The Bismarck tribune., 1931-10-22
ALL SECTIONS OF
n. D. REPRESENTED
AT MEETING HERE
Hearing on Missouri River De.
ve|opment Draws Large
Attendance
ARMY OFFICERS IN CHARGE
Most Of the Larger Cities Have
Delegations Here to
Offer Views
ARMY OFFICERS IN CHARGE

More than 100 men from all Sec
tions Of North Dakota, including state
and national officials, gathered in the
federal building here Thursday
morning to suggest plans for the de-
velopment Of the main stem Of the
Missouri river and its minor trihu-
taries In this section In the combined
interest Of food control. navigation,
water power, and irrigation.
In charge Of the hearing were Cap
tain Theodore Wyman, Jr., and Lieut..
o. D. Walsh, Of the u. s. Army engi-
neers.
A study Of the Big Muddy and its
minor tributaries between the Big
Sioux and Yellowstone rivers Is being
made by the Army engineers In ac-
cordance with House Document 308.
69th Congress, first session, and the
Flood Control Act Of May is, 1928.
Delegations from the larger cities
Of the state were here, including Far
60, Minot, Grand Forks. Bismarck,
jamestown, Williston, Devils Lake.
Mandan, Valley City, and Dickinson.
Other communities throughout the
Missouri Slope also had representa-
tives here.
Many Officials Attend
Among the officials here were
Congressman O. B. Burtness, Grand
Forks, and Thomas Hall, Bismarck:
Prof. Howard E. Simpson, Grand
Forks, state geologist; Governor
George F. Shafer; M. o. Ryan. Far
60, acting secretary Of the Greater
North Dakota association: s. w,
Thompson, Devils Lake, former head
Of the Missouri River Diversion asso-
citation and others.
Speakers Thursday morning were
Congressman Burtness; Governor
Shafer; Congressman Hall; g. W.
Mcdonnell, state railroad commits
sioner; F. p. Aughnay, railroad COM
mission official: Adjutant General G.
Angus Fraser, representing the Mis-
souri, River commission; Prof. Simp-
son; John B. Cooley, Grand Forks,
representing the North Dakota In
dustrial Survey commission; State
Engineer Robert E. Kennedy; and
Clifford johnson, Of the state high
way department.
A large delegation from Gladstone
appeared at the hearing to propose a
plan whereby waters of the Heart
River would be impounded In Stark
county to be used for irrigation pur-
poses.
They proposed building a dam be-
low natural reservoir. In presenting
statistics and other data to the en-
gineers, Jacob Krier, secretary of the
Gladstone Commercial club, said the
Stark. county delegation believed TO-
600 acres OF productive land could be
irrigated through the proposed plan.
He said the farmers In that district
could raise alfalfa and small grains
to larger extent and even sugar
beets If sugar factory was establish
ed in the district.
Burtness Urges Irrigation
Congressman Burtness Thursday
forenoon stressed the importance Of
irrigation in northeastern North Da-
kota and the Red River Valley and
said that diversion of the Missouri's
waters appeared the most practical
way to attain this end. He pointed to
the rapidly diminishing lakes in the
region Of Devils Lake and said this
region already has reached the state
where its lack Of water Is being felt.
He said that the northeastern section
Of the state. with proper irrigation,
has an opportunity to develop into
one Of the most fertile regions on the
continent for the growing of sugar
Continued on page Nine)