The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1909-10-26
Have Project in Hand to Reclaim
2OO,OO0,000 Acres of Semi
Arid Land.
CONGRESS- OPENS in MONTANA
Many Delegates in Attendance at Con-
vention at Billings, and Numerous
Prominent Speakers Are on Program
for Addresses-Important Action
Likely Will be Taken.

Billings, Mont, oct 26.-With dele
gates present from more than half the
states and territories of the union,
from Canada. Mexico and several Eu-
ropean countries, the fourth Dry
Farming congress opened here today.
The sessions will continue until Fri
day and during that time much inn
portant action Is expected to be taken
looking toward the reclamation and
rapid settlement of the 2O0.OOO,00O
acres of seml-arid lands in the west
and south.
Not since the beginning of the dry
farming movement has so much in
terest been taken in the meetings of
the congress and during the four days
session methods by which non-lrrl-
gated lands may be profitably culti-
waited not only will be exhaustively
of what the system of dry farming
is doing for the west will be given.
Many Prominent Speakers.
Among the speakers will be United
States senators and governors of half
a dozen states, government and state
agricultural experts railway mag
mates and representatives ofsnumerous
commercial organizations and coloni-
zation movements. The speakers from
countries outside of the United States
will include Senor Don Romula Esco-
bar OF Mexico, DIR. Lawrence Daeta
Neves of Brazil, Thomas Ii. Woolford
Of Alberta. George N. Blackshaw Of
Rhodcsla, w. ]. Rutherford. deputy
commissioner Of agriculture OF Sas-
katchewan; George Harcourt, deputy
commissioner Of agriculture of Alber-
Ia; DIR. a. A. Bronson, deputy COM
missioner of agriculture of Turkey:
w. II. Fairfield. superintendent of dry
farming in Canada. and John Salary.
special delegate from the nationJl
agricultural association of Hungary.
Delegates continue to POUR into the
city every train arriving this morn
ing bringing in hundreds interested
in the work of the congress. The Wis
itors found the arrangements for their
reception and entertainment to be tho
most perfect and elaborate character.
Public and private buildings through
out the city are profuscly decorated
IN honor OF the occasion. Across Mon
tana avenue, one OF the city's leading |
thoroughfares. a monster arch of well |
come has been erected.
Exhibition Of Products.
Although the first meeting was
scheduled for 9:30 a. m, il was some
what after that hour when Governor
Norris. president of the congress-, as
Sended the platform and called the |
gathering to order. Secretary John =. |
Burns read the roll call, which showed |
The attendance to be larger and of q |
more representative character than M |
The Cheyenne meeting of la~t year |
Welcoming addresses and ponscs |
the appointment of commit COS and |
other business of a routine character |
occupied the greater part of the ini- ,
James j. Hill of st. Paul. Ex-Governor
Alva Adams of Colorado and other
men of wide reputation will be heard
One of the most interesting features
OF the gathering in tho exhibitions of
dry farming products, which is housed |
IN the mammoth wool storehouse which
mas iloor space Of nearly 100000 square
icet Grains and grasses fruits ana |
vegetables. all the products of dry
farming are displayed In great pro-
ius'on Largo displays have been made
by wyoming Montana. Colorado. Tex
as UTAH Idaho, Oregon and Washing
Ton ana the Canadian provinces of AL
berta and Saskatchewan.