Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-11-01
INVVITNI F"'"""F'
Letter From Colorado.
Punlo, Cot, oct, 70, 1881

No pWs OF Colorado is attracting
more attention or sSpcricncin. moro
rapid growth and development al this
time than ;ha, region known as the
Gunnison country, which lies mostly
in, aud contiguous 10, the territory
formerly occupied by the Ito Indians
The county aud town OF Gnnnison
were organized in 1876. but moi until
two or three years later. when pros
pec,ors fresh from Leadvillo and San
Juan found rich gold and silver ores,
did the region attract special attention,
Since that time over $500 mines have
been recorded, and new discoyc cries are
still being made, The permanent pop
,,lation Of 800 eighteen months or two
years ago has grown TO probably more
than $4,000. An assessed valuation
of about 81 ,0OO,00O was created here
on the borders of Indian land within
one year after the rush hogan. High
ways, upon which daily stages run,
traverse all parts Of the country. Seven
or eight newspapers appear weekly in
a field totally unoccupicd three months
sgo. How appreciatiye residents are
Of good home literature may be Judged
from the fact tina, the first copies OF
three Or four loading journals sold at
from $50 to 500 each on the day they
were Issued, and hear $50 freely OF.
tered for complete file Of eight to
twelve numbers. Substantial churches,
school, and county buildings are being
erected. A dozen streams are strung
for miles with houses of prosperous
ranchmeu, thousands of cattle, sheep
and horses dot the hills, trains Of rich
ores are to be seen going to the rail-
road, and other trains are unloading
vast quantities of mining machinery
and winters supply Of groceries.
The Gunnison country is larger than
some states Of the Union, having an
area of not less than 10000 square
miles, being ITO miles long by 80
miles wide. The most important part
Of this territory is the Elk mountain
range, with its many spurs and foot
hills. This range is one of the rockiest
of all the Rockies. Great granite
shafts, shot from some mighty low in
the earths centre, have broken and re-
broken the original surface, until now
there are seven peaks in the range ris-
ing to height of $4,000 feet, and
many times that number reaching IN
altitude of 12,OOO feet. Fissurc veins
are here the Characteristic deposit, and
these are reinforced by vast beds o.
coal and iron. The principal streams
are the Gunnison, Uncompaghre, Co
chetopa, Tunnichi, Back, Roaring
Fork and State, with their smaller
tributaries, all emptying into the Rio
Colorado. The Gunnison is not ar
agricultural country, but with irriga
ton much can be done in this direction
For stock raising purposes there art
large areas Of perennial pasturage
where bunch grass and other varieties
furnish the richest Of grazing. Gun
nison City is the largest and most I'M
portant town, though Pitkin, Rec
Bluff, Tin Cup, and half dozen othel
places are quite respectable settlements
which never could have existed hat
the Utes remained in possession OF thi
territory.
I caro-
The iussrval between l845 and 1858
o,ly records vague stories from trap
usrs and Mormous-sbs former boast
isr Of shs region = an ideal game 6'lf
ssd Of shs sisbA 70 csstsis almost ~
Accessible g.isss. and u Later sas'
-