Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-05-14
In southern Colorado.

In Southern Colorado.
THE DOME OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
Neutrality-suspicious. FOR "RANGR'-sHEEP
AND CATTLE-FLEEINe FROM TREASON THE
GREEN HORN AND THE GRINERos-A GENIAL
CLINATE-THR PASTORAL LAND or PROMISE
GAME AND FIsH-BULLs AND BEARS.
lE1trGcts FROM a former Waskins torian' pirate
letter.l
GRINERos RANCH, Col, April 20, %.
DEAR ColosEL: . Upen my arrival
in ST. Louis from Philadelphia and Washing
ton. / concluded, inssmuch as intended to To-
cate somewhere permanently, and location
being of much Importance, TO see the much
Wanted Texas and Pacific railway country in
northern Texas, 20 l diverged from the
route / had planned and went there. To be
brief. / found il had been more profusely
ton of the Western Land OF Promise 1 have ever
seen. Ii is certainly a good agricultural coun-
try, and plenty of emigrAnts are going In TO
settle it. In a ride of q hundred miles, from
Denison TO Fort Worth, by wagon, at no time
was I out of sight of wagons laden with families
seeking homes in the Lone Star state. As a
consequence of this, the stock ranges are be-
coming circumscribed, and stockmen are being
pushed further West, where the gentle Indians
most do congregate. soon discovered that il
was no place for my purpose, retraced my steps,
and came to Colorado.
Making Denver my headquarters, I rrdidted
First explored the South Platte valley and
the mountain country in that latitude. found
the ranges fair and ample, but the winters
mildest for many years, very little snow falling;
but the preceding one was rigorous, and proved
disastrous 10 stock men in some instances. Next
1 took in the country about Denver, west and
east for q distance of about one hundred miles
To the eastw ard 1 found there was lack of
water, while to the westward, in the mountain
districts, two much snow usually falls 10 admit
of winter grazing. Satisfying myself that
had as yet found no place superior or equal to
FL Paso, Texas, came TO Pueblo and began
skirmishing thereabout. soon discovered one
more genial than the difference in latitude be-
tween eblo and Denver would seem TO midi
cate. According to all accounts the winter Just
passed must have been truly delightful-too
much so, some said, for the moisture, which
makes grass, coming mainly from snow, they
feared stock might not do well. But they were
mistaken, for within the past month there have
been several mild snow falls, melting in a few
hours, and the grass is now fine. The prospect
for stock was never better.
Making good use Of my tongue and eyes, I
soon made the discovery that the nearer the
mountains one lives the better his range, for
two reasons-he has better Shelter and more and
earlier grass, for he has more moisture TO make
it. Riding over the different ranges, 1 saw that
the stock near the mountains was in the best
condition, 50 1 naturally sought ranch in IL at
locality.
had not been long in Colorado before made
the discovery that the present Is no time to
touch sheep. Reason: 50 many are going into
the business that sheep are very high; for in
stance, az 50 to IS for common Mexicans. The
demand for sheep in Mexico during the past six
months has advanced the price there in about
the same proportion. On the other hand, cat
tie are low. My philosophy teaches me to buy
a thing when it's ''down," and sell when its
cup" / therefore became convinced that cat
tie for present purposes offered the best mar gin.
CHANGING one day to ride ont it the direction
of the Spanish Peaks, came upon a spot the
peculiar beauty of which captivated me.
found il was a stock ranch and about to be sold
at forced sale. Riding over the range, found
it excellent and ample, embracing scope OF
country TWENTY-FIVE miles in area, being well
the water pure, sparkling, melted snow from
sold Baby" the highest peak OF the Green
ham range seven miles away. Making further
inquiries, learned that il was stocked with
three hundred head Of American and half
breed cattle, fine bulls, ct cetera, having three
hundred and twenty acres OF land, covering a
Grineros and one mile on the Greenham, one
hundred acres arabic with good crops already
IN, comfortable log cabin with three rooms,
farm implements and stock houses, al, com
plete. lw not long in reaching the convic-
ton that it was the finest stock ranch I had
ever seen, and offered at q bargain. The next
thing was to convince some one else, or Others,
Of the fact. 50 that, they joining me. we might
About this time three young bucks from
Pennsylvania. whose acquaintance had formed
in Philadelphia, came on, and no sooner saw
than they were conquered. To be brief, we
soon closed the bargain, and have been, 10
these three days, installed In the " Grineros
u.
One great adv antage OF this ranch is that II
can be made self-sustaining; that il, what we
produce will pay all expenses. All the parties
associated with me are workers; two Of them
from two Of the best families in Lancaster
county, Pa, and the other good fellow, too.
The location is beautiful. indeed. Our cabin
is situated In the center of q valley about two
miles in width. canal brings to our door the
limpid snow waters Of the mountains. All
around US are rock-ribbed and cedar-crested
bluffs" which, though mountains themselves
are still 80 pigmy- like beside their Handicapped
neighbor that they are deemed unworthy Of the
name. In our front, to the westward. towers
Old Badly, hoary with snow almost any month
through all the year.
We are twenty-six miles south west of Pueblo
near enough to a railroad. The surrounding
country is essentially pastoral one, and hence
cannot be squatted upon by small farmers
those terrOrs Of stockmen IN all countries. No
matter how fortunate we may be, or how large
our herds may become, We will have range
enough. Ii Is adapted to sheep equally Is well
as to cattle, 30 that, IL care TO launch out Ia
that direction when the proper time comes, We
can do SO. n
Southern Colorado is destined to become "a,
stock region Of the west. 1t Is long way ahead
Of Texas. Texans admit this, and are locating
here permanently, transferring their herds a
great expense. 1t Is central, and can avail il
self Of all markets.
Tell - there are plenty Of bear, deer, elk,
and fish within days ride Of our rancho.
know it will gladden. his heart. .
WILLIAM L. SWEET,
Greenhorn p. o., Pueblo county, Cal