Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1906-01-18

Report Of Irrigation Delegates
to Washington.
About = month ago it came to the
knowledge Of number OF those inter.
ested in the irrigation of certain lands
in Williams County py the U. $. Re.
clama:ion Service, that representative
committee from the three proposed ir.
riya'ion projects IN this county, Wis, the
Wil'iston. Nesson Valley and Buford.
Trenton Projects, could probably bring
considerable influence to bear and do q
rreat deal to further the canse by going
I" Washington and explaining to those
in authority the needs of this section of
the country and the attitude of the
Ieople concerning irrigation under the
projects.
With this knowledge as 4 basis, meet.
ines ofthe directors OF the various pro.
iects we're called aud the matter tho.
onghly discussed, with the result that
&. B. Metzger, WAS chosen to represent
me Willston Project. w. B. Overson
md J! ". Jackson 10 represent the
Ncs'on Valley Project and f.. G,
-'geenup and f. Jones to represent the
hnfori"Irenta0 project, all OF the dele.
&tes, hQWeYaT, being instructed to work
lor the common good of all OF the pro.
iects.
This committee took up the matter OF
transportation with the officials Of the
Great Northern Railroad. with the result
that the comprny generously furnished
free transportation for our entire party
to the end Of their line. in St. Paul and
SISTED US in securing one half fare
,ate to Washington and return and we
20 not think it amiss to take this op-
portnnlty of thanking that road, in be-
Et1f of the people of this county for
their kindness.
The trip to Washington was in the
m in unevsntful. though all Of our party
were surprised to find that our section
ot the country had less snow and more
tood weather than any through which
We passed. Washington. even. being GOV.
red with several inches Of the beautiful
A the risk of being considered unduy
loyal to Williams Comfy, the members
OF our party agreed that the land here
compared more than favoraby with a
very large part of the land along which
We passed.
After our arrival in Washington the
question ofa hotel was of vital interest to
us and it was owing to the suggestion OF
Mrs J. W. Jackson, who joined her hus.
band and our partv in Chicago. that the
Hotel johnson was selected. That the
choice was good one is evidenced by
the fact that We found it to be North
akota headquarters in Washington and
ound there number of North Dakota
weekly and daily papers, which it is
J eediess to say we're read with great in.
trest during our stay.
As soon % possible after our arrival in
Washington the entire delegation visited
the offices Of the U. $. Reclamation Ser
vice. where we had long interview
With Chief Newell and bis assistant Mr..
Davis. All Of the wo-k done under the
various projects. as we'll as the attitude
Of the people, their wishes and desires,
were thoroughly discussed and as our
delegation had go much faith in our
various projects we believe we were en-,
'husiaetic enough to show that we were
,erv much in earnest in the desire to
haye irrigation for as much of Williams
County as was in any way practicable.
Both Mr.. Newell and Mr.. Davis
seemed pleased to find that our pro-
iects were 80 we'll under way and all of
us were more than pleased ut the in
crest shown by them and to learn that
'hey were in 40 close touch with the
PROCESS made with our projects.
Mr.. Newell suggested that We see th,
Secretary of the Interior As soon as pos
sible, but as we had made arrangements
to have Mr.. Fellows, our state engineer.
accompany US on that mission, we decid-
I'd to wait for bis arrival in the city
l,nown;ng that ifis expsr;sure in sim
.ar matters would 4rtn1ie bin TO explain
4ur position ana wants much better
llar sre could onrselgas.
Awaiting NJ. Feiioy. arivai, mi party
visited our various representatives in
Congress and went slpht.see in his
torical Washington. We were disap
pointed in not seeing Congressman
Gronna, whom important business had
cslled to North Dakota for Il few days,
but We were glad to meet Mr.. Irish. his
private secretary, who did all in his
power to make our visit a leasent one
Senators Hansborough and McCumber,
together with Representative Marshall,
exerted themselves to do all that they
could for us in the way OF furthering ".
rigation interests aud other interests that
were ,lesirnd for this part of the state