Delta chief., 1883-05-02

Delta has municipal government Mr.. j.
J. Barker is Mayor.
The Town company in September, isSi,
lectod about 800 acres for town, which has
been surveyed and plated. The company is
composed of George A.. Crawford president
and general manager; Harvey a. Bailey,
sistcnt manager; NJ. c. Nandcventer, secre-
tary; together with u. c. Dodge, general
manager Of the Denver 4 Rio Grande; ".
A. Bell vice president Of the Denver x Rio
Gr4undc; W. +. Wcithrec, manager of con-
strariion of the Denver & Rio Grandc, as di-
reciors. There are also Hon. Allison White
and II. E.Royd, ,ofPhiladclphia; Of +. NJ. Ander.
son, W. o. Stephens and VI. +. Fredcricks, Of
Delta. and the Denver & Rio Grande railway
company, stockholders Of the eomIs,ny.
THE COUNTY.
The boundary lines Of Delta county are as
follows: Beginning at a point three miles
south Of the third correction line extended
west TO a point Of intersection with the
iO7e 30' west longitude; thence due north
along said degree Of longitude to the divide
between the headwaters Of the Grand and
North Fork Of the Gunnison rivers thence
along said divide in a soutliwosterly direction
to point on the extreme southwestern eS-
Of the Grand Mesa; thence in a southwest
crly direction to the mouth OF the Rio
Domingucz: thence due south to point
three miles south OF an extension of the
third correction line; thence due east par
allel with said extension Of the third cor
rcrtion line to the place Of beginning. The
county seat Is Delta.
THE VALLEYS.
A recent writer has said Of the soil Of the
valleys that il Shows at least four distinct
characteristics. The first, running In mar
row belt along the bank Of the river, is a
dark. rich, sandy loan, largely covered with
cottonwoods, willows and undcrbrush The
sase-brush lands come next a order. in APP
pearancc resembling the fertile lands OF Utah
and California, carrying bnt a small quantity
Of sand, are also very productive and dcsir-
able. The Crcasewooi lands, being the most
extensive Of the valley lands, do not appear
10 contain particle Of sand. They are light
and dusty when dry, and sticky and slippery
when wet"
The valleys propcr-of both the Gunnison
and unccmpahgrr are from two to five
miles wide, back of which rises the first mesa
TO a height of from thirty to fifty feet. This
mesa is an extensive bench of good land
which will in time be irrigated and covered
with farms. This mesa exists on both sides
of the rivers and extends back 10 the foot OF
the platcaus, ms they are generally called,
the grand mesas. The rivers run through the
central part of the valleys, so that good farms
are located on either side. An abundant
growth Of cottonwoods extends along the
banks of the streams, and il is from these
trees that the sc.riurs have for the most part
built their cottages, and for new country,
it must be said, these places are very pretty,
yellow pine cf the best quality covers the
mountain ranges There is belt beginning
near Ouray aud running parallel with aud ON
the west side of the uncompahgrc and Gum
nson TO Utah, which IS from fifty TO sixty
miles long, and from five to twenty miles
wide. II is fifteen miles west of Delta, and
can he reached by wagon road. II affords
good opening for saw mills. The lumber
made from this timber is rs good, if not bet
ter than the best Chicago or Milwaukee lum-
Der.
The lands since July IS, 1882, are open to
presumption, to town.sitc entry, and to entry
under the mineral statutes, but not to honc-
stead or scrip entries, or timber culture.
government survey has been ordered, but the
prc.emptor will have about three years to
! pay for his land.