Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1905-09-07
The Ir1igation Congress.

AAovAOR WOOL AOuOIoO WAsA 81 ~
pointment a. delegate to the National
Irrigation Congress converting at Port.
land. Oregon. Aug 2lst, and realizing
the importance Of such gathering to
our locality at the present time.
ignored the inconvenience it put me to
in connection with business affairs, and
proceeded With as little delay consistent
with circumstances, and fortunately
landed in time for the opening. To cay
I was agreeably surprised to see the
great gathering of people from all parts
of the United States, many of whom
had national reputation, is putting il
mildly, and all there with the purpose
of considering irrigation, and through it
aid in building up and improving rural
communities.
The Congress was called to order by
the President, Hon. Geo. c. Psrdee,
governor of California, and after an
Invocation, numerous addresses of vel.
come and responses, there were
addresses by chairmen of sections q
follows:
Forestry-Chtford Pinchot, Chairman
Forest Service. Department Agriculture.
Washington. D. c.
Production by lrriaation-Cr. A. G.
Tue. Director Experiment Stations,
Dept. Agriculture. Washington, D. c.
Engineering and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ick II. Newell, Chairman United States
Reclamation Service, Dept. of Interior,
Washington, D. G.
Climatoloey-H. E. Williams, Chair.
man United States Weather Bureau,
Washington. d. Q.
Rural 5ettlement-C. W. Eberlein,
Chairman, San Francisco. Cal.
This was the first day spent prepare.
tory for the real work in sections which
was to continue for two days, and il
was matter of regret that I could not
attend them all, for good, strong. sound
wholesome matter was being handled
in each section.
was pleased to hear our state en-.
gineer A. L. Fellows receive much ap.
plause from the delegates in attend.
ance, and very favorable comments by
F. H. Newell, chairman in the section
for bis article on "Rights acquired TO,
water under state laws, and me asures to
conform them to the requirements OF
the U. s. r. s."
I attended one meeting in
the Forestry section where the
matter Of proving up on forest lands
through homestead entries was dis
guessed, and suggestions went to the
extreme Of recommending the with
drawal of all lands from filing for ter
years. or until the government had al
lands classified and adequate provisioul
for each class as to disposition Of same
but the chairman finally expressed siml
Of the department that moro painl
would be taken in tho future, all fores
lands were to be fully protected from
entertainments. and also that provision
would or should be made to include
grass Tor range) az we'll.
The most interesting section I IT.
tended was the ''Production by IrriRa.
tion," where the professors of different
universities and agricultural colleges
discussed, Warmers I Institutes, and
their advantages to farmers, and also
concentration of rural school districts
and arranging graded schools thereby
and with the same expense obtaining
better results. We should begin now
to have Farmers Institutes, and make
them interesting, and pave the way fol
Irrigation, for knowledge obtained in
advance, will be OF great benefit when
irrigation here 10 realized. Although
the matter of having the government
furnish water for more than 100 acres to
any one person was downed in com.
mittee, it was again brought up in
general session the last day, but the
Oregon congress was almost q unit in
rejecting recommendation to change.
The Lewis & Clark exposition may
have taken some attention from the
congress. but the government exhibit
gave such practical demonstration OF
the U. s. R. S. that it Offset this many.
fold. John BruegRsr,