, 1874-01-02
COLORADO.
The Las Animas Land Grab.
Indignation and Excitement of the
Settlers.
Close of NIining-Operations for
the Winter.

Special Correspondence Of The CHICAGO Tribune.
CANON C1r4, COL, Dec. 20, 1873.
There is sound OF wailing and gnashiug OF
teeth among the actual settlers OF the new rail-
road-towp of
LAS As1,1As,
the county-seat of Dent County, and situated
near Fort Lyons, on the south bank OF the ar
kansas River, 100 miles east Of Pueblo. The
town, as located. stands upon what is known rs
the Las Auimas grapt,-a tract OF land containing
1000. 900 acres. and embracing, in fact, nearly
the whole Of Southern Colorado. A synopsis OF
the early history Of the grant would occupy TOO
much space. and fail to interest the general
reader. When New Mexico Was ceded to the
United States these lands, which had previously
been donated by the Spanish Government to
certain indlyiduals,-much after tne same 1ash-
ion taat King Charles employed in the enr'y
settlement OF the Colonies,-passed along win
it: but. in the majority OF cases, the rights OF
the grsnt-claimants or their heirs hao u
vays been protected by the General Gov
ernment, and these extensive tracts, embracing
the most fertile agricultural and etock-Srazln@
lands in the Territory. wero never consieereo
open for pre-emption or homestead'entry. IAle
crcnter, OF at lesat the most desirable, portion
Of the grant is held by what is known as persons
who havo obtained titles from the original
grantees or their heirs. No other Kind Of setslo-
ment WAS allowed, and
NONE nut A DEn1TAT1yE TITLE
could be obtained. For some yeara past, and IN
order to avoid the endless litigation which this
state Of af1irs must give r1se TO. efforts nave
heen made to induce thu General Government
either to confirm the grant in controversy TO tue
original claimauts, or buy them ont entirely,
and then throw the whole tract open for Puol1c
settlement. Pending these negotiations the
Town OF Las Aniznas was located, while a large
number of settlers squatted on the richest landa
IN and down the river, and quietly waited
for developments, or until the business between
the hoirs under derivatiys claims and the United
States Government had becu satisfactorily au-
iusted. These people all supposed that they had
good thing, and rightly they were entitled to
it. L. was impossible to get titles to tho lands
through the regular channel OF tbs Land-Ofdco.
It was equally impossible to obtain valid title
frnm the dariYatiye claimants. Tho only thing to
be done vas to wait; aud SO extensive farms anu
towns we're marked out and men 6ottted down
With the conviction that they would have tue
first chance when the market did open. But
this fancifu1 dream OF security has been rnde!y
L.
fact that, while they haYo been asleep, other
chaps, less honest. to bo sire, but far sharper,
have jumped in aud
GoDBLEp Tm: sPous.
In other words, they have obtained patents TOT
several quarte1-scctlons Of land, embracing not
only tho present towu-site Of Lns AMI
mas, but all the tichc.t bottom~lands on
both e;dcs Of the rlynr; aud tho en-
gular fact is, that nn tie patents are
ISSUED to noa-residcutJ, aud the eldest aid most
respectable 1nhabitant ct Bent County il unable
to establish their identity. What secret inhu-
ouco uas brought to bear in Washington TO OBJ
tain these patents remains profound mys:ery !;
but it is popularity believed that the Denver and
Pueblo Land Offices are mixed up IN the trans
action, and that the KANSAS P.cldc Halfway
comes in for 3 large alice. The
EXCITEMENT Is AT FEvEn-HEAT.
and, should one Of the authors Of tbs job prs
sumo to set his foot upon the disputed territory.
ho would soou become target tor revolver
practice The old settlers OF Las Anln1as. who
haye go long remained in the peaceful occupa-
ton of what they regarded as their laud,
will resist to the last extremity. Scores
OF afidavits, setting forth all the facts. arc now
rushing forward to Washington, while pet,tlo1
with over 400 names attached will be submitted
to Congress. This petition, which is signed oy
all classes Of citizens, sets forth, IN substance
that large number Of patents TO lands in Bent
County have been Wrongfully audlueeally lsa1ed
to certain and divers persons, to the Injury CT .
large uulDef OF bo%Llt1a Lue4ttHt a44u uaA4tA c1A
cuuls Ia nces indicating
cULpAB1LIry AND CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT
on the part OF some one or more officers OF tho
Government irtrusted with the custody aud dis
posaI Of pubic lands situate in said county. The
petitioners further Btatc that, instead Of obtain
ing said lands in proper and legal manner,
patcnts for tho same were issued to persons n no
were not only noll-resldcns, but also utterly I'LL
known in said county. The document concludes
by asking that these patents be declared fraudu.
lieut. and be sct aside; that tho rights Of
settlers and other claimants be protected,
as though SAID patents had mover been issued !;
and that the guilty olicias. II any there be, bo
publicly disclosed. THIS matter may not at
tract much attention On the part OF the Eastern
reader, but the subject Is one OF great lmpor-
tance to Southern Colorado. It has not como
to head yet aud, like the sheep and cattle war,
you may expect to hear the Thunder Of artillery
al any moment. ........
INTERPRETATIONS
have shout shut down for the winter, and the
minors are Hochinr to tho valleys and towns, in
quest OF cheaper board aud warmer weather.
When it il understood that nearly ali the richest
silver mines arc above timbcr-line, and that the
snow in that locality often falls from 10 to u
feet deep, it is not bard to imagine rather low
state of affairs for the thermometer. 4 few
sturdy oil veterans, who haVa been out here
ever since Pixies Peak was yearlng, stick to their
cabins; but the majority detest Lie fumes OF
wLiskoy- punches afar OF, aud strike out for the
hnuus OF civilization. NO matter no" MUCH
Eoll-dust or enyer-bullion the miner has upon
feaciug tho mincn, he narer goes back with any,
Lu: is liable to be indebted to his landlord, in
the spring, for board. Ha squaudors his sub
stance at the saloon or faro-table. or wastes it
in riotous living. Not one miner in II hundred
makes lucky strike, and not one in q thousand
Keeps his money after he gets it. But still
TIE LIFE HAS ATTRACTIONS
| which cannot be resisted. aud the poor devil
who has labored for months or years without
,nas;o; dollar still keeta pegging away, in tue
hope that fortune will relcnt at last and chow
him sake. He may endure priyations innu.
msrable, his pelson may be clothed in rags, and
his bowels may yeaCn for food; but the
| poor miner will never give up, and
will defy Death himself for gold. Give
d Colorado miner his choice between yilln or
the Hudson aud ''pay-strcak OF two inches
| Oh tho mountain, and hn will choose the latter.
THE WEATHER
| hero continues splendid, and flies are bumpina
! against tile window-panes with all the viGor O.
| August. Parasols are fashionable on the street
anu linen busters have not been discarded II
fine, the climate could not well be improved ant
yet the average Coloradoan is not happy, bu
would like moro frost aud less dust. 4.
TIE EhPEERc Ann THE Pf 0WMnKFRC