Arizona republican., 1911-12-12
CHERISHED SOUVENIR
OF OFFICIAL SERVICE
FOWLER, PRESIDENT iRRI-
CATION CONGRESS.
Ooners Were His Friends In Pueblo
Where He was Reelected


| one of the incest and most lasting
| mementOes of Benjamin a. Fowler's
service at the head of the National Ir-
rigation congress. was a magnificent
gaval from Pueblo. Colo. slipped into
his hands on December 5th at Chica-
&C at the opening session of the nine
| teenth annual convention. The gift
| is made of the virgin cedar of Colo
RADIO and is deliberately trimmed in
gold and silver. also native products
of that state. 1t is with this gift that
President Fowler called the nineteenth
session TO order on December 5th.
Mr.. Fowler is not only one of the
prominent men in the affairs of Phoe-
nix. but he ranks high in irrigation
| circles, having been reelected to the
office as president of the National r.
rigation congress in 1910. which year
| is now closing. The following is talk
en- from the Pueblo Chieftain of De-
cember 5th:
The presentation of the handsome
token of the esteem in which President
Fowler is held by Puebloans. will come
a. a surprise to Mr.. Fowler. as well
as the entire gathering of delegates
and officers of the congress. Not Il
hint has been given ont that Pueblo
is to figure prominently at the open
ing ceremonies of the congress this
forenoon as the secret has been care
fully guarded. The presentation will
be made by c. 3. Schmidt immigration
agent of the Rock Island lines. for
mer Puebloan, and still a booster for
this city
The beautiful work of art. done by
Pueblo artisans from Pueblo county
materials. is the result of the thought
fulness and energy of A. G. Watson
or this city. Mr.. Watson is a close
friend of President Fowler of the Irri-
cation congress. having worked with
him at various congresses in the past,
during which time he came to discover
the many excellent qualities of the
Arizoran. Mr.. Watson CO ceived the
idea that il would be a pretty cOmpli-
ment for Pueblo, the last convention
city. to make a presentation to Mr..
Fowler at the opening of the big
gathering today
Mr.. Watson spent months in pre-
paration of the gavel. First he Sc
cured from ]. y. Langworthy. super
visor of the San Isabelle Forest re-
serve. an excellent specimen of Rocky
Mountain cedar, said to be the finest
piece of wood of the kind ever seen
here. The government official pre-
scented Mr. Watson with the handsome
specimen.
The wood was turned beautifully at
one of the local mills ana real artists
ornamented the frame with pure gold
and silver decorations from Colorado
mines. The finished product. as III
will be presented to Mr.. Fowler today.
is - inches long. bulky and of actual
service to the presiding officer, as well
as being gift that he will most likely
prize highly for the remaining days Of
his life.
Not only are the ornaments on the
gaval especially handsome. but they
are representative Of the agricultural.
as well as the mineral wealth of this
section of the state. The designer
adopted n silver shield with the worl
Pueblo" in raised letters On the OPP
pOsite of the Saval the word Chicago"
appears in the same class of lettering
in raised silver letters.
Around one end is n wide band of
gold. decorated with grape vines.
leaves and plump clusters of the fruit.
Encircling the other end is another
gold band. showing apples of attrac-
tive size. with sprigs and leaves.
One side of the handle. engraved in
silver, bears the inscription science
bids the desert drink" on the oppo-
site side of the handle is engraved on
silver shield Presented to Benjamin
A. Fowler. from Pueblo. Colo, citi-
zens"
At the end of the handle is a wide
silver ferrule and or the extreme end
appears Colorado 1911" neatly en-
sraved. There is a splendid contrast
in the ornamentation that appears on
the red cedar wood. with the virgin
white silver and pure yellow gold and
green leaves. The handsome article
rests in an especially constructed case,
lined with purple velvet.
Just before it was sent to Chicago
for the presentation Mr.. Watson eX-
hbited the gaval to the members of
the commerce club and they were es-
pecially pleased with the nature of
III splendid gift and the idea of the
presentation. Simultaneous with the
presentation of the gaval to President
Fowler by Mr.. Schmidt a description |
of the gift. together with its purpose.
will be distributed to the many news |
paper correspondents. II is consf1-
cred that Pueblo will get much val |
liable advertising from the activity and
generosity Of some of its citizens and
the name of this city will go before |
the convention, not as a community
looking for the next congress, or any
other favors. but as a city that is de- |
sirous of giving something. The gavai
was turned by the Newton Lumber
company and the ornamentation was
done by the Cornwell Jewelry COM |
pany.
Mr.. Schmidt who will make the pre-
sentation. formerly was at the head
of the Bessemer Ditch irrigation pre-
icct here and president Of the Business