Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-12
CONGRESS- AN INSPIRATION
State Engineer Dobson Enthusiastic Over
Irrigation Prospects.
GOVERNMENT KEEPS ITS PLANS QUIET
state Republican Committee An
nounces Dates for Speakers
Prohibition Nomination
Comes Cheap.
Trom a star correspondent.l

fFTOm n BthH correspondent
LINCOLN, Oct. u.-(Special. State 1rri-
cation Engineer Dobson, who has Just re-
turned from the convention Of the National
Irrigation association. says that Nebraska
had one Of the strongest delegations in at
tendance, numbering about twenty-five out
of a total Of something like 400. He says
that the deliberations Of the convention
were we'll calculated to oil an ardent irrl-
cation exponent with enthusiasm.
From the discussions and the informa-
.tion disseminated one could not help reach
ing the conclusion that there will be some
thing doing in Irrigation from this time
forward Nothing was done toward any
effort to direct the operations Of the gov
eminent authorities in the matter Of To-
eating the initial work. There were a num-
Der OF resolutions introduced on the sub
ject. three or four Of them pointing out
specific locations for reservoirs. and one
from this state, suggested by Senator Diet
rich. provided for the sinking Of artesian
wells in various parts OF Nebraska for the
development Of the artesian flow II there
were any found. All OF these resolutions
were side tracked by the resolutions COM
mittee, which concluded that II would be
best not to seek to influence the federal
authorities and that any controversy pre-
cipitated between rival locations would but
hinder the work. Accordingly a resolution
was reported and passed expressing implicit
confidence In the Department Of the Interior
and It's ability to use the $1,000 900 APP
preparation where II would do the most
substantial good for the whole country.
The big fight Of the convention was on
the proposition to merge the National Irri-
CATION association with the Transmississippi
congress. This proposition was urged by
George II. Maxwell and all CT the officers
Of the National Irrigation association, who
suggested that now that the work of the
association had been practically accom-
plished in the passage of the irrigation
bill, II would be dinicult to provide rev.
enues TO keep 1t going, and that as the
work Of the two organizations are largely
identical II would be well to merge them
and make the joint purposes Of the new
organization the promotion Of irrigation.
and forestry. The Nebraska dele
CATION favored the proposition by a vote of
13 to 1, but 1t lost by a vote Of 81 to 113.
It was opposed by those states which were
after the next annual convention, with
whom Colorado finally stood because they
charged that, having had the convention
itself, the continental state was not dis
posed to show it's hospitality by putting
the association out of business.
Holmes f. Liberal.
"Mr. Holmes OF Utah. who was elected
president OF the association, may keep ii
going, as he is a man Of large means and
great reputed liberality. 1t was told OF
him that once, when the people Of Salt
Lake City were contemplating some big
enterprise involving heavy expense for en-
cheering work, a meeting was held to
devise ways and means. and when Holmes
was called upon he replied that he knew
OF but one way In which the work could
be carried forward, and that was to send
the bills to him. 1t was done, and they
we're promptly paid"
Mr.. Dobson was made the Nebraska rep
~resentative In the committee on resolu-
lions. and Euclid Martin of Omaha was
reelected as the Nebraska member Of the
executive committee. F. H. Newell. chiel
engineer Of the topographic department Of
the geological survey. who has active
charge of the field work in advancing the
irrigation project, was present and spoke
to the convention. but he gave no hint
as to where the first expenditures are likely
to be made or any Of the plans Of the
department. 1t is known, however, tina
gangs Of engineers connected with the de-
partment are at work in various parts o.
the country, two Of them being In Colo,
RADIO. 1t is with one of these that Fer(
Bonstedt OF this city is to be engaged
The only one that may affect Nebraska
irrigable land Is the one contemplating thu
damming OF the North Platte at Pawnet
creek, in Weld county. Colorado. to stor'
the winter flow OF the Platte. This Il
about twelve miles from Sterling and ma!
avail for the irrigation of one or two Ne
braska counties.
Mr.. Dobson says that while the con
vention was discussing the plan to limi
the holdings under irrigation to small
tracts. one old man from Utah arose an,
urged that the tracts be small, sayinl
that he knew something about how nue.