Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-08-08
TW|TCHELL WIRES
ON IRRIGATION
----------------------
The Mormon Pioneers Revivers
OF Prehistoric System
OF Reclamation.
ORIGINATED WITH INDIANS.
The Congress Has Become Fixed and
Stable-I,crogn! ycd IN
High Places.


Albuquerque next September. Mr..
Twitchell gives credit to the Mormon
pioneers as being the originators Of
irrigation as 1t is practised today, say
ing that the raising of crops ON arid
or semi-arld land was first success
fully undertaken in the United states
by the Mormon pioneers who settled
SAT- Lake valley In 1Si7. He says. how
ever, That although the Utah pioneers
hrst conceived the idea of growing
fruits, grain and vegetables on the arid
lands of America by means Of irri-
cation. the prehistoric races Of what is
now the southwestern part of the Unit
ed states and Mexico made the des-
ert blossom Ike the rose in DAYS Iona
before those of the earliest white ex-
plorers.
In sketch Of the fifteen years of ac-
tlvity of what Mr. Twitchell calls the
greatest unofficial organization in
America" he says:
PREHISTORIC METHODS.
Centuries before there was any civil
izetion along the Atlantic coast section
of the country there were effectuAl
though crude systems of irrigation in
operation In the southwest portion OF
what is now the United States The
writer, however, has often heard the
inluQle
western states that the idea OF growing
fruits. grain and vegetables on the arid
lands of America was first successfully
undertaken by the Mormon immigrants
at the time of the settlement of The
Great Salt Lake valley.
Although this is true. speaking with
in the memory of man today, investiga-
ton opens the doors of the past and
down the vistas of centuries from pic
rf ha a.,
eral.' with great carpets Of verdure,
rows of great trees. clusters of orchard
foliage and field upon field of growing
foods for dusky-faced people who pop
ulated a land of sunshine In n climate
which IL is said without exaggeratlon
can never be excelled. 1t is after in
vestigation that we recognize that in
the land of Mexico, New Mexico and
Arizona that the prehistoric pioneers
of irrigation built and operated the
first bitches for purposes of irrigation
and in Utah. Colorado and southern
California, a prehistoric race whose
descendants are the Pueblo Indians of
today. first practised the science OF ir-
rigation led water on to the arid lands
and made the desert blossom as the
rose
OLD SCIENCE REVIVED.
ut was, however. the Mormon pio-
neers who revived the science OF irri-
cation for the men of today and II was
most appropriate that Is years ago, the
first annual session of the National IT.
rigation congress was held at salt Lake
City. At that time there sprung into
existence. full 1edged at its birth, the
Organization known as the National r.
rigation congress; the child of the am
bition, intelligence and patriotism OF
the men who settled In the western
20
and create an inland empire.
IRRIGATION CONGRESS.
THE organization embodied from the
start the combined efforts of all classes
of ambitious and patriotic men ana
women. The executive OF the nation
became interested and participated In
tho movement through his message TO
the Congress of the United States, He
gave the movement his personal rec
ignition and attention and today the
idea embodied in the resolutions
passed by the session of the congress
during the last Is years have become
into fixed policy for TINS
government.
THE National Irrigation congress is
a deliberatiVe and advisory body, COM
nosed of delegates from all countries,
states and districts, chosen to repre-
sent their respective districts and en-
lowed with special qualifications by
way Of experience. observation and
study and thoroughly equipped in rem
dering valuable assistance In the con-
OF irrigation problems and
policies.
"The personnel of the congress em-
braces the highest officers in the gem
nral government, governors and leeis-
ators of states as, we'll as prominent
men In all walks of life. professional,
manufacturing, agricultu-
raj, stock raising and finance.
OFFICIAL RECOGNITION.
Although from its inception the Ma
tional Irrigation congress has received
official recognition from the general
government as well as immediate rec
ognition of its usefulness and the I'M
limited possibilities of it's value to ma
tional welfare from governmental head
quarters OF both state and nation. The
has received particular attcn-
ton In this line from the national gov
eminent under the last two ndmlnlstra-
tlons.
This emphatic appreciation OF the
presidents of the United States, and
more particularly the expressions and
actions of President Roosevelt, mas 'od
to the same point of View aad the
same action on the part of tho rulers
OF the nations OF the eastern clnI-
nant Not only have tho previous
sessions of the Irrigation congress been
attended by accredited delegates OF
other nations, but even at this early
date prior to the sixteenth congress,
is being received almost
daily OF the appointment of larger
number OF foreign delegates than ever
before. Among those already an
nounced are representatives frlm Ger
many, England, Portugal. Porto Rico,
Mexico and Two other South American
republics one special feature II the
congress win be the report OF
a committee appointed AT tho last seq
sion al Sacramento to coasldnr the
Of organizing an lpterna-
tional Irrigation congress, having the
same nlnc and objects but upon
broader basis and larger scope.
SCOPE OF WORK.
1.-THE national reclamation &C. TO.
came "A law June N, 1872 aud since
that date operations under the act
have been carried ON energetically by
the reclamation service In this SAL
vice are employed more than 400 skilled
englneers ana more than 10000 men
and 5000 horses are engaged IN the
Of the great irrlsgtiln
systems now under construction In all
parts OF arid aud semi-arld America.
That portion of the United States
directly under the reclamation act has
every reason for OOngratula don The
of the work has been rapid
ana every state OF the interm0untain
country has been directly benefited by
the work accomplished In the last few