The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-07-21
LETTER FROM COLORADO.
HowARD's Fork OF SAN MIGUEL, COL,
.Iuly laf lS77

H0WARD'S FORK OF BAN MI0UBI, OOI. I
July LIST. 1871.
If any person from Allen county de-
signs visiting this part of Colorado this
summer in order to keep cool they will
do themselves favor by taking the A.
T. & s. F. R. R. to Pueblo thence by
the d. & r. Narrow Guage to Laveta or
the terminus of the road thence by stage
to Silverton then foot it as much farther
- they want to 60, As yet there is no
wagon road in this part of the country,
although there is a feeble effort being
made this summer to make one from here
to Ouray.
Silverton is the nearest town to this val
ley but to get there we have to 60 close
up to the four eternal SHOWS (about
10000 feet above sea leveD 80 that
freighting or travelling in that district is
considered laborious.
Farming in Colorado as a rule looks
ridiculous to man from Kansas. The
land looks like it is too poor to grow any
thing but cactus yet by the free use of
water they do raise good potatoes and I
am told succeed in raising good wheat
and oats when the "festive hopper"
raises no objection. But oh what
stock country say some. We saw quite
. good many cattle along the Arkansas
river up to Canon City as we came up in
April but they were so poor that Kan
sas farmer would have been ashamed to
own them. The little fuzz on the ground
which they dignity here with the name
Of grass was all gone, and stock of all
kinds was living on sage brush, and not
until We reached the Uncompagrie river
did we find fat stock, or grass that show
ed any signs of ever making fair pastur.
age. From there over to the San Miguel,
and on this creek, the grass is good, and
the soil looks like it might grow almost
anything that the climate would admit
of (that is where there is q spot large
enough that does not stand up on edge.
It will surely refresh you little to know
that while you in lola are carrying fan
in each hand trying to keep cool, we
here have to break the ice in our wash
basins every morning. There has not
been night since we have been here
that it did not freeze. but the days are
very pleasant and bright. If there are
any of your farmer readers who think
of coming here to farm our advice is
"don't," yet we believe there is immense
wealth in these hills, known as the San
Juan country, but viii take hard work,
patience and capital to get it out. The
mines are mostly owned by the men who
found them, whose finances are in so de-
moralized condition that they cannot
furnish tools and provisions (chuck it is
called here) to develope the wealth they
may own. A few mines have passed into
the hands of capitalists, and are paying
well. One great drawback to the coun-
try is the want of passable roads. Near
ly everything that is brought in here is
packed on the back of broncos, but sug-
gest to one of those primitive freighters
that yon have forty ton ore mill to
bring in, and he will smile very pleas
antly while he tries to enumerate the |
amount Of money it will cost to draw
it up the mountain with pulleys, and let |
it down ON the other side the same way. |
The towns and heavier settlements are
94oAAA1A cbACnuOuo CuOA AOk VutlCbo W
railroad facilities, and by the end of the |
year, this part of the country will have
q road to Silverton, and from there down |
the Animas valley to Fl. Garland, where |
by that time, "All aboard for Kansas
City and the East" will have become |
very familiar.
Notwithstanding the drawbacks our
guess is that within a dozan years this |
will be a wealthy country, but perhaps
very few, if any, will obtain their wealth |
suddenly.
Your correspondent has not been
treated to free lodgings and rides, as is |
the custom here to enable him. to see |
things in their true light, consequently,
he hope that no live and enthusiastic |
mining and land agent will get sight of
this letter, but it is some relief to know
that, without being under any special |
obligation to the country, or any one in
it, we have given you very little of
Whist we saw, and how we have seen it
with this pair of KANSAS EYES.