The Fremont County record. [volume] (Canon City, Colo.) 1877-18??, 1881-08-13
CANON CITY AND THE ARKANSAS
VALLEY
From the silver Cliff Mining Gazette.

VALLEY
From the silver Cliff Mining Gazette.
The natural approach to the great
mineral fields of western and south
ern Colorado, extends from Pueblo
along the valley of the Arkansas to
the Grand canon, distance of forty
one miles. Within this mountain
sheltered basin, at an altitude of 5000
feet above the sea, there are forty-fiye
square miles of productive coal lands,
double that area of superior lime and
building stone, and 10000 acres of
fertile soil through which flows the
Arkansas river with the unrestrained
and unused power of 100000 horses.
Fed by innumerable. tributaries hav-
ing their source in the regions OF
eternal snow from 5000 to 5000 feet
above the level OF the stream at Canon
City, it dashes down through the
mountains with increasing volume
and gathered power, falling 100 feet
to the mile for many miles, and not
less than forty feet per mile for dis
tance of five miles below the Royal
Gorge. In addition to an ample sup
ply OF water to irrigate the $50, ,OOC
acres OF land mentioned above, there
ls enough to furnish motive power
for 2oo wheels, with the requisite
machinery to crush separate, and re-
fine Colorado's entire product OF
metals for years to come.
Here, all the varieties OF fruit, veg
etables, and small grains for which
the Ohio and Mississippi valleys are
noted grow III profusion and attain
the highest degree of perfection. The
Concord grape grown here rivals the
famed product of the island vine
yard of Lake Erie in flavor, the fruit
age OF California's noted varieties is
not excelled by that of the vine clad
slopes of the Pacific Coast, that of
the apple, peach, pear and cherry tree
is equalled only by. the product of
Michigan and Kentucky, while straw
berries, raspberries. etc.. will not
suffer by comparison with those
grown in the gardens of southern
Illinois.
Small grains and vegetables are un-
rivalled in excellence, and the annual
yield per acre is not exceeded in the
fertile valleys of the eastern states.
while every species of melon natures
with the rich flavor of those grown
among the hills of Kentucky.
The facts here stated have been es-
tablished by residents of Canon City,
during the decade just closed and
have formed nucleus around which
has grown up an important industry,
one which in few years will pro-
duce sufficient to supply the demands
of population as large as that of the
entire state in 1880. The broad
plateau on which Canon, the Gate
City of the mountains is situated con-
tains 300 square miles, and is SO near
the snow clad peaks Of the Rocky
mountains that the heat of the mid
summer sun is delightfully."- tempered,
while the severity of winter is re-
duced to the minimum by the cres.
cent shaped chain of mountains which
protect it from the sweeping, chilling
winds incident to the plains.
If our readers will take a man of
Colorado, using Canon CITY as the
central point, draw a circle 400 miles
in diameter. IT will not only ;pclude
all the chief cities of the state tbo
coal fields of ri Moro and Tr;nidod
but all of the cxn,orod and devo,orod
mineral districts Tho nroduot;on =,
which in 1890 ,vo. v.inod a. ahon,
saa ooo ooo Evorv nrodnot;va AZ
tr;ct within tbot .;roIo .;s nom ~
soon viii he connected win its cen.
ira, po;pt NV the monntain d;v;s;ons
of the Denver and Rio Grande Rail.
wav. and at or near that noint vas,
sums of capital will ultimately he
concentrated. and the most nerfec,
mechanical appliances for the trent,