New-York tribune., 1870-12-21
now 4 COLONY GROWS.

We presume few letters written to The Tribune
| this year have commanded more general and uB-
| tagging attention than those in which Mr. N. G..
Meekef has cbroniced the founding and growth Of
Union Colony Colorado. Bearing in mind that its
site was naked and desolate, not nine months ago.
with two or three ranehers' and their cattle its
only denizens.-that il was purchased last March,
and that the first colonist pitched his tent upon it
about the middle of April-we think the following
extracts from Mr.. Meekers home organ The Greetey
Tribune No s. dated Dec. a. 1870, will interest many
who bear in mind the old that One half ths
world don't know how the other half live aud
fancy that they might profit by knowing. The Edi-
tor complacently says:
eve have no startling news to relate-nO fires.
fights no drunks We simply Industrious ambitious
and prosperous, and news items cannot come out of
these. II Is to be noted generally, that whatever ap
pears news Is bad; it is some robbery or inudrr
oe e M or es or land II man GETS his leg cut Oh
with circular II he hangs himself or tries 10 Mn
somebody; n he steals a horse or a woman breaks
into bank he is written about all over. We have none
OF these things. Unfortunate people that We are We
have no news
Yet despite this pryaton, he felictates has
fellow cOlonsts as follows:
Heavy rains falling in California and their wes
rainy season is full upon them giving reign Of mud
months Meanwhile, the grass rots, and before 1t
start again, cattle will almost starve unless feed
provided Here, in Coorsdowe have no Fan nor winter
rains the roads good as in summer, mud being
unknown, and the range for cattle Is nniIuured. Ma
stock except milk cows have yet required any Ieed
whatever"
But though rain is 50 scarce. is not ~
later paragraph says:
Last Friday we had strong cold wind, the sky
cloudy and fell be On the same day
there was quite fall in Denver The next day.
Saturday, was the coolest we have experienced the
mercury being in the morning % below still, the
sun shOne brightly and the air still. The cold felt
eorrespOnded 70 above I'm the States because the air
is light and dry. sunday cold and, toward night
surprised TO the foot deep, and II still fell
by o'clock, the sun came out bright The night follow
ing was stinger, and the moon waded through hos,
Tuesday morning will be remembered "a intensely cold
How cold II cannot be stated since Thermometers
do not agree"
So you see, stock of any kind may lack fodder
even in Colorado but their getting IT Is quite
another matter.
The village of Greeley has 3i5 completed
dwellings-the oldest having stood six months
while many more are in progress The lot market
is reported as follows;
Real estate is still active, and inquiries constant
Mr. Fuller sold his lot Msinst 25xl5. for s@o 10 DIR
Thompson. Meeker 4 PabOr bought OF Mr.. Root a LOT
on the corner OF Chestnut and Monroests, l00xl0.
quarter OF mile from the Park, for William Mcclellan
price 500 assert that there are better chances ior
investing town, with certain rise, than IN An,
town west of Chicago and We should not be IN the e'
sIlrprised IT, within five years. lots should acquire
fancy price aud sell higher even than in Denver Wa
kn0w that in suburban towns near New YORK; NneIs
society is select where no liquor 's sold Mhere ,IG & ais
much attention given TO shrubDery nOwefs anu suano
trees such all people are certain 10 give the
nrices OF real estate have reached astonishing gires:
and IL Is frequently the that rich man vi take
fancy to nice property and buy it, let the cost be what
IL NAV The truth is estate receives value nova
days from society; and moral CONSIDERATIONS n,aS ' @
proyements."
In the same vein, the Editor congratulates hia
fellow -townsmen as follows:
"Ope great advantage gained by the members Of this
coonys an emancipation almost a. great ~ hatenoyed
by the slaves wherever We have lived, and through our
whole lives we have been obliged to associate with
drunkards and tipplers who swarmed in every rank of
society and who met us at every turn There were fas
ionabe and questionable saloons, gamblinghoios in
cellars and in chambers OF high buildings At weddngs
and festivals and celebrations to be found the fash
ionabe glass Of wine; and this whether in country or
town NewYOrk with It's wealth and immense business
Boston, with its high culture and it, prohbt0ry law AMI
Philadelphia, with br0therly love, are equally cursed
with rum; and in Western towns-Chleago DaVenpo.r
81 Louis, s. Paul and 0nahamare the Germans ms MIN
Even in small country towns were the lager beer saloons
and ragged hangersOn-O all railroads were the freshmen
with their whisky and shillaahs and where young
men of promise growing red aud bloated All these
are left behind. We have been emancipsted, and we
breathe Seer. The day of Jubilee has come
There ismuch more in this vein; but most readers
will take deeper interest in the following:
Men are constantly in town from various points
in Colorado looking for lots houses, that they may re
their children Several extensive stock grower and
ranchmen have already bought, and preparing To
build They will keep their cattle 20 OF 80 miles distant
from town. where the range IL good and where nobody
will be disturbed hiring herders to take care Of the cattle
while they will live in with their families. IL il
great nducement that have good schools. with the
certain prospect OF til better ones ana that we haVa
shown ourselves totally opposed 10 the sale or hquOr
that will dare put up saloon. for he knows ht
ftte-knows that he will be- cleaned ont In less than -
hours Did only desire 10 make money, 10 speculate
men among as without the least regard principle.
could not adopt wiser scheme than the one we arc
carving out; and hope 10 demonstrate beyond all
snzati"p which insists upon having FOR it, motto CON
mon honesty and common sense. A. 10 brliancy and
splendid achievements these can be left to ndiyiduas
Here is an article on distinct subject. which. with
the mercury frsking about zero, must interest tho
colOnists ut least:
I'VE are in a rather bad way just about Coai Tho
Boulder Valley Railroad is 70 he completed IN about 10
DAYS 10 the cOabank whent Is to be delivered at about
g. tun though whether IL will before the last OF
the month is uncertain II looks though were 10
be deprived Of coal until we shall be willing 10 pay
good price We understand that the cost Of coal at the
banks exceed $2i tun, while the distance from
us is not over 60 miles present we pay from fo to s
and the supply limited that only few families hlyo
any stock ON band besides others waiting until
This condition ought not to last certainly will not
another year We have coal ON our own lands requTn!
development ana TIE present state M antiIs h
! stimulates us to 40 10 work PrNIegt ntS
been granted by the Board OF Trustees 10 Mr La GenSr
that cOalbeds may be opened, and he VIII proceed ~
what be done. The LOCALITY where ne has
sunk shaft is only few miles distant, and reached 10y
good road. II l. highly probable tha coal can p hsh
much indeed, Prof Hayden is reported 10 haVs
said that coal underirs this whoi. valley but At great
| deph-say COO feet such depths however are by mo
means uncommon and 1t Is understood that hrstclsa
Coal is no reached by superficial workings Hitherto,
the line of our river been the frontier and people
have b.en timorous about making settlements and,
10 searching for coal but little has of course been done
/ We had the advantage OF locaing IN an undeyc0ped
! country, and must submit to the disadvantages
arsinp therefrom, until We shall have time To search
| out natural resources
-Wemust stopbe leaving many interesting items
unclipped On the whole, We pronounce The Greetey
| Tribune a live paper and beg those who to know