Arizona republican., 1913-10-14
Distinguished Visitors Put In Busy Day Investigat- ing Conditions Surround ing School and Reserva- tiOns of Valley.
EXPERTS HERE ON
 TWO COMMISSIONS
Hearings and Sightseeing Occupy Twelve Strenu- ous Hours; Bridges, Hos pitaIs and Irrigation Needs Looked Into.

Like double swarm of busy bees, two commissions on Indian affairs from the United States congress descended upon Phoenix, sucked inn mense quantities of honey-informa- ton from the flowers of the local situation and then flew away buzzing busily to another source of supply. In the dozen hours of their presence here the five members of the cOmmis- sion were Whizzed from city to In dian school and back to the hotel for the most important work of the ses- sion-the evidence taking at the night conference.
 The things demanded by the Gila River Indian reservation, through Su perintendent Thackery:
 A bridge at "Gila Crossing"
 A tuberculosis camp on the reser- vation
 A trachoma hospital.
 It was not all solid needs asked for by the Indians The fluid necessaries received a large share of the cOnsid- eration. MT. ThackeTy was questioned deeply on the irrigation system of the reservation, and it's future needs.
 Immensely pleased at all they saw, the mmission-SenatOr Charles E,l- roy Townsend of Michigan. Senator. formerly Governor, Joseph Taylor Robinson of Arkansas, Representative Charles Henry Burke of South Da- kOta, Congressman Charles D. Car ter of Oklahoma and Congressman John H. Stephens of Texas, hurried from place to place on the Indian School grounds, taking it all in and having long explanations made by Superintendent C. w. Goodman and others of the force in charge. They inspected everything from the lawns to the cIassrooms, the offices, the dor mitories, the power plants, and most of all the irrigated fields on which the students are cultivating fine aI- falfa and garden stuff.
 Not much need of bettering these irrigation conditions" one was heard to remark.
 They took all afternoon to see the school, and with their capacity for hurry, they did a mighty thorough job of it. In the offices of the su- perintendent, they started the inquiry, which ended at a few minutes to train time in the Adams last night
 Congressman Stephens was the leader in the investigation. He is chairman of the house committee on Indian affairs. Last fall a tall, or dinary sort of looking gentleman quietly slipped into town and from city headquarters made trips to the school, the Gila Indian reservation and to Fort Mcdowell He looked then 'slOped" as quietly as he came It was the same energetic Texas statesman, giving the field the "once over preparatory to the present light ming rapid investigation. The night conference at the hotel saw little of it's leader For part of the evening he was knee to knee with Judge Ben jamin Fra anklin Adams of Albuquerque, in the lobby. Be it known that Judge Adams and Judge Stephens are a pair. Both tall, smooth shaven, dig nifiedly frock coated and Champ Clark hated, they are typical Texas legal lights They renewed long and close friendship in their own par ticuIar Texas way last night
 Senator Townsend is one of the ex- perts of the party. His line is a railroad control regulations. and he comes from Michigan. Senator Rob- | inson of Arkansas is a member of both the Indian affairs commissions l that were represented in the commit | tee of visitors. He was one of Ar kansas five governors this year. Car ter of Oklahoma is one of the most 1 interesting of the congressman, for l he is more than half Indian, himself, | He is a member of the ChOctaw tribe, | and has done a great deal for mem | bers of his race. Speaking of bridges | last night, apropOs the remarks con- l corning the Gila crossing bridge:
 Carl Hayden wants a bridge for 1 GiIa crossing He has worked most | earnestly for that bridge. But I must | say this: In Arizona they want one bridge In my state, which is over | half Indian land and untaxable, we | need five hundred bridges. If the | government undertook to build all the | bridges needed on Indian land, it | would have to order the structures 1 wholesale, and stop all other work | putting them in"
 Behind Closed Doors
 For three hours last night, the con- gressiOnal commission on Indian af fairs, the members being selected from | two regular commissions held ses- sion extraordinary behind closed doors at the Adams. With the tele- phone disconnected, the transoms down and all the other stage sets of 1 a real secret meeting, they quizzed Su- perintendent Thackery of the Gila h. dian reservation, and other members of the staff there about the needs of the Pimas-irrigation, sanitation and other necessaries. They extracted long statements from the witnesses, a flock of testimony that will be work cd m fullv only when the commission