The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-08-14
FROM MAJOR P0WELL's SCIENTIFIC Elk
petition.

.JAcKsoN's CREEK, July 20, 1867.
To THE EDITOR OF THE Rock ISLAND AR.
GUs-If / remember rightly, in my last
parted with the reader at Denver, promising
to give some idea of the place in my next
but, as we may spend more time here upor
our return, we may as well pass it for time
and, with the permission of the reader, at
tempt some description of the country thro
which we have passed since that time.
Having followed the winding of the Platte
river for distance of one thousand miles
we are now stopped by the rocky barrier
from out of which the river rushes in its i'm
petuous haste to gain the freedom of its
more expansive channel through the plains
Our route from Denver south to the canyon
of the Platte passed through some of the
richest farming country in this western re-
gion. The soil of the whole country is said
to be very rich, needing only proper am
cunt of rain to reduce it to working order
but, as rain is scarce, the people find it nee
essary to attempt only the cultivation of the
valleys of the principal streams, or such por.
tions of the surrounding land as can be read
lily irrigated.
South of Denver, this irrigation is carried
on by means of a ditch about four feet wide
and two deep, dug upon the side of the hills
at an inclination which insures rapid cur.
rent, following the winding of the valley for
distance of twenty-five miles before it
reaches Denver. From this main ditch the
water is carried through the lower lands by
smaller branching bitches, which insure a
free current of water through any part of the
adjoining farms, or ranches, as they are call
ed here.
The land not cultivated is used for graz
49, laft -
will and, as there is plenty of good grass
affording nourishing food, they grow fat and
increase rapidly. The milk given by the
cows of this country is said by the rancho
men to be so rich and thick as to necessitate
coarser strains than that of the states.
Many of those who, a few years ago, came
here pennyless, are now quite wealthy, hav
ing commenced upon land which cost them
have increased to large herds their butter
and cheese have always sold at good prices !:
and their crops are abundant, when not des-
troyed by the grasshopper. While passing
through the ranches south of the canyon we
were often amused by the farmers and their
wives giving their experiences in settling the
country and making money.
A person who has lived here seven wears
is called an old settler, and even five wears
entities him to patriarchal respect During
this time his farm has become of value, and,
by hard work at herding and By means Of
the diary business, he has rapidly increased
his wealth and now begins to enjoy the fruits
of his labor.
From one very pleasant lady, ut whose
rancho We stopped for milk, we learned that
she had been here three years F.; was at the
time milking twenty seven cows, and max
ing from seventeen to nineteen pounds of
butter per day. She said it was hardly
worth the trouble, as butter would only sell
for from forty to fifty cents per pound at the
time, it having sold in past times for seven
ty-tive cents and one dollar per pound.
Another, who had been hard worker in
her day, told US that, few years ago, she
MIXED twenty-nine cows per day and cooked
for five boarders, besides doing the other
house work. She said in those DAYS she
made about fifty dollars week besides oc-
casionally taking to town from $500 to ST.
900 worth of cheese. But having sold sew
eral farms at good profit, and made some
money by means of which she was enabled
to hive easier and keep two children at an
eastern college, she had concluded to take
things easy in her old age, and therefore
now only MIXED nine cows beside tending
to her household duties.
Upon arriving AT the canyon of the Platte.
Or the steeply-cut rock channel through
which the water runs from the mountains.
we commenced our mountain experience.
and have before us one of the great wonders
OF this rock range-the sudden transition
from gently-roiling, grassy prairie to steep
mountain Sides -
As we approach the mounta;ns. we arr
first met by range of steep hills mr. ridges
known as the Hogs Back. The re.dar 90 =
best get an idea of this formation hs. a..,.d
ing row of books upon the table VIII a.,
covers spread so that each shall incl;na =.
an angle of 450, and then, running pas.,Iai
with these, about the width of one of Ma
books distant from the first row, anothe,
row of similar construction. These ridges O
rock run for hundreds of miles alono tn,
foot of the mountains, and are cut through
at almost regular intervals by descendinf
water courses. Upon examination. we FIND
them to be composed of upturned strat;Ger
conglomerate sand rock, mostly composed q
coarse grains of quartz and scales of m;co
while the inside one, in some places. il .
fine brown sandstone, which, in some places
shoots out in free, bold, tower-like masses
giving a peculiar rugged appearance to the
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