The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-08-07
By JAMEs B. MORROW.


Roosevelt became President Of the United
States hA>held conference at the home
- his elster 10 this city with Frederick
If-ynes Newell anu clifford Pinchot
Energetic and practical care of the nat
urul resources OF the country began on
irat dyy-scptsmbe, %. lsOl-and at that
meeting Newell was then a photographer.
o. water engineer, In the employment o.
tie government; Pinchot was chief OF
;he governments small group Of forest
ers. Both. In a sense were unknoN n
mon. Neither Of them had been person
ally acquainted with Mr. Roosevelt.
For thirteen years Newell had been
measuring the rivers and studying the
dry lands OF the West Plnchot. on foot
and horseback had examined the forests
Of the East. the South. the Rocky Noun
tains. and the Pacific Coast. Senator
Francis G. Newlands, of Nevada. and
George Hebard Maxwell. n lawyer IN
Chicago. had persistently and INTELLIGENT
y agitated the question Of government
water for the governments deserts
Everybody said that something should
be done. but bills failed In Congress be-
cause Of disputes concerning objects and
methods
Endorsed by Roosevelt.
Believing tina, Roosevelt was in SYM
pathy with the people and the problems
Of the West. and knowing the ardor with
which he entered every task. Newell and
Pinchot asked for the opportunity 10
explain just what conservation meant
So the conference was held on the after
noon Of September % From that hour to
this Theodore Roosevelt has been the
greatest conservator In the United states
Pinchot. meanwhile, has become famous
And Newell. now director Of the Recla-
nation Service. has built monuments to
himself in the form Of gigantic dams
sreat lakes and long canals that ssil he
inperishable sor ages TO come
There were figures and details at the
historic meeting on Sunday. but the
poetry Of the mighty project was the ar
Gument that turned Roosevelt. the Presi-
dent into Roosevelt the prophet. Every
river was TO be a unit standing by itself
and was 70 be developed 10 the fullest
extent in its service TO mankind At its
source were trees that must be saved
from destruction Along its course were
swamps that should be drained and arid
lands that should be irrigated. Sims
would carry freight on its surface. Mills
could be built along SIS banks The
waste Of roaring waters. caught and held
amid the mountains and forests. would
be harnessed and used 20 the best ad-
vantage as they gently flowed onward to
the Pacific Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico.
Floods. then. would be no more. Dry
beds would disappear. sage brush and
cacu would give place 20 wheat fields and
orchards. Rattlesnakcs would make room
for men and women. And thus began
the conservation policy of Theodore
Roosevelt
Enjoys ROOSeveIts Confidence.
It is said that Director Newell lacks the
personal and official countenance Of
Richapd A. Ballinger. Secretary Of the
Interior, under whom he works and 10
whom he must report by the laws Of the
country. However. his recent journey 10
Oyster Bay. where he hardly would have
gone without an invitation, made il man.
ifest that he continues to enjoy the
a
Welt Whatever his status may be with
the present administration, he will al
ways be known as one of the fathers OF
conservation. as well as one Of the ablest
hydraulic engineers OF his generation.
Born at Bradford. Pa. forty-eight years
ago, Mr. Newell was graduated from the
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology as
mining engineer at the age Of twenty
three. Modest. courteous. and resolute.
understanding his work from personal
investigation In the field. where he has
camped out and lived on the trail for
weeks at a dme. hc has the support and
respect or members OF Congress from tho
West and Of the imaginative aud pro-
gressive men who have labored FOR years
20 reclaim the dry lands that are now
being made 10 blossom like oId-fashionrd
flower gardens.
The father OF Mr.. Newell was civil
engineer and a contractor lie uuHt a
branch Of the Erie Railroad from Sala-
manca, y. Y, z" Bradford. taking the
track finally because lie could not .,et
pay for his work by any other procedure.
BOrrOws scythe 10 Now Weeds.
The roadbed was overgrown With
weeds" Nlr. Newell said to RE. '.and
my father. reduced 10 poverty had TO
borrow a scythe with which TO cut them
down. He moved the right of way for
fifteen n.iles-the length OF the Hne-and
then borrowed ar old Fat car. on which
he placed a borrowed stationary engine.
betting II TO the axle.
Having equipped the road with rolling
stock. he operated ii for some time. be-
ing engineer, fireman, brakeman. cOnduc-
tor and proprietor. The fare from Brad
ford 10 Salamanca was 20 cents Revenue
was also obtained from freight. I-lti-
mately the Erie company paid tho debt
and elected father member Of its
board Of directors. I early learned the
use OF tools and to be resourceful in de-
vising ways OF meeting uucxrected stu
atoms Many a time roy father was
without a penny in his pocket. Money
might be due him. but he couldn't get it.
SO ] was brought up in the school OF
shifts and cxpedients. and the lessons
learned in my youth have helped me
often in my present business"
How many irrigation projects have
been completed BY tbs government. and
how much land mas been reciaimed?'
asked Mr.. Newell
About twenty-five projects in four
teen states are either IN operation OF
under way os construction. ard most Of
them are returning revenue 70 the gov
ernment N ALL 10000 acres o. land has
boon given water and half Of it is IN
actual use--that IS GRIPS are being grown
on ground that was desert until re-
Gently When all the projects are finished
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