The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-13
Letter from Colorado.

To the Editor Qrthe State Journal.
Thinking that the following letter, from
my brother, would be of interest to your
readers, l inclose it for publication.
DIR. E. p. ROWLAND.
GREELEY, COLORADO TERRITORY,
January 25, 1872. !
DR.. f. p. Ho,oland, Washington d. O.:
DEAR BRoTHER-Yourk kind letter of
December 3lst was duly received, but with
several neighbors have been away to the
mountains trying to keep our cattle from
starving, and have not been in situation
to write before now. There is little
strip, four or five miles wide, next to the
mountains that is nearly bare, and the
cattle that are in good condition do very
we'll. Poor cattle stand poor chance.
Their dead bodies are to be seen almost
everywhere, and down the Platte river they
can be counted by the hundred. March is
yet to come and it is too early to estimate
losses. / have lost so far, on account of
cold and snow, one COW and one calf,
but since | have been home we have
had some terrible weather, and |
fear shall find more dead on my return to
the mountains. The wind blows here as
l have never seen it blow elsewhere. Last
Tuesday night it blew perfect hurricane,
and the snow filled the air so, that at times
one could not see single step ahead. The
mercury went down to ten degrees below
zero Wednesday it was terribly cold all
day, and Wednesday night, at some places
in the neighborhood, the mercury was fro
zen solid. Our thermometer stood thirty
two degrees below zero only, but that is
colder than ever want to see it again.
One ought to be an Esquimaux, with an
cider down suit, to live in Colorado
in winter. Warm westerly winds this
winter have struck the plains west of us
and north, (but not south toward Denver,)
along the base of the mountains, melting
the snow off very narrow strip, and lave
then appeared to go up into the highest
regions, scarcely affecting the great plan
which is one vast desolate waste of snow.
Since the 18th of November, there have
been but few days warm enough here at
Greeley to melt snow away from fences
and buildings. If it is possible to get
away, l do not mean to stay here over
another winter but one can hardly sell
anything in the stock line at present. Af-
ter the winter is over, cows that
are in good condition will probably
bring fair price, but now every thing is
unsettled and uncertain. Nearly every one
is discouraged, and wants to get away from
the country. Getting wood where we are
is hard business. The timber grows most
ly in places inaccessible to wagons, on the
crests and high up on the sides of the
ridges. We have had to 'snake" it down
on the ground frequently mile or more,
sometimes with one horse, sometimes with
two. Some may get wood by rolling it
down the sleeper places or packing" it
down on their backs. There are long
ridges of perpendicular cliffs and many
other places too steep and rocky for horses
to travel over. In the vicinity Of our camp,
on what we called the foothills, the tim
Der is mostly small, scraggy stuff, grow
ing in the seems of the rocks. Farther
back in the mountains the trees are
larger, but only q few Of them
are good enough to make anything
but rough lumber. All our nice lumber,
such as flooring, siding, &C., comes from
Chicago.
Monday night, January 29th. II ex-
pected to be in the mountains before this
time. but the weather has been so extreme
ly cold that it seemed almost unsafe to
venture out, besides the roads have been
drifted so as to be almost impossible. l
kept three calves at home, and one of them
died last night. Saturday night the mer-
curry stood eighteen degrees below zero,
and the calf that died had his legs frozen
solid nearly half way to his body. He
could stand up yesterday, but the vital
current could not bear SO much cold. |
wish Meeker and others who made us be-
lieve that cattle would do well here without
shelter or fodder, could be made to feel
some share of the suffering that the poor
cattle endure tonight. The mercury is at
zero, and | think shall start away to-
morrow morning, SO goodbye.
Your Affectionate Brother,
CHARLES A. ROWLAND.