The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-09-04
QUIET TO DULLNESs GOVT lRRIGAI
Work Has Assumed Colossal Proper.
tions in Recent Years and Is
of Great Value.
Much Interest Being Taken in the
Eleventh Irrigation Congress
to Meet at Ogden.
From The Journal Bureau, Room 45, Post Build
ing, Washington.

From The Journal Bureau, Room 45, Post Build
ing, Washington.
Washington, D. c., Sept. 3.-The first
national irrigation congress was held at
Salt Lake City in 1891 the home of the
first example of American irrigation by
the Anglo-Saxon race, Mormon irrigation,
forty four years before. In 1891 about
three and one-half million acres were I'M
der irrigation in the arid regions, all thru
private enterprise and cooperative effort.
To-day nearly eight million acres are ir-
rigated and the west stands at the thresh-
old OF mighty development thru govern
ment irrigation. There are now SIS,
600 in the United States treasury await
ing expenditure for the construction Of
great dams and canals in the western
states and territories.
The coming irrigation cong will be
the eleventh convention Of that body and
VIII meet In Ogden, Utah, Sept. Is next.
The intermediate congresses have been
held at various points turnout the arid
region. The second congress was held at
Los Angeles and was attended by repre-
sentatives from Great Britain, Canada,
Australia, India, Russia, France, Mexico
and Peru.
The third irrigation congress met at
Denver, the fourth at Albuquerque, N. NJ
and the fifth at Phoenix, Ariz. It is some
thing Of coincidence that the Phoenix
congress should have been the first to de-
clare for the policy Of national irriga-
tion," and that that city is likely to be the
scene of the first great government dam
the outcome of the policy and resolutions,
rigidly adhered to by every succeeding ir-
rigation congress, in spite of bitter fights
for cession Of the arid public lands to the
several states.
The sixth congress was held at Lincoln,
Neb., the seventh at Cheyenne, Wyo., the
eighth at Missoula, Mont, the ninth, the
first big congress, at Chicago, ILL.,, and the
tenth at Colorado Springs, Col.
! Its National Aspect.
4 The Chicago congress had the effect OF
bringing the irrigation discussion into the
east and showing it's national aspect
showing that any great improvement In
any western section would have reflex
benefit In the eastern part of the country
and that the agricultural development In
the west would mean an increased market
for the products Of eastern manufacturers
| Then came surprisingly strong f1gh,
by the irrigation forces in the short SEES
sion of the fifty sixth congress, followed
by President Roosevelt's active champion.
snip OF the cause and the passage Of the
irrigation law In the following long ses.
, sion, June II, 1902. The early part o.
August, 1903, saw the contract let for thu
, first government irrigation works under
this law.
, It is believed that the Ogden meetin,
|A4o ySdA Will NO Tie largest III the history
OF the congress. AS showing somethin,
OF the interest which Is being taken In tn
question, it may be stated that a larg
! number Of Washington correspondents ar
J, to be present, In the interest of the grea
) newspapers of the country, east and west
The special train carrying them will leav
Washington on Saturday of the presen
week. The trip will include many import
!. ant points In the irrigation country. Go
:: Ing out by way Of Kansas City, the part,
will be entertained one day by the Sta
. Of that place. Denver, Cripple Creek, Col
D orado Springs, Salt Lake city, and tn
: principal points In Idaho, Montana, Wy
: oming and western Nebraska will be Wis
:; tied. Much time will be spent 'in tn
field, that is in looking over the countr
l. which Is to be irrigated in the near future
: The party will be gone twenty days, an
y Will reach Washington in time for tn
. special session of congress in October
should the president issue call for tina
8 early day. That it is possible to take
party Of representative newspaper writer
> more than half way across the continen
. on such an errand, is an evidence of tn
T.: popular interest which irrigation has ex
, cited since the government concluded t
. go into the work in a wholesale way.