George E. Barstow
Encyclopedia
George Eames Barstow described as a "capitalist and irrigation pioneer," was a Texas land developer and a member of both the Providence, Rhode Island
, common council
(four years) and the city's school board (fourteen years), as well as the State Assembly
from 1894 to 1896. He was known as "the father of irrigation in the Southwest."
and paper mills in Rhode island.
He then turned his attention to the Pecos Valley
in Texas, where the Pioneer Canal Company was chartered on September 30, 1889, with Barstow as treasurer. He later served as president of a successor company, the Pecos Valley Land and Irrigation Company.
In 1891 Barstow and other land developers formed a project to promote a town on the Texas and Pacific Railway
in western Ward County, Texas. By 1895 the town had taken on the name of Barstow
, and Barstow himself moved there from New York City in 1904. He took part in organizing other irrigation and drainage systems through the West
.
.
, the leading organization interested in water projects in the West, and he was in charge of the annual convention in 1909 in Spokane, Washington. A Los Angeles Times reporter wrote about the impending congress that Barstow "has been a prime mover in inducing the federal government to build the systems that will make fertile over 3,000,000 acres of land which once was a desert." In an interview, Barstow predicted that isolated farmhouses would become "a thing of the past" and that farmers would commute from their homes to farms via fast horses or automobiles or interurban streetcars. He added:
In his opening speech at the Spokane congress, Barstow urged the government to find work for (overseas) immigrants "out West
," to provide them with transportation and to lend them money to establish homes. He asked:
Barstow was head of the National Immigration Commission in 1912, and he sent a message to the first convention of the American Immigration and Distribution League in New York City in April of that year "stating that 65 per cent. of the immigrants who came to the country were farm laborers, and that the United States Government ought to establish an Immigrant Land Loan Fund, which would advance small sums to immigrants who settled on Western lands."
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, common council
Providence City Council
The Providence City Council is the fifteen-member legislative body of the city of Providence, Rhode Island. The two major responsibilities of the council are enacting ordinances necessary to ensure the welfare and good order of the city and adopting the city's annual budget...
(four years) and the city's school board (fourteen years), as well as the State Assembly
Rhode Island House of Representatives
The Rhode Island House of Representatives is the lower house of the Rhode Island General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. State of Rhode Island. It is composed of 75 members, elected to two year terms from 75 districts of equal population. The Rhode Island General Assembly does not have...
from 1894 to 1896. He was known as "the father of irrigation in the Southwest."
Business career
Barstow began his business career at the age of seventeen and eventually "founded, financed or organized" five worstedWorsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
and paper mills in Rhode island.
He then turned his attention to the Pecos Valley
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
in Texas, where the Pioneer Canal Company was chartered on September 30, 1889, with Barstow as treasurer. He later served as president of a successor company, the Pecos Valley Land and Irrigation Company.
In 1891 Barstow and other land developers formed a project to promote a town on the Texas and Pacific Railway
Texas and Pacific Railway
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California....
in western Ward County, Texas. By 1895 the town had taken on the name of Barstow
Barstow, Texas
Barstow is a city in Ward County, Texas, United States. The population was 406 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Barstow is located at ....
, and Barstow himself moved there from New York City in 1904. He took part in organizing other irrigation and drainage systems through the West
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
.
Volunteer work
Barstow, a Republican, wrote pamphlets on varied subjects, including immigration, cooperatives, China-Japan relations and AmericanismCulture of the United States
The Culture of the United States is a Western culture originally influenced by European cultures. It has been developing since long before the United States became a country with its own unique social and cultural characteristics such as dialect, music, arts, social habits, cuisine, and folklore...
.
Irrigation and immigration
In 1908–09 Barstow was the president of the National Irrigation CongressNational Irrigation Congress
The National Irrigation Congress was held periodically in the Western United States beginning in 1891 and ending in 1916, by which time the organization had changed its name to International Irrigation Congress. It was a "powerful pressure group."...
, the leading organization interested in water projects in the West, and he was in charge of the annual convention in 1909 in Spokane, Washington. A Los Angeles Times reporter wrote about the impending congress that Barstow "has been a prime mover in inducing the federal government to build the systems that will make fertile over 3,000,000 acres of land which once was a desert." In an interview, Barstow predicted that isolated farmhouses would become "a thing of the past" and that farmers would commute from their homes to farms via fast horses or automobiles or interurban streetcars. He added:
The government is laying out towns every five miles. . . . The farms will be small, ten to forty acres, and the farming intensive. Under these circumstances, the farmers will live in towns of 1500 to 2000 people, enjoying all the benefits of urban life — schools, churches and social life. . . . A tide from the city to the country has already set in. Many college graduates have chosen farming on irrigated tracts for their life work.
In his opening speech at the Spokane congress, Barstow urged the government to find work for (overseas) immigrants "out West
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
," to provide them with transportation and to lend them money to establish homes. He asked:
Shall I, who have always been broadly conservative, be regarded as preaching paternalism or as socialistic in my purpose when suggesting that the duty of the National Government may be found in providing under proper safeguard a fund which may be used to make loans of suitable amount to enable this thrifty and frugal class of people to locate their homes . . . ?
Barstow was head of the National Immigration Commission in 1912, and he sent a message to the first convention of the American Immigration and Distribution League in New York City in April of that year "stating that 65 per cent. of the immigrants who came to the country were farm laborers, and that the United States Government ought to establish an Immigrant Land Loan Fund, which would advance small sums to immigrants who settled on Western lands."
Offices and memberships
- President, National Drainage Congress, 1907–08
- President, eleventh International Irrigation CongressNational Irrigation CongressThe National Irrigation Congress was held periodically in the Western United States beginning in 1891 and ending in 1916, by which time the organization had changed its name to International Irrigation Congress. It was a "powerful pressure group."...
, 1908–09 - Vice president, Texas Conservation Commission
- President, West Texas Reclamation Association
- Member, Conference of Governors, 1908
- Delegate, World Court Congress, Cleveland, 1915
- Life director, Euphrates College, Turkey
- Fellow, Royal Society of Arts, London
- Councilor, World's Purity Congress
- Member and fellow, Society of Applied Psychology, San Francisco
- Member, committee on conferences, American Agricultural Association
- Member, advisory committee of the University Forum, New York
- Member, American Society of International Law
- Member, National Institute of Social Sciences
- Member, Southern Sociological Congress
- Member, National Child Labor Committee
- Member, National Civic Federation
- Member, American Institute of Civics
- Member, Academy of Political Science
- Member, American Society of Judicial Settlement of International Disputes
- Member, International Peace Forum
- Member, League to Enforce PeaceLeague to Enforce PeaceThe League to Enforce Peace was an American organization established in 1915 to promote the formation of an international body for world peace...
- Member, International World Conscience Society, Rome
- Member, Navy League
- Member, Rhode Island Historical Society
- Member, Empire State Society of the Sons of the American Revolution
- Member, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
- Member, New York Museum of Natural History