THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



313 



reform in the West. And thus the whole 

 question is 'up to' the States." 



C. E. Wantland. 



The success of the Tenth 

 National Irrigation Con- 

 gress may be attributed mainly to the per- 

 sistency and push of C. E. Wantland, of 

 Denver, Colo., chairman of the Executive 

 Committee of the congress, whose portrait 



C. E. WANTLAND. 



is shown in this issue. Mr. Wantland is 

 representative of the Union Pacific Rail- 

 way Land Co. at Denver and Salt Lake 

 City, and is publisher of that lively and 

 interesting paper "Ranch News." 



Encouraging; 

 Reports. 



Dun's review of trade for the 

 week ending Sept. 13, was 

 very encouraging. All industries are 

 busy and good times are prophesied. 

 Large crops are being harveste'! and the 

 greater abundance of foodstuffs caused a 

 decline in prices of commodities during 

 August of 3.5. Lack of cars hampers 

 shippers and the transportation facilities 

 are very inadequate; despite the rapid de- 



velopment that has been made along this 

 line. 



Bradstreet's report for the same period 

 says: "One fact brought out in the re- 

 porti as to activity in dry goods, clothing, 

 shoes, millinery, and groceries ia the gen- 

 eral demand for a higher class of goods 

 which manifests itself. 



"Government and private advices as to 

 crops of cereals, fruits and tobacco are 

 quite encouraging for a large yield. The 

 quality of oats will be below the standard 

 owing to the wet weather in harvesting, 

 and much winter wheat is below grade. 

 The reduced movement of hogs to market 

 is apparently based upon fewer animals 

 on the farm. Rice yields will be liberal 

 in the south, and sugar cane is making 

 good progress. Dry weather will reduce 

 the crop of citrous fruits in Florida. 



"Another notable feature is the general 

 strength exhibited by prices. The smal- 

 lest stock of wheat supplies since 1898 is 

 indicated both here and abroad. It has 

 been a weather market for corn, reports of 

 damage yet to come from frosts inducing a 

 fractional gain on the week. Cotton 

 goods are firmer, as much because of the 

 steady insistent demand as because of the 

 strength of the raw material. 



"The situation in wool and woolen 

 goods ii favorable to sellers. The strength 

 in hides is the keynote to the leather and 

 shoe markets. A feature in keeping with 

 the advancing season is the higher range 

 of farm produce. Eggs are higher and 

 butter is advancing on larger consumption 

 and reported manipulation by cold storage 

 interests." 



Forest Fires 

 in the West. 



Reports from Oregon, Wash- 

 ington and British Columbia 

 tell of destructive forest fires which have 

 caused enormous loss of property and 

 some loss of life. Mills, lumber and tim- 

 ber to the value of $1,000,000 were de- 

 stroyed in Chehalis county, Washington. 



