The Elk Mountain pilot., 1882-04-27
THE UTE RESERYA 7ION.

This large and valuable body of
land is about to revert to the state of
| Colorado, from which it has, for all
practical purposes, been alienated 70.
a number of years. And asMany OF
our enterprising pioneers are now
casting their eyes in that direction, it
may be we'll enough to give some ac-
count of this country.
1t is bounded on the north by
Routt county, on the east by Egeria
park and Summit county, on the south
by Gunnison and Pitkin counties, and
on the west by Utah. 1t. contains
about 5000 square miles, or5 5,12o, 900
acres of land, and has area enough to
make upwards of 10000 farms of 100
acres each. This fine parcel OF land,
both farming and mineral, unless our
legislature forms it into new county,
will fall back to Summit county, from
which it was taken. And if a new
county was formed, l would suggest
that it not be called "Ute" county,
tor after the sanguinary conduct of
the Utes at the White river agency,
their name and memory ought to be
stamped out in Colorado. Let it be
called Garfield " county in honor OF
our beloved and murdered president.
This will no doubt meet the approba-
ton of citizens of all parties.
But is this large territory worth any
thing? Yes; it is fine farming coun.
try, and it is also mineral country.
Take map and look at its situation
and surroundings. 1t has more rivers
and streams, and consequently more
valleys and bottom lands than any
other county in the state. There is
White river, with its eighteen or
twenty branches, draining more than
two thirds of Its area, and the Grand
river draining all the southern section,
with but few mountains. Most of
this territory can be farmed. The
altitude is not high, and the climate
is mild and genial, very much like
the valley parts of Utah. And have
no doubt but the same grains, fruits
and vegetables that are so successfully
raised in Utah can also be raised
here.
AS respects the mineral riches of
this country much cannot be said as
the Indians did not permit prospectors
to hunt for mines, and they Themselves
were too lazy or too stupid to find
them even if they were there. From
the face of the country, and the lay
of the land, l should Judge that placer
mines would be more likely to be
found there than quartz veins. AS
there are no mountain ranges running
through this country, it is not prob
able that any large 6ssure quartz veins
exist there, still tie geological forma-
ton is favorable for coal, iron and
gulch gold. The gulch gold has been
washed down from the mountains of
Routt, Grand, Pitkin and Gunnison
counties, and may be found in paying
quantities on the river bottoms and
especially in the Old beds of the gla-
clal rivers, most of which are now
covered by the Debris of the ancient
drift period. Those old long hidden
river bottoms when reached, are al
ways found to be rich in gulch gold.
The glacial age. when most of the
drift was carried down, was a rough
and turbulent period-it was the age
of rapid change and disintegration.
Frost and water are the most powerful
agents in disintegratlng the rocks
and setting free hegold they contain
ed. %
There are many large coal veins in
the Ute country, especially on the
north branches or the White river. II
also contains large deposits of veins OF
albertite. or as we might say, petro-
leum consolidated into solid rock.
Professor Dana says, &c Albertite is
like coal in hardness, soluble in cam
phene, and has the lustre OF asphaltum.
1t fills assures in the sub-carboniferous
rocks, and it is supposed to have been
| derived from the hvdro-carhon rs 81