New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-10-05
COLONIAL PROGRESS.
GREELEY, COLORADO.

SUCCESS IN IRRIGATIoN-A COUNTRY IN WHICH
TO MAKE MONEY QUICKLY-GooD HARyEsTs
AND NEW MARKETS.
IRON AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRlBuNRI
GREELEY, Colorado, Sept. lS.-Our season
has been favorable. It Ia generally known that we de-
pend upon irrigation for raising all kinds OF crops for the
that rains nfrequent II Is said that a few
nine months passed and not drop OF rain fen
We have taken out two irrigating canals one 10 miles
long, which supplies the town and several thousand
OF adjacent land; and q miles long which Ia
10 water 5000 land. This last canal was
opened last year, but found large enough, and
the work OF enlargement commenced last Fall but,
Winter setting In uncommonly early, little could be done
until Spring The ditch being filed with and al
most like ice, thawed slowly that It was well into
April before work could commence. Meanwhile small
grain was sown, though many doubtful whether
water could be obtained time, but fortunately rains
frequent that all the grain came up WELL anat
kept growing through May and June. The enlarge
ment prosecuted with tho greatest vgor, but, no
rain falling during the latter part Of June, II became
necessary to let water immediately aud hence small
portion was left uncompeted, which Is to be finished this
FAN. SO promptly the water let In that IL came
down npon hard work upon small detached spots
that must be excavated, and they made dams, and
worked in all night while little streams burst
in upon them, and they were enyeloped In mud ana
water. Finally the dams were removed and the water
ran unobsructed This canal Is nowhere less than Is
feet wide the bottom, and It is four feet deep The
fall is nearly five feet TO the mile hence the current Is
rapid and the volume Of water immense. Undoubtedly
this u the finest work Of the kind in Colorado
in America, and the has been $4,000 while
piece of property Is worth at least ten times much,
or half million dollars.
YEARS INCOME.
II was soon demonstrated that the supply OF water
was abundant although every farmer used II at the
tme which indicates that by commencing TO irri-
gate early the canal would supply double the number OK
Still the banks and headgate are not safe untli
additional has DONE the cost OF which is esti
mated at only $500, which sum Is to be raised by an
assessment Of ten cents on an acre Water being ap
piled in abundance and showers falling more or less ire
queny, there rapid growth Of all kinds OF grain,
and by the lst OF August wheat cutting commenced.
Since then several thrashng machines have been stead
lily at work. and small per cent OF wheat and oats mas
thrashed The average yield OF wheat so far mas
been about % bushels to the and oats 40 bushels
The quality of the wheat is undoubtedly unsurpassed In
any other part OF the country have taken the pains
to 90 over the whole ground 10 visit every farm and
find that the number of in various crops exceeds
3COO and OF this fully 1900 In wheat, which AZ
90 bushels to the gives us $1,000 bushels AZ the
ranchmen IN valleys will raise nearly much moro,
the total amount Of wheat which will be brought 10 our
mill will be 10000 bushels and grind 200 bushels
day this equals its capacity The market value OF the
wheat raised in the colony less than sCOo that OF
oats and other crops s3OOOO-tota $4,000 In addition
to this have an item IN wood ana lumber derived
from three successful drives from the mountains,
whereby have not less than 100000 feet In logs
on which one sawmi is cutting, and another VIII
be soon in operations have also several thousand
railroad ties fence posts and cords OF wood, all worth
s5 600 making grand total OF the value Of our pro-
ducts for the present year. Sl500o Practical men can
Judge of progress when state that TINS Is our
second year in country, which before our advent
was wholly unnhabited, and that In addition we nave
built town as neat as any in New-England' though
new and containing about 1900 inhabitants Our loca-
ton is on the Denver Pacific Railroad, and on tho
Cache Ia Poudre River four miles above its Junction with
the Platte, and IS miles from Denver and % from
Cheyenne have 70 announce that we arc 10 nave
another railroad. for the work has already begun ana
it is TO be done within twelve months This road 10 built
by the Union Pacific and it leaves the main trunk at
Julesburgh, and follows up the Platte TO our town,
thence goes up the ST. Vreim Golden, II miles west OF
Denver, connecting with the Denver and Rio Grande.
thence up of Clear Creek TO the important
mining towns OF Black Hawk, Central Nevada and
Georgetown The hne is already completed from Golden
TO within seven miles OF Black Hawk, and several hun
dred men are constantly work Thus 1t Is to be seen
that Greeley is to become railroad Junction. ana OF
course a town OF no mean importance Other roads VIII
also be built town, but the present Is as much as
we can now attend 10.
EXCELLENT CROPS
Being largely engaged in agriculture the railroad 70
thing we can raise will find ready market. There Is
already active demand for all that we can spare to sup
ply towns and stations on the Union Paclne ana snip
meuts are made every day OF -four potatoes cabbages
Tomatoes and other vegetables. During the season we
made six shipments Of Strawberries but we were unaoe
TO- meet the demand Next year we shall have more ana
larger fields The growth Of vegetables on this reh SOIL
e so astonishing that people q the East could scarcely
believe what their eyes might see have mysen Pehy
OF cabbages weighing from to Is pounds Dees POUNDS
and urnps IS pounds EACH they have not yet got their
crowth SO much are people encouraged by the weld
OF crops that prices OF real estate are
cling and several who had offered farms lo e 40 o
want To sell The average price OF farms OF W anu ~
acres partly powed is $40 an acre; but the eoohy ma
plenty OF just as good land unmpEoyed 'nA "a" W H'
AS to irrigation being any KIND OF Cd. We
think Of the matter unless to consider u p,yegs, %
have good schools four churches stores and Shops OF al
kinds and whatever else pertains 10 thriIty unn,
Though an exception is TO be made-we nave neltneIs
orinEnR nor a gambling saloon More than an, VIC nave
obnndance OF room for all who think they can
get along without strong drink. In lyng as We ns,y
fully two years before we eon9 rse q, IN th iii ne ont
necessity nave run In debt but mont OF thSn WI ,
This wear know OF who Will nave nearly Ihou-
sand bushels OF wheat from ~ eres CO, J from 100 no
and OF potatoes, when VIII yISp I'LL ~ "a
$50 bushels 10 the acre, worth IN the 1 ,t
cents bushel and later III Ine season c , S 20 ~
nav on the river bottoms. me impression the ~
should receive from these statements ~ that ane r ~
kind OF difficulty 10 an Intelligent eherg me- ~
ting rich any OF these valleys All aIouuu s i al
immense stock range on which millions Oh eat, h
horses, and sheep can be Kept. anu ufnx os. VI t
Winter without hay grain. butter factory win al
the latest improvements, has been established rev
miles from town, and when soon Robinson was ne.e
few weeks ago he made II visit ana expressed aston
ishment that It should be found in this far on country.
MT Robinson also spoke OF the extraordinary richness
of the milk given by the running on the range and
he said he had mix to equal it one WORD
more: After fair trial bees are found 10 90 ehtlehe
WE'LL and in town expects " get 100 pounds Oh
honey from hlVe'