New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-24
GREELEY COLONY.
IT'S CONDITION AND PROGRESS.


[ynox AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIDUSs'I
GREELEY, Colorado, Sept. 10.-The corporate
namo OF the Union Colony" was changed. in common
conversation to the "Greeey Colony" but, since the
town OF Greeley, which is its CENTER has assumed so
much importance, tho word colony has been dropped
altogether, and Greeley Is used to signify the whOle
settlement The town is situated on the south side OF
Cache la POudre River which Is 100 feet wide' and 100
miles long, rising In the heart OF tho Snowy Range
receiving water from other source; aud II empties
into the South Platte Ave miles below Greeley. The
average descent over feet 10 the mile. The general
aspect OF the valley resembles that Of the Connecticut
but the water of the Cacne Ia Poudre IS clearer.
The tender green and the gossness OF the trees are
said, by travellers, to give this valley decidedly En-
gish aspect this Ia without habltation or cutya-
On help from art. since the natural condi-
On long before the white appeared was that OF
carefully kept park with closelyshaven lawns. The
width OF this valley OF beauty and green scarcely eS-
ceeds mile 30 devious Is the course OF tho river tha'
In miles OF It's progress many as 80 miles are '
eled, while the groups Of trees, standing along the
banks, appear 10 q distant observer. to cover more
ground than IL really tho and thus the valley Is
divided into innumerabe bonds which are first on one
side and then on another each bond including rom 100
to 900 OF land.
Tho soil IL alluVal and extremely fertile, and IN many
places It ia moist that abundant crops are grown
without irrigation aud potatoes always are Perhaps
threefourhs OF the land kept for hay which Is cut
and baled immense quantities and shipped by Greeley
Denver. Cheyenne. and the mountain mining towns
the other fourth under plow, is fitted for IT, Tho
banks OF the river are above six feet HIGH and yet
the valley does not overflow This description applies to
the whole Of the river from three miles WITHIN
the mountains its mouth. distance In direct line
OF 40 miles, Going up the last farm Is at tho end OF
the road for there the stream out OF the canon
with walls Of hight and steep that tho direct
q. al
Of the river lake. the foot Of the range. reached
by a circuitous road. This Lake is much visited by
tourists and people, and mountain trout weighing
from pound TO three pounds caught in great
numbers. During the months Of May. June, July, and
part OF August water down In heavy HOOD,
making tho river everywhere unfOrdlble. except to
desperate travellers During the rest of the year It Is
ordable but should know tho fords, and caution Is
always necessary.
5UEROUSDISG COUNTRY.
On each side OF the green valley slight and
gradual elevation OF ye six feet, called the first
bench which from mile to two miles wide, aud
beyond is the second bench, which gradually merges
into the great desolte, reeless plains, fading into
GUNNER OF earth and sky, Of pale green and dusky
gray which often appear mirases OF lakes and trees
cattle and men and sometimes. frosty weather, there
are castles by the shore, waves rolling In over long
beach, and hshermcn'I barks tossing a stormy
main. Tho soil no matter how remote, is rich as the
valley OF tho Gencsee. Only bu1Ao grass and few
weeds and cact appear. Prairie dogs have thcky popu
lated towns and there holes Of the gray WOLF OF the
badger and coyote. As for the rattesnake and little
horned owl, they live with the prairie dogs. From
almost any point within 100 miles, the Snowy Range can
be seem Perhaps year. or once IN 10 or 20 years
waterpouts burst the plains in such immense floods
that deep gulohes formed on soping ground and
they may tear deep veins OF water thai
issue beautiful springs, and after running short dis
tance sink inso the thirsty soil Sometimes the herder
seeking stray cattle, the lost traveller, comes
| one Of these springs.
1t il about $50 miles from Greeley to the valley Of tn
North Platte, all the way across the plains. There are
few small streams, but Fremont made the journey Fl
1912, and travelled long days Journey of 45 miles with
OIL finding water. Along the crest of the divide BE-
teon these two rivers runs the Union Pacific and las
year its company tested the practicabty OF BORING
artesan wels. They sunk ten, always nning an abul
dance of water about eco feet, rising above tho
aurfaoe twenty or Ia few Of the wells ven'
OF coal were passed from 10 10 10 feet thick Thus nortl
of Greeley all is desolaton South, six or seven miles
tho Big Thompson rising at the base OF Longs Peak
enters the Platte A divide plateau OF perhaps lO
feet high Is between, and it forms triangle each side
about % miles long, and the mountains are the base
while the point terminates at town. just below
| this point passes the Denver Pacific Rail
| road running from Denver to Cheyenne, los miles
| The Colorado Central, from Julesburg to the
mountains crosses within the town, and also passe;
| around the point OF the bluff Right in front Is the
delta formed by the Platte and Cache la Poudre each
OF the three sides being five miles long, and the whole
surface as smooth and ouspread as il formed for
battlefield Looking from the point OF the bluff south
ia TO be seen Of Evans with 1000 inhabitants
and looking eastward TO be seen the junction OF the
two rivers and beyond, the Platte ITSELF pursuing its
solitary way, G5O miles, to the Missouri The whole
scene is Opei bOundless, free An Asiac traveller says
that the Platte Valley strongly resembles that Of the
| Ganges. Its meadows are from two to seven miles
broad the soil IL rich, and it sustain vast popula
ton while the ra nges each side will support millions
| Of cattle. Many OF people have taken claims for
over hundred miles and some have large herds An
old cattle man living in Cheyenne has something like
$1,000 head. But soon farmhouses Will occupy tue I'M
mediate valley and in ten years it will present. sue.
cession OF villages and towns.
A TOWN WITHOUT FENCES.
When we made location In the Spring OF 1870 the
railroad had been completed TO Evans which as
large as now but buildings not good, while
we bought the best OF them and hauled them TO our
town. There was cultivation anywhere, and the
whole scene 50 far the eye could reach was one OF
utter desoation though there were 1900 Texas cattle
feeding on our proposed town SITE Up the valley few
friends had located from mile TO two miles apart
Int the country was unsafe and forts had been built
only the wear before The year before that ranchmen
had been killed all sides. The Arrapahoes had
camp on our island park, to which they would return
from expeditions down the Platte TO attack Denver
trains and they displayed at their grdes scalpocks OF
longer and finer hair than any Of their tribes ever wore
The present situation il as follows: Two mitigating
canals 10 feet wide have been built. on the south
si, Of the river which in s meanderngs is over u
miles long and the north side 80 miles long and
from 10 10 40 WIDE and from four to five feet deep
In addition, aterals have been made by the farmers
from two TO Ave feet wide, so that these works
are not less than 100 miles long. Following
the banks Of each canal. and crossing from one TO