The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-10-20
NOT DEAD, BUT HEARD
FROM.
= General View Of Colorado.
DENVER, CoLoRADo,(
OCT. llTH, 1876.

EDITORS News AS there has
been several stories afioat in regard
to me since my departure from En-
pOria, perhaps q few would be
pleased to hear from me, also to
read a brief but comprehensive
sketch pertaining to this, our
"Great Centennial State" repre-
senting the 3sth star in our nations
emblem.
Colorado was admitted as q State
at the issuing of the Presidents
proclamation on the first day of
August, 1876. 1t lies between the
36th and 4lst degrees of west lati-
tude, and from the 25th to the
32d longitude, and contains l04, 800
square miles, or about 100000
acres, and divided as follows, viz i:
That in the western part or Rocky
mountain region, contains about
two-thirds, and the undulating or
rolling prairie of the eastern part,
contains about one-third of the
State-the soil of the latter being
very sandy and more adapted for
grazing, while that of the former is
more particularly adapted to min
ing This great mountain range
represents the backbone of our
country, with her numerous lofty
peaks pointing heavenward.
During the year and fall of 1860,
time when everything here was
uncertain and unstable, and q long
winter ahead, with nothing to con-
struct with, and no doubt twas
very severe on the early settlers,
AMI perhaps being the first year of
their sojourn in this desert, at that
time prices of staples were enor-
nous. Lumber brought 500 per
thousand, single nails 81 per ID. i;
-four ranged from $50 to $40 per
100 lbs, while the favorite STATS of
life, such as whisky, tobacco, coffee
and sugar, were at times worth
their weight in gold dust.
But now things, az web as times
have changed. To-day we behold
dotting her plains the little dug-out
where live some of her most pros
porous of people-the ranchm an,
herding his fecks. numbering per-
haps thousands, by day, and corral
ing them at night, and Is, as a gen.
eral thing, the most independent
man that can be found, as he is
monarch of Sll he surveys" The
glorious orb of day meyer rises to
find him in bed. as his sheep at
that time are grazing upon
8 thousand hills, and far away.
The grass here is very short but
very nutritious, and is called the
Gramma or Buffalo grass, and peo-
pie here are often questioned as to
whether this is going to supply the
wants Of the many cattle and sheep
that are subsisting upon it. ans
wer it certainly will. Haye not
over three millions Gas estinated)
of buffalo, elk, deer, Sc, been
grazing upon this very tract Of land
from almost time immemorial, and
why not last for time to come? Our
showers are more frequent, thus
causing the grass that grew here
and there . bunch to come together
until now nature has completed the
soil with . grass that stands une-
quNlled for stock on the continent,
and to illustrate the above most eY-
cry available spot of land where
there is water has been taken
within a radius of nearly 100
miles Of Denver for the purpose of
stock raising. West of this great
desert lies the great chain of the
Rocky Mountains, visible to the
naked eye to the extent of nearly
200 miles, running nearly north and
south, and about Is miles from Den
yer stands the renownedPikes Peak,
whose immense summit stands out
prominently to the height of abou:
Ia, 600 feet or nearly three miles, aud
far above her neighboring peaks,
with great splendor. and It's said
by good authority that there are
IL peaks whose SUBMITS rise TO the
height of Il, 900 feet within the limits
OF colorado. WN. LOGAN.