The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1903-09-23
IRRICATIONISTS REJOICE.
THEIR NATIONAL CONGRESS RECEIVES
ENCOURAGEMENT FROM PREsI-
DENT ROOSEVELT.
Importance Of Reclamation Movement
Recognized By Large Attendance Of
Delegates.

Recognized By Large Attendance Of
Delegates.
OGDEN, Utah, Sept. l5.-Twenty.six
states and territories of the union are
represented at the eleventh National
Irrigation congress, which began a
four days session in the Ogden taber-
nacle today, this being the largest
number ever represented since the be-
ginning of the movement for reclama
tion of the arid west, showing how the
movement has taken on a national in.
stead of sectional scope. Delegates
were present from New York, Penn.
sylvania and Vermont, while from the
states of the western plains and noun.
tains representatives of every state
and municipal organizations of all
kinds came by hundreds.
Although the first meeting was
scheduled for 9:30 a. m, it was con.
siderably beyond that time when Pres.
dent w. A. Clark assembled the plat
form of the tabernacle in which the
meetings are to be held, and raped
for order. The venerable President
John r. Winder, one of the council.
lors of President Joseph Smith, deliv-
cred brief invitation at the conclu.
sion of which Mayor William Glass
man of Ogden, was introduced and de-
livered an address of welcome. Presi-
dent Clark then responded in behalf of
the National 1rrigation congress. He
said:
1--WE have passed the first mile post
and scored victory. Nothing sue
ceeds like success is trite but a true
aphorism. For ten years the friends
of irrigation worked earnestly and
hopefully, but the efforts were retarded
by opposition and discouragements.
But at last having secured an impreg.
nable position they will summon all
their energies and wisdom and lay out,
expand and perfect the plans which
have been outlined which will result
in the building up Of great agricul-
WA a. NuA AAA ol CAPlA LII VIlC
western zone OF the republic.
"It is estim ated hat there rem aims in
the arid and semi.arid zones about
600, 100000 acres of vacant public
land and that there is sufficient water
available, under the storage system,
to irrigate about one.sixth of it. The
area already occupied and irrigated
is $50, 200, 900 acres.
eff in the next thirty years the gov.
ernment should provide reservoirs
sufficient to reclaim 10000, 900 acres a,
an expenditure of $40. 900, 900 annually,
which is a very conservative estimate,
as that amount will be easily realized
from the sale of land, the land re.
claimed will provide homes for at least
$4,000, 900 to $4,000, 600 people which
with the immense property value it
necessarily creates will constitute a
magnificent contribution to the wealth
and glory of the nation.'
At the afternoon session the roll OF
states was called and various COM
mitteemen were named. The following
message from President Roosevelt,
received this afternoon, was then read
"Oyster Bay, N. V, Sept. l5.-The
passage of the National Irrigation law
was one of the greatest steps not only
in the forward progress of the states
but that of all mankind. 1t was the
beginning of an achievement SO great
that we hesitate to predict the outcome,
but it was only a beginning. Now
that the law is an accomplished fact,
that law must be given effect. To that
end the reel alton service organized
under the national irrigation law OF
June II, 1892, has been pushing its
surveys and examinati Of possible
irrigation projects energetically in
each of the thirteen states and three
the projects which promised we'll at
first are found on careful study to be
impractica BILE. either because Of scan
ty water supply Or of great costs:
others must await higher values in
land while still others stand the test
and are ready for immediate con
struction.
"Feaslble projects are always large
and costly because private enterprise
has already seized upon smaller and
less expensive ones, leaving to the
government the great works which is
to be an essential part in bringing the
nation to its full development. Great
care aud the highest engineering skill
are required to plan and build such
works which are among the most diff
ticult undertakings Of mankind. They
must be built for permanence and safe
ty for they are to last and spread
prosperity for centuries. To design
ard build such works body Of engi'
neers Of the highest character have