The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-08
IRRIGATION
AWAKENING
The Coming National Irrigation Con-
gress at Ogden a Highly I'm
portant Gathering.
All Sections and Glasses interested
Washington Correspondents
Go in a Special.
From a Stan Correspondent.

Kansas City, Sept 8.--The national ir-
rigation congress, which will meet at Og-
den, Utah. Sept. Is and Is, will be the
most important session Of that body thus
far held The national government Is
now committed to the irrigation idea, AMI
proposes to spend many millions of do
lars in. the reclamation of the arid ami
semi -arid west. The department Of the
interior has, thru the geological survey,
which Is In immediate charge selected
four or five projects where government
money As first to be expended In the
building Of dams to store up the waters
of rivers, following the spring freshets, for
use during the dry months Of summer.
The congress therefore will have some
definite matters to consider. Heretofore
Its work, has been almost wholly educa-
tionaf, and it's discussions academic and
theoretical. Now it will have before 1t
the definite federal policy. Experts rep
resenting the interior department will
participate.
The East Wakes Up.
1t might be supposed at first blush that
only the west is interested in irrigation,
but that, while once true, Is so no longer.
delegates will be present from practically
every state, and 1t Is gratifying to note
that the eastern states, more especially
the great manufacturing section east Of
the Alleghenies, will be there in full force.
The east Is now recognizing that irriga-
t1on In the far west will mean a larger
home market for the American manu-
facturer. Every irrigation ditch will be
lined with settlers, each on a small hold
ing, and thus the consuming capacity of
the country Is to be increased in proper
ton as irrigation Is extended.
The Ogden program will cover many
interests. A message will be read from
President Roosevelt that he is in per-
feet sympathy with the purposes Of the
congress and wishes it success. The dele
gates Will include government and other
irrigation experts, practical farmers, irri-
gationists, fruit growers, representatives
from state agricultural institutions, state
engineers, government and other foresters,
newspaper men and business men, all
anxious to see two blades of grass grow
where one grew before The program will
include practical irrigation and forestry
lessons, reports of experts, discussions of
the application of the irrigation act, re-
ports OF progress made and future plans,
discussions of legal questions that have
arisen In the carrying out of the law
and other pertinent and important sub
jects. Senator Clark of Montana is pres
1dent of the congress, and has returned
from Europe to attend.
For the first time in the history of irri-
cation congresses, and this shows the
eral subject. the eleventh convention,
meeting at Ogden, has been literally fos-
tered by state aid, and these appropria-
tfons have been more than doubled by
private subscriptions from officers of the
congress and citizens Of Utah.
The South, Too.
Representation at the congress from the
southern states will be large. This Sec
ton, which is IN the humid region, where
there are periods of drought, is studying
| irrigation The southern states which are
! subject to floods rare also interested, fol
| they believe that the storing Of the spring
freshets at the head waters will materi.
ally lessen the danger Of floods towards
the gulf. &c..
Several hundred delegates will be pres
! ent. Each governor is authorized to ,ap
| point twenty delegates; each mayor of {
city of less than $4,000 population, two
each mayor of city larger than $4,000
| four; each beard of county commissioners
two; each board of trade, chamber O
commerce, commercial club or simila
body, two; each irrigation society, or liv,
stock or similar association two;, each so
| c1ety of engineers, two; and SO on.
! Washington Correspondents Go.
| For the first time in the history of thes
| irrigation congresses, the Washington cor
| respondents are to be in evidence Las
! Saturday special train, carrying abou
thirty members of the capital press gal
leries, left Washington for Ogden. Thi
party will be absent twenty-five days, an
will visit all of the Rocky mountain irri
/ cation country north of Arizona and Ne1
Mexico. 1t reached Kansas City yesterda,
and was entertained here all day by tn
Star. Half Of to-day was to be spent a
Hays, Kan, the greatest irrigation stat
experiment station In the world. Their
will be numerous short stops betwee
Hays and Denver, which will be reache
on the morning of Sept. 9. The itinerar
local from Denver includes Cripple Creel
Colorado Springs. Pueblo and extensiv
irrigation projects en- route. Stops wi
be made at Greedy, Cheyenne and Wolco1
and the party will arrive in Ogden on til
morning Of the 14th, remaining there #
: three days. From Ogden side trips wi
be taken to Salt Lake City and half
dozen intermediate points, where irrige
ton works may be seen. From Ogden tt
; itinerary will include, among ottler place
shoshone Falls. Pocatello, Ross Par
Idaho Falls Butte, Billings, Grow agenc
the Custer battlefield and points easter
, from there to Omaha, where the party W.
spend the night of the 22nd. The speci
train will arrive in Washington, return
ing, on the 18th.
The trip will be of immense value to IL
: press galleries in Washington, for it, w
), put the newspaper men in close tout
: with irrigation and enable them to discu
). it in their correspondence with intere
= and intelligence far greater than heret
= fore.
: w. w. Jermane.
n HE IS ELEcTRoCUTED