Arizona republican., 1906-01-28

sOnian Institution. He became very much interested, not only in the geol- ogy and ethnology of the west, but mostly in the opportunities for recla- nation and for making homes out in this country which was then regarded as absolutely worthless. The old Major. as we called him, who died re- gently, was man of versatile charac- ter, and possessed the most optimistic nature of anv man I ever met. He was one of the most prominent men in the geological survey when that institu- ton was organized in 1879. At that time he had prepared and printed book on the arid regions of the west. and which is now almost a text book on the work --e are now doing. He began to agitate the subject of irri- gation in the west, and he was so per- sistent in it, that many of his friends in congress said: Major Powell, if you will just drop this irrigation mat
 ter We will do anything for you, but
 we cannot stand for that! That will not dol Nevertheless his persistence won out and he was finally authorized in 1888, as director of the geological survey, to investigate the extent to which the arid regions might be re- claimed. An appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars was set aside on October 2. 1888, for the work. On
 that day I had the pleasure to be ap- pointed on the geological survey and. am still member. MT. Bannon, who is now surveying a little north of here, and who was with me at that time, is also one of it's original members.
 After several stormy debates in con gress drawn out for many weeks, the appropriation for further work was la l.. !, was a strong feeling that something must be done, and that national irri- gation must be taken up and carried out under governmental control.
 Tt is known to most of you that the large private irrigation enterprises in the west have never paid their invest oTSs. The eases have been similar to that of the Arizona canal owners, who have paid their money in good faith and have practically lost it all. These enterprises have been managed more
 or less well, but in nearly every case throughout the arid west investors and men who have spent their money in these great canal systems have lost every dollar. It has long been real ized that some power stronger than that of a private individual or ordi- nary corporation must take hold of
 the reclamation of the arid region and ! the people interested in the subject generally got together and discussed
 the situation.
 Irrigation congresses were held all lover the west. At one of the irrigation conventions, held here at Phoenix, a 1 young, energetic lawyer from Cali | fornia came before the convention which, upon it's assembly was practi- cally pledged to the idea of state con- l f,.~,I x,fS. land eloquent speech he swung that whole convention from the idea of a state to federal control. This man s
 name was Mir. George H. Maxwell. afterwards had the pleasure of meeting | him, and in talking over possible na- | tiOnal irrigation. The idea was pre- | sented that there must be for success
 an organization of some kind, with a
 secretary, and with its members paying
 regular dues. A society that will keep eternally hammering at the idea of l having a federal act for the reclama- i tiOn of the arid west?
 Il Thus the National Irrigation associa- | ton was formed and a campaign of | education was launched. That asso- Il citation of which MT. Maxwell was ex- ecutive chairman set to work in earn
 est. He presented his cause to all who
 might be interestd either directly or \ indirectly. To the great manufa cturers of the east he said your best home
 market is in the west, to hold that II home market you must develop it. If II you would sell your shoes and your II clothes at home, you must help here.
 In the same way he went to the great II transcontinental railroads and said
 ''If you would increase your traffic
 and increase your business in the great y west, you must help develop it." He