passed for the rccl;i-
nation of arid and semi-arid America,
| 1t must he first drafted by this body
or the people of the West. The last
Irrigation Congress passed upon n bill.
II very good one. for II starter. known
ms the Public land commission bill
II WAS introduced in the House of Rep.
resentaiivcs near the close of the SEES
sion. and awaits resurrection. Ii has
firm supporters In both houses. and
| with proper efforts on the part OF this
congress would become law.
''Morc acres are under cultivation by
means of irrigation than ever before
and perhaps more miles of irrigation
bitches have been built In the last few
years than In all previous years.
| Through these annual congresses nm
| impetus has been given another line
of industry that has worked night and
day 10 perfect pumps and machines
to draw water from the bowels of the
earth at such n minimum cost as to
make 1t profitable to irrIgntc In this
way. The ingenious mind lias been
set 10 work To conserve the storm
|
sea. The eyes OF tho East and South
have been opened TO the fnct that they.
100. can ditch. drain and reapply the
water NJ proper times and receive bet.
ter results.
eve irrigatlonisis are satisfied TINT
Congress will have TO adopt our plan
Of preventing the overflow OF large
streams by the storage OF the winters
near the heads Of such streams I'm sucl,
n mnnpcr MS to feed the streams at
times of low water. md at other times
TO bc used In irrigation. navigation
nnd manufacturing Industries. and In
this way the damage Ia life and pr0p.
crty now cnuseh encli year by over.
flows. will m prevented. and largo
tracts of arid lands cnn bc rccInImed
hy these waters anh opened for sct.
would soon find II u paying invest
! ipcnt If Congress would upDly ihc m