Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-03-03
the colorado Humbug.


The Colorado Humbug.
Some weeks since large number of
young men in Memphis and vicinity were
captivated by the golden stories and fiat
tering accounts from the land of Colo
RADIO. Mines Of untold wealth., where
gold and silver cropped out ready for the
hand of the cleaner, were there awaiting
the young man from the South who in
tended turning his back upon our sunny
cline and fruitful land. Many went
there only to find that thousands of
young men from the North were there in
advance. There is nothing either in the
mineral or agricultural resources Of Col
orado sufficient to induce young men TO
emigrate thitherward. From CONVERSE
tons with young men who have been
there, much to their regret we are enabled
to show that Colorado is place 10 be
avoided especially by young men
from the South The territory is a
vast plain, unproductiye and bar
rem, except along the margins and
shores of the Platte and other streams.
In order to raise anything, perfect sys-
tenn of irrigating by canals mustbe estab-
lished. In this arid desert nothing can
be raised without building water works.
Along the rivers small farms can be seen
from ten to fifty acres, upon which crop
of wheat can be raised with the aid Of
water. We have before us a prospectus
of the Union Colony, situated fifty-five
miles from Denver, on the Cache la
Poudre, which gives a roseate hue to
Colorado, but in this we can see enough
to teach us to avoid the place. The
lands are divided into ten and forty acre
lots, and the everlasting irrigating canal
is said to be twenty-seven miles long,
which is absolutely necessary for crops
vet this land is located in the delta
formed by the Cache la Poudre and the
Platte rivers. You can raise wheat, po-
tatoes, roots and vegetables, and the
task of irrigating is quantity said to be
pleasing rather than laborious task.
Water for irrigation has to be paid for
like every other right. The prospectus
says: with $1,000 One may get along
passably well, but he must be Industrious
and economical. The colony can hold
out no inducement for poor men, because
it is not hospital, but place for men
with small means" And this is true of
the entire territory; but on the question
of inducement for men with means there
is some difference of opinion.
WHAT A YOUNG MAN CAN DO THERE.
He can occasionally get employment
chopping cottonwood at two dollars per
cord. He can occasionally get work at
digging the everlasting bitches or canals.
He can occasionally procure work as
herder of cattle on the plains at from
twenty to thirty dollars per month. He
can sometimes get employment as a
plowman at twenty dollars per month.
But il must be recollected that for the
amount of work in the market there are
thousands Of young men ready to seize
it as a means of subsistence. The
mines in the mountain ranges are
worked principally by Eastern capital
lists with machinery, and that work is
carried on only during a portion of the
year. Denver City is full Of young men
out of employment, who anxiously await
some chance to get away. Gamblers
flourish in the village, and are the
monied men of the place. There is a
great effort made by the territorial gov
eminent to get colonists and increase
the population as rapidly as possible
for political purposes, in order to create
State government.
SOUTHERN YOUNG MEN
can find little to do, and they are not re-
garded very favorably, because the
Yankee mind in that territory-as it is
to our own knowledge in many of the
Western States-has not yet got over
the ignorant prejudices engendered by
the late war. TIE people Of Colorado
are working for selfinterest, and en-
deayor to get as much work for as little
money as possible out Of the stranded
young men who land on the shores of
the Platte. Our Southern country has
rich lands, hOspitable and friendly peO-
pie, and the man who cannot make a
respectable living here is a ft subject
for the starvation process in force in
golden Colorado.
LIFEuKE.-Messrs. Harwel 4 Han
cock nroprietors Of the City Gallery,