The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-19
IRRIGATION
CONVENTION
Permanent ORGANIZATION Is
Effected at Garden City.
SPEAKERS ARE NUMEROUS
God Help Those Who Help
Themselves" lite Motto.

- AASoNASA N VI "coNNA 81
Kansas and TO effect permanent organ
ization for the purpose of securing bet
ter irrigation facilities, was held in Gar
den City Thursday and Friday, and was
well attended by delegates from the sew
eral counties in which irrigation is feas-
IDLE. The organization was effected by
the election of the following officers
President, l. l.. Diesem, Garden City:
vice-president, ]. c. Starr, Scott City;
secretary, Chss. Locke, Lakin; treasurer,
John Hall, Syracuse. Executive com
mitee: r. NJ. Lawrence, Garden City;
w o. Borne, Scott City; E. r. Thorpe,
Lakin; j. I. Hastings, ingalls,; Paul
Rich, Syracuse; John II. Churchill, Dodge
City; A. A. Barlow. Santa Fe.
While the committees were attending to
their duties, the convention adjourned and
The delegates and visiting guests were
taken in carriages TO the Richter farm,
three miles west of town, to view an in
dividual irrigation plant This place is
owned and operated by a lady, Ms.
possessing all those fascinating qualities
that grace the daughters of sunny Kan
sas. and withal an excellent and success
full business woman. Her irrigation plant
consists of large pump operated by a
large steam engine, and raises 900 gal
Ions of water per minute. With this she
irrigates a large fruit farm, apl IS.
peaches, plums. cherries, pears and all
kinds of small fruits, growing peach IS
that will compare favorably with the
product of California
The first speaker to address the con-
vention was Victor Murdoch, of Wich-
ita. the Republican candidate for con-
gress In this district. Mr. Murdoch said
he had not come to Garden City to nc
heard, but to listen, that he had been
here twenty-four hours and was chock
full of irrigation; that he was impressed
by the possibilities Of western Kansas;
that the successful solution of the irriga-
ton problem meant work, hard work,
and that the people of this part of the
state should adopt for their motto: God
helps those who help themselves" lie
said that he had thought a great deal
about irrigation, but admitted that his
ideas were yet crude; that ii would take
a great deal of study to familiarize him
self with the matter in all its phases.
He pledged himself to be guided as a
citizen or If he be elected congressman to
be guided In irrigation matters by the
wishes of the Western Kansas Irrigation
association. Mr.. Murdoch spoke briefly,
his talk being impromptu. and consisting
largely of the impressions made upon
him by what he had seen and heard in
and about Garden City. He was fire.
quently applauded and made an excellent
impression on the audience. The people
of Garden City and surrounding coun-
ties who met Mr.. Murdoch are very fav-
orably impressed by his earnest, frank
manner and his approachableness. They
like him and believe in him. and feel
that If he becomes congressman they will
have an advocate in Washington who
will do all in his power to further their
reasonable and legitimate interests.
E. T. Johnson, OF Cheyenne, Wyo.,
assistant chief of the national irriga-
ton investigation. addressed the conven-
ton upon Economy in the Use of Water.
Mr. Johnson has spent all his life on the
eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains
and has spent considerable time in Egypt
and is thoroughly familiar with all irrl-
cation methods. He divided irrigation
systems into three divisions, conserving
waste water of streams and draws in res
ervoirs. artesian wells and the gravity
method of securing the waters of the I'm
derfiow. The drawing of streams an1
draws and storing the waste water and
artesian wells are familiar methods 20
all who have paid any attention TO irri-
CATION matters, but the utilization of the
in the manner proposed b.
Mr.. Johnson is new and untried, except in
a very few instances. in which. owing 10
a lack OF scientific methods. the efforts
proved failures. Beneath the Arkansas
valley. extending no one knows how wide.
nor how deep. is a vast body OF water
sand, the water in this sand
having a perceptihle flow from the north
well at Garden City. sunk leo feet.
found only this water-bearing sand Mr..
Johnson gave as a practical method for
the utilization OF this water for irriSa-
ton purposes. the plan OF building or
digging galleries into this underfiow Of
sufficient capacity TO furnish water to
fill reservoirs or irrigation bitches. util-
ling the force of gravity TO propel the
water to the surface. using the proper
means to hold back the silt or sand AMI
TO carry the water over the sand TO the
surface without losing IL by seepage into
the sand Touching upon the cost OF irri-
cation. IL was Mr. Johnsons opinion.
based upon expert knowledge. that the
expense should not exceed SIS per acre
10 profitably raise the crops adapted TO
Western Kansas. He rather discouraged
the system OF pumping water for any
extensive irrigation as costing too much
Charles F. CIyne. the Democratic NOM
nee for congressman of the Seventh dis
trict. made an excellent presentation OF
his position on the irrigation question in
thoughtful address 10 the convention
IN the evening Of Thursday. In the suit
u Kansas against Colorado TO restrain
he latter from using the waters Of the
Arkansas river for irrigatins purposes.
he expressed his convictl>s that Colorado
should win out. because IL Colorado Is
lot allowed TO use the waters Of the Ar
Iansas river fer this purpose western
Kansas could not do so. either. He ia
rored the gravity system OF irrigation. |
Ind thought that Nuriock's motto OF
God helps them who h,lps themselves"
should be supplemented BY Al approprts-