Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1907-07-30
IRRIGATION MEET%J
ON THURSDAY =
EVENING
Every Business Man and
Farmer Urged to Attend
an Important
Session.
COL. TW|TCHELL MAKES
STARTLING ADDRESS
For First Time Albuquerque Bus
iness Men Rouse to Realization
of Vast Agricultural Posi-
bilitieS of This Favored
Section.

At the close of an enthusiastic
meeting of the Commercial club last
night a call was issued for another
meeting to be held Thursday night of
this week for the purpose of hearing
more about the national irrigation
congress and considering further
means of securing it for this city a
year from next fall. Col. X. E.
Twitchell, who so eloquently address
ed the meeting last night, will make
special trip from Las Vegas to talk
on the subject Thursday and 1t is
urged most strongly upon the busi-
ness men and all those interested,
including farmers, that they attend
this meeting. 1t is expected that
definite plans will be formulated in
the matter of securing the congress
for Albuquerque, which means that 1t
will be for the benefit of the whole
territory. The meeting will be of a
public order for all interested in the
development of this section of the
country, farmers and business men
alike.
Delegates will be appointed at this
meeting to attend the national irriga-
ton congress in Sacramento, Cal, in
September.
Enthusiastic Meeting.
At the Commercial club last night
before a number of representative
Albuquerque business men, Col. r. Z.
Twitchell of the industrial depart
ment OF the Santa Fe railroad, and a
member of the National Irrigation
congress executive committee, deliver
ed an eloquent address on the ad-
vantages of holding the irrigation
congress in this city, and the wonder
full resources of this section of the
country which as yet remain unde-
veloped.
Before Col Twitchell had spoken
five minutes his wholesome enthusi-
asm had taken possession of every
person present and what, perhaps
was considered the vaguest sort of q
dream when the meeting was called,
began to assume the proportions of
a bona fide possibility. Certainly no
speaker who has addressed himself
to the enterprise of this city in the
last twelve months has so appealed to
the resolution of his hearers as did
Col. Twitchell last evening in his
stirring and enlightening speech.
The meeting was called to consider
the matter of securing the annual
meeting of the irrigation congress for
this city in the fall of 1908. Col
Twitchell showed that the chances Of
New Mexico for securing this big and
important convention are by no
means small. AS a member OF the
irrigation congress for eight years he
is qualified to know the temper of
the congress and its sentiment in re-
gard to the southwest He assured
the meeting that of certainty, at
least 160 votes of possible 100
would be cast in favor of this city
on the first ballot and with this num-
ber as a starter, he felt that the con-
gress could be convinced of the need
and advisability of holding a meeting
in Albuquerque.
Requirements for Success.
At the beginning Of his address,
Col Twitchell pointed out the diff
ficulties and requirements of holding
big irrigation congress in the city.
He said there would be other west
ern cities after the congress; Denver,
Kansas City, Oklahoma City and 9TH
ers would make their bids for the
event which would mean so much for
the prosperity Of any city. Albu-
querque can not hope to vie with
these cities in influence, but wealth
and size are not necessarily the fea-
lures to attract an irrigation congress
to a city. There is a fine feeling
among the delegates of the congress
for the southwest and they realize
that such a convention would be or
more benefit to this section than TO
any other part Of the country. This
section is the least developed; its re-
sources most untried, and the matter
of irrigation the most important for
its permanent improvement
Col. Twitchell stated that the to-
tai expense of holding the congress
in this city would be in the neighbor-
hood of $4,000 to $4,000. A fund
of $1,000 would be needed by the
executive committee to be devoted ex-
clusively to its needs in advertising,
etc. The chairman of this committee
would be an albuquerque man, and
he would direct all expenditures,
should Albuquerque secure the next
meeting. 1t would be necessary for
this committee to devote all its time
for several months to the work of
making arrangements and attending
10 the business of the convention.
The members of the committee would
be expected to exert all their ener-
gies toward making the congress a
success. All funds provided would be
spent by this committee and so would
be handled by local men.
About 100 VIII Attend.
At a congress held in Albuquerque
there would probably be about LOO
delegates present who would have to
be entertained. Two or three thou
sand other visitors would be attract
ed by the national event, and thus
the city would be taxed to provide
living acc ccpmmodation for the guests.
Col. Twitchell said that Albuquerque
alone would not be called upon TO
stand the expense of the congress.