The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1870-10-13
COLORADO.

and here / will resume my narrative.
This place is a village, or colony, situ-
ated at aapoint Oh the Denver Pacific
r. R., about midway between Chey-
enne and Denver, where the road
crosses considerable mountain stream
called the "Cache la Poudre" four
miles above its junction. with the
Platte. 1t is out in the open plain,
about twenty-five miles from the
foot hills and in full view of them and
the more distant snowy range, and
thus are the Rocky Mountains prop
er. This colony was organized in
New York last spring, through the
agency of the National Land Compa-
ny, by N. c. Meeker, an attachee of
the N. Y. Tribune, Gen. II. A. Came
ron, of Elmira, n. y, and several 9TH
er gentlemen. The plan is substan-
TALLY this: Each colonist paid into
the fund the sum of S155,0O, this enti-
ties him to certificate of member
ship, which secures to him business
lot, and residence lot in the village
by paying % dollars each; also, the
right to homestead or pre-empt eighty
acres of land adjacent to the town, or
5, 10, 20 or 40 acre lot, as he may
choose. Out of the fund thus raised,
the expense of irregating all this land
is paid. Your readers are probably
aware that all land that is cultivated
in this country has to be irrigated to
produce grain or vegetables. This
was quite a novel process to me, and
will describe it. These mountain
streams descend quite rapidly from
the mountain to the plain, giving them
a strong current. bitches are cut,
tapping the stream quite distance
above the land proposed to be irrigat-
ed, and run along the bluffs or higher
lands that border the streams. Each
land holder draws from the main ditch
above him by small ones, the water
necessary to moisten his land, and dis
tributes it over his fields at will. So
you see, the farmer has the power,
not exactly of Joshua, to stop the
sun and moon in their courses, but to
make it rain where he chooses. ...
| The colony has already in operation
one ditch six miles long, which covers
1900, acres of their land, and anoth-
er under contract 20 miles in length,
which will cover sixty thousand acres.
The town occupies a beautiful loca-
tion at the junction of the Poudre and
Platte Valleys, is one mile square,
with rectangular streets. Much taste
has besn displayed in laying it OUT
There is a park or plaza of five acres
in the centre, divided by the main
street. On each side is constructed
an artificial lake, fed by pure water
from the ditch, and bordered by a row
of young elm and maple trees. In
deed, the water works are, or will be,
the chief beauty of the place. On
each side of every street, will run a
little pebbley stream of pure water
and these bordered by rows of green
trees, will give the streets charm and
beauty that nothing else can do.
And there is yet another thing that
lends enchantment to residence here
and this is the gorgeous sunsets
Nothing that l have ever seen at all
compare with them. No two alike,
and each more beautiful than the last.
AS the sun sinks behind the noun
tain tops, his golden rays glinting
along the snow-eapped peaks, sets
them all aglow. The jagged outlines
of the range is projected against the
brilliant sky beyond with the utmost
distinctness. Above appears the
bright, warm, beautiful sky, and be-
meath, the mountains base is bathed
in mist of purple of the most exquis-
ite hue, that no one can describe, and
much less initiate, and high over all.
are suspended the clouds singed with
"eolors dipped in Heaven" The
whole scene constantly changing, YET
increasing in beauty until the behold
er is left with those beautiful lines in
the poem, "the closing year." Au.
tumn too, has gone; gone, with its
rich golden sunsets, hanging DER the
west, like banners from the battle
ments of acknowledging in his
mind 0i5sn 1'
3 Since my former communication ]
have made two weeks sojourn in the
mountains. The point we visited was
Estes Park, a beautiful valley, or park
as they are called, situated at the foot
of Longs Peak. To reach the peak
:. you have to travel about twenty miles
into the mountains, through canons
!. over mountains, through gorges and
J deffle that would seem impossible to
teamster unused to such roads. Al
one approaches the peak he passes
along narrow ascending valley, and
when you reach its summit, the frs
glimpse of the valley breaks upon the
view. About five hundred feet be.
low you, and a mile in advance, &
+ more enchanting scene of natura
beauty, surely never delighted the
eye of man. Here, in the midst o1
this solidifed class of nature, is 6
peaceful valley, apparently, an exten.
sive lawn or park, of some gentleman
Of unlimited means and exquisite
taste. A beautiful stream winds iti
way along through the centre, an6
seeks its outlet through wild gorge
at the foot Of the valley. Surround
ed on all sides by high, bold, precipi
tous mountains Of rock, you feel tha
: you are almost in a prison, and yet i
is such a charming one, you fair
would court confinement h r