Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1882-11-02
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LETTER FROM COLORADO.
GUNNlsoN CITY. Col, Oct. 10. 1881.

GUNNlSON OIff, NOl-s OCt. 40. 1909.
No mart OF colorado Il. attracting more
attention or experience more rapid Erowth
and development &C this time than that
reoion known as the Gunnison country.
which lies mostly in and contiguous 10,
territory formerly occupied by the Ute
indians. The county and town OF Gun
nison were organized in 1873, but not
two or three years later. when prospec.
tors fresh from Leadyille and San Juan
found rich gold and silver ores, and the
region attracted speciai sttention. Since
that time over 1000 tnipee have been re-
corded, and new discoveries are still be.
ing made. The permanent population ol
900. eighteen months or two years age
has grown to probably more than 10, 900.
An assessed valuation Of about $1,000. 900
was created here on the borders Of Indian
land within one year after the rush be-
gan. Highways. upon which daily stages
run, traverse all parts Of the country,
Seven or eight newspapers appear week
ly in a field totally unoccupied three
months ago. How appreciative residents
are of good home literature may be
Judged from the fact that the first copies
OF three or four leading journals sold at
from $50 800 each on the day they
were issued. and hear $50 freely offerei
for complete file of eight to twelve
numbers. Substantial churches, school
houses and country buildings are being
erected. A dozen streams are strung for
miles with houses of prosperous ranch
men, thousands, of cattle. sheep and
horses dot the hills, trains of rich ores are
to be seen going to the railroad, and 9TH
er trains are unloading vast quantities of
mining machinery and o winter supply of
groceries,.
The Gunpison country is larger than
Some States OF the Union, having an
area of not less than 1000 square miles,
being 110 miles long by 80 miles wide
The most important part of this territory
is the Elk mountain range, withs its
many spurs and foot hills. This range is
one of the rockiest of all the Rockies.
Great granite shafts, shot from some
mighty bow in the earth's center, have
broken and re-broken the original sur
face, until now there are recent peaks in
the range rising to height OF 900 feet,
and many times that number reaching an
altitude OF $4,000 feet. Fissure veins are
here the characteristic deposit, and these
are reinforced by vast beds of coal and
iron. The principal streams are the Gum
nison, Uncompahgre, Cochetopa, Tu-
michi, Rock, Roaring Fork and Slate,
with their smaller tributaries. all empty
ing into the Rio Colorado. The Gunnison
is not an agricultural country, but irriga.
tion, much can be done in this direction.
For stock raising purposes there are large
areas of perennial pasturage, where bunch
grass and other varieties furnish the
richest of grazing. Gunnison City is the
largest and most important town, though
Pitkin, Red Bluff, Tin Cup. and half a
dozen other places are quite respectable
settlements, which never could have eX-
listed had the Utes remained in possession
of this territory.
The Gunnison country may we'll be
termed ''Our newest West" This, too,
in face of the fact that its entire eastern
boundary lies within twenty miles of
districts which have been important pro-
ducers of the precious metals for from
twelve to twenty years. Next door to
civilization. easy of access, fairly safe
and open to development as y now is, it
deserves such fragments of history as we
can at this period gather. In the early
days of Rocky mountain exploration this
whole region was vaguely defined as 1.-The
Grand River country" its fine stream,
now called Gunnison. being then known
as the South Fork of the Grand. Our
earliest tangible knowledge of its geog-
raphy and probable utility comes from
Governor VIM. Gilpin, who in 1845, a
mere STRIPPING, returned from Oregon to
st, Louis, crossing its entire length from
west to east. Crossing southern Utah by
one of the old Spanish trails, his course
then lay through the valleys of the South
Fork of the Grand and Uncompahgre
Rivers, thence over Chochetopa Pass, at
the southeastern rim of the Gunnison
and thence to Bent's old fort on
the Arkansas. He was enthusiastic in
his description of the valleys and the
country generally and although pursued
at intervals for 100 miles by savages, em-
bodied his knowledge in map which is
now onexhibition at. the executive office,
Denver Et& 4 |
The interval between 1S45 and 1858
only records vague stories from trappers
and Mormons-the former boasting of
the region as an ideal game field and of
the riches in certain almost inaccessible
gulches, and the latter ticking care to let
the world know only what dangers were
threatened by savages. This last claim
was Unsupported, or the Mormon crime
speciously covered, when in 1858 Captain |
Gunnison's name wasgiven the region at
the expense of his life. While exploring
in this vicinity that year for Pacific
railroad route he was killed--history says
by Indians, but subsequent developments
point to the Mormons as the murderers.
In 1854 the indomitable old pathfinder"
General Fremont, passed over the same
country from east to west, but even his
glowing tributes to the beauty and rich
ness of the region did not serve to bridge
the seven year gap which ensued with
tales of genuine pioneering.
" SPOT.