Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-02-13
Congress
Storm Prevents Plans for
Inspection Trip to In.
tefeSting Points
Delegates Entertained by
Commercial Club With
Smoker in Evening
Numerous Speakers and
Good Music Entertain
the Gathering

the Gathering
The unexpected snow storm OF
Tuesday night had dampening eff
feet upon the attendance of the first
day Of the Missouri River Improve
ment congress as it necessitated the
abandonment of the visiting program
planned for the afternoon and other
features.
During the day a great many dele
gates came in from various directions
and all afternoon the Commercial
club rooms presented a lively appear
ance with guests amusing themselves
in various ways and discussing the
subject which brought them together.
The billiard tables, pool tables and
card tables were well patronized and
great many expressions Of surprise
were made at the fine quarters the
Commercial club occupied and praise
was plentiful for the good work con-
stantly being accomplished by this
fine commercial body.
In the evening the club rendered
the delegates smoker in an entirely
informal manner. The Commercial
club band played some exceedingly
fine music while the people were as
sembling and was warmly compli-
mented and applauded after each Sc
lection. The band is in excellent
practice and under the splendid lead
ership of Prof. Shaw will continue
to be the best band in the state, bar
ring none.
Commissioner Of Agriculture Gil
breath called the meeting together
and briefly stated the object of the
call for the congress and stated that
the evening would be in the nature
of an experience" meeting, after
which he called upon J. w. Bull for
a few remarks. Mr.. Bull said he had
visited most of the states in his trav-
els and was best satisfied with North
Dakota as he believed it had more
opportunities, especially for young
men, than any of the other states.
He had come to Bismarck believing it
had great future and that faith
grew stronger and longer? ?s-eu m
grew stronger the longer he lived
here. He related how his lack OF
foresight and faith in the early days
prevented him from buying the water
power at Sioux Falls for song, and
from that drew the point that faith
and perseverance was a great asset
in the development of any new coun-
try. He pictured the Importance OF
improving the waterways of the coun-
try and advised the holding up Of the
hands of our representatives in con.
gress and convincing them and their
fellow lawmakers that the country
was determined to have the water
ways improved and great means OF
traffic given the people as reducer
of freight rates and building up OF
the entire country. He proved a
good booster for the state and espec-
tally for Bismarck and was given
hearty applause when he sat down
and in fact the addresses of all the
speakers seemed to strike popular
chord Judging by the applause given
them.
Director Roberts of the weather blu
reau was introduced as the man who
was responsible for the bad weather
every time there was state conven
ton held here, but he turned the
tables on the chairman by laying
the blame on a higher power and
promised to be good in the future
He spoke Of the work his bureau wal
doing in registering the guage O
rivers and interesting data on tn,
weather department and its willing
ness at all times to help this move
ment, and closed by inviting the del
egates to inspect the weather bureau
The next speaker was Secretary w
c. Bachelor of the Grand Forks Com
mercial club, who spoke along til,
lines OF Organization. He sail
there was one hundred Commercial
clubs in the United States working
for the development of the countr,
and improvement of the waterways
He spoke of the fact that even tn,
limited navigation Of the Red rive
was a regulator of freight rate
where 1t came into competition will
the railroads. His remarks wer,
very interesting and to the point ant