The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-09-29
A RECORD FOR INDUSTRY
National Irrigation Congress Gets
Right Down to Work.
ATLANTA IS A CANDIDATE
Judge Emery Makes n Happy Response
TO the Address of Welcoms-Papers
Read on Irrigation Topics A Re-
ception by the Governor.

Lincoln. Neb,. Sept. 2s.-The dele
gates 10 the national irrigation con-
gress. which began Its sixth annual
session to-day, made record for In
dustry in disposing Of the work on hand
and setting "A pace for more elaborate
proceedings TO follow. The initial ses-
sion WAS marked by an overflow Of en-
thusiasm ON the part of the partici-
pants and visitors. Addresses by such
men as Judge Emery OF kansas. T.. X.
Moses. from the same state. and As
sistant Land Commissioner Best of
Washington. ID. c., did not fail to
awaken interest In the movements they
championed. and the sentiments they
expressed were applauded and re-echo-
ed by local speakers, whose interest In
irrigation 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
concerning new officers Of the congress.
Secretary Heintz is understood To be a
candidate for reelection and has strong
support. Two aspirants for the next
place Of meeting have appeared I'm the
cities of Atlanta. Ca, and Guthrie.
Okla. Atlanta appears To be generally
favored.
On behalf OF the congress. Judge j.
=. Emery of Lawrence. Kan. with AN
international reputation as an author
ity on irrigational subjects, responded
10 addresses of welcome by the gover-
nor and chancellor His speech was a
happy mixture Of humor and an expo
sitiop of the question which called the
congress together. So deep and abiding
his fai i'm frr In fn Snil f-lIl-
ture. said Judge Emery. that he, with
other kansans. had come 10 regard that
system of farm moisture as the natural
enc and rainfall as secondary. lie con-
graduated the University OF Nebraska
as being one Of the first educational in
stitutions In the country Ia take up the
study of the irrigation problem. The
virgin soil was the source Of all wealth,
and when the people learned To 80 re-
gard il and by scientific means aid ma
ture In supplying the deficient moisture
IL would mean the regeneration, not
only of the West. but Of the sisterhood
of statcs..
Judge Best of Washington. ID. c.. as
sistant commissioner of the general
land Office. took the place OF Commits
sioner Hermann as representative Of
the federal government. and was fol-
lowed briefly by Elmer ID. Mead. state
engineer of Wyoming. The president.
after announcing various committees.
addressed himself tn the convention
proper In carefully prepared paper.
H. X. Moses OF Great Bend. Kan, chair
man of the national executive commit
tee. gave resume of the irrigation
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 DIR. j. q. Sutton Of Rushsylvanla.
Ohio. DIR. Sutton. at the outset. admit
tod that his subject Was an unpopular
one. inasmuch as IL invaded field
heretofore held by water witches. or
those claiming 10 be endowed with
divine power. aided by "A forked stick"
His experience was. however. that by
following the ordinary rules OF scienti-
iic ., ;.areh. the location of sub-surface
water was possible and having no con-
nection with superstition and other
rubbish surrounding the subject. Upon
she established theory that the earth IL
a magnet. he gave In detail the results
Of his Investigations covering a period
Of ~ years. Water and matter sur
rounding II under the surface were
magnetic To such a degree. DIR. sutton
ground. He concluded: Il have been
cautious about falling into the error Of
assuming more than my experimental
results seem TO justify. And now. dog
matte as the assertion may appear.
declare 10 you that ! have been fortu-
nate enough to devise an electro-mag
netic device So finely sensitive to vari-
ations in the earths magnetism that 7
am enabled to accurately trace and map
sub-surface streams of water"
DIR. Sutton's paper was the last set
speech Of the afternoon and the bust
ness session followed. but was limited
To the appointment of committees
ON permanent organization and resolu-
fion. California's delegate heads tine
list On the latter. hut 1t Is claimed to
have no significance. tnasmuch as the
committee will meet and select its own
chairman.
The congress will reassembe to-mor-
row morning al $3.50 o'clock. Tonight
the members of the congress were
tender,d an Informal reception at the
capitol building by Governor Holcomb
and other state officers and Lincoln
citizens.