The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-17
COLORADO.
NOT AN INVITING PICTURE-How THE LAND
Is GVkRRED

NOT AN INVITING PICTURE-How THE LAND
Is GRABBED.
Letters from Denver to the Chicago Tri-
bune give glimpse at that land: Colorado
is country requiring irrigation, and the
supply of water is so limited that not above
100000 of acres are capable of being cult
waited. Settlements, consequently, have been
so slow that now, after fifteen years Occur
pancy, the population does not exceed 10000.
Denver is the principal town, and it has
nearly quarter az the population of the
whole territory. From the earliest days, a
set of sharp spectators had their head
quarters in Denver, anG they en-
gagged so extensivelyin selling undeveloped
mines, represented to be enormously rich,
that Eastern people, during few years, in
vested from S6,000,O0s to SS,0o3O00 all of
which may be said to have been lost. This
furnished good working capital. The next,
and the most favorite speculation, has been
to get hold of choice pieces of land. The
process must have been TO hire men to swear
that they had made improvements, and to
prove up, and, when the patent wayreceived,
the tale was transferred to the speculator.
The selection was almost always so malicious
that, in a short time, the land could
be sold at from S. to so, ami even SIS
AN acre; and in this way hundreds
was business carried OH by greet many
men called respectable; and, as settlements
progress, the speculator is always found in
the advance, with his evidence of fling or of
.itle.. 1t is safe to say that there isrnot a
really choice piece of land, easy to water
and valuable for hay, between Denver and
Julesburg-being along the South Platte
ValleY-but what some man in Denver has
claim to it; and valuable coal and timber
lands have been seized in the same w0y. OF
course, the damage done to Colorado IN the
way or retarding immigration is immense.
WANTS TO BE A STATE.
Colorado is clamoring for admission into
the sisterhOod of states. question much il
she has the necessary population emitting
her to such a condition, especially when we
take into consideration the thousands who
are tied down, hand and foot, by the pressure
of hard times and overstocking, and would
be only too glad to leave the country
Homeless, shelterless, and hungry, they
wander over mountain and vale, seekins
employment; the victims, in many in
stances, of rapacious railway anC
newspaper combination clique. In max
ing this statement, / do uot include thu
whole press, but do strike at the so-called
leading paper of this territory. The larges
and most prominent advertisement IN tn
Denver News IS one eXtolllng the land
along the Kansas Pacific and Denver Pacfi
Railways. L know nothing of the land.
along the Kansas Pacific, but some along tt
Denver Pacific can vouch for as being con.
paratively worthless at present for agricul
tural purposes. For fifty out of the hundre'
and odd miles of the Denver fiOrailroad
one can conceive nothing more cherries
and less inviting than the land on, both sides
As far as the eye can scan is dreary waste
streamless, may say; the abode OF prairie
dogs, cayotes, and some antelope. which mus
have surprising powers for enduring thirst
All, or nearly all, the land, and that in marrow
strips, along the streams, is taken up; ant
=. until some extensive system of irrigation i
1 adopted, the greater portion of Colorad
y must remain desert to all intents and pur
. poses, as far as farming is concerned. &c
day this territory, for a range OF 2OD mile
Q north and south, that L am personally &C
v quainted with, is overstocSed in aDorin
4 population. 1t is no unconsmon thing
v find two men harbored on small farm !
a consideration of their labor, ana the mel
@ only TOO glad to have such rome. Th
: cities and towns are crowded with men OF
v of employment. How they live the angel
. has been forced r. the committal of tibet
!, ooaded ON nv 0-m- visaged hunger.