Delta chief., 1883-03-14


extensive6f the valley lands, do not appear
to contain particle of sand. They are light
and dusty when dry, and sticky and slippery
when wet"
The valleys proper-of both the Gunnison
and Uncompahgre are from two to five
miles wide, back of which rises the first mesa
to 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 to the foot of
the plateaus, or 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 it is from these
trees that the settlers have for the most part
built their cottages, and for new country,
il must be said, these places are very pretty.
yellow pine Of the best quality covers the
mountain ranges. There is belt beginning
near Ouruy and running parallel with and on
the west side of the uncompahgre and Gun
nison 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 be reached by wagon road. 1t affords a
good opening for saw mills. The lumber
made from this timber is as good, if not bet
ter than the best Chicago or Milwaukee lum-
her.
The lands since July 2S, 1852, are open To
pre-cmption, To town-site entry, and TO entry
under the mineral statutes, but not to home
stead or scrip entries, or timber culture.
government survey has been ordered, but the
pre-emptor will have about three years to
pay for his land.
WHAT WILL GROW HERE?
To thi. question there is but one answer To
make: Almost anything in the agricultural
line and in the way of fruits, possibility
that all kinds can bc successfully grown.
The first assertion has been practically
demonstrated. ON one ranch was raised
corn, alfalfa, potatoes, trrnips, beets, carrots,
parsnips, cabbage, onions. tomatoes, beans,
squash. peas, cucumber-, lettuce, musk and
watermclons, and radish.s. The domestic
grasses all grow by irrigation-timothy, blue
top. clover, Hungarian, millet, etc. Potatoes
weighing six aud half pounds were raised
ON the North Fork, aud green corn and mel
ons were furnished to the Gunnison market.
Last year Odessa wheat yielded over 50 bush
els 10 the acre, oats from 80 to 20 bushels, and
potatoes from 200 to 100 bushels. IL can he
safely asserted that all the cereals and yege-
tables suited to temperate zone may be
raised. II may be that here, as in the valleys
on the eastern slope OF the Rocky Mountains,
that the intense winter warmth followed by
sudden extremes Of cold, may be fatal to fruit
culture, but soil and climate matching that
soil asi climate where the peach and apricot
flourish 10 perfection arc thought TO be here.
Young apple trees set out last spring grew
from fifteen 10 thirty-siS inches during the
season.
STOCK.
The plaisaus, or grand mcsas, as they are
commonly called. drained by the tribuiries
81 the Gunnison and Uncompahgrc rivers, is
a fine cattle country. There are great mesas
sioping down from the foot of the ranges,
containing hundreds OF thousands OF acres of
fine. rich, alluvial soil, which in summer, as
far as the eve can reach, Is one grea; waving
sea Of grass re ,cmblinc blue-joint, but in
reality vramma grass. Here arc vast ranges
vet to be occupied. and to become the stock
growing paradise. In winter stock can be
run ia the valley country below these high
mcsas, where bunch grass ahounds and but
little snow is met with, save in exceptional
winters Last year prolt Of 80 10 100 per
cent. nas made ON stock. Mich cows are
from $50 to $50 stock cows, ssi5; work oxen,
SIoo to Si25 per yoke; beef, 10 10 cents per
pound; sheep, $3.50 to 50; horses, S75 to
500; mules, 500 to $50; ponies, $50 to $50.
GAME.
Game can be found here in great abund-
anee. II is estimated that last winter fully
5000 deer were killed within a few miles of
Delta. Rabbits, ducks, geese, plovers, cur
lcws, grouse and prairie chickens, beside the
larger game. such rs elk, deer, and several
varieties Of bear, are found in every direction.
Mountain sheep can he found on the higher
mountain ranges. The streams are full of
specklcd trout and salmon, aiiording fine
sport for the manipulation of the line and fly.
coal.
Delta Is in the neighborhood of twenty
miles from Smiths Fork, North Fork, and
Surface creek. where coal deposits are extern
sivc. and the quality equal to that of Penn
sylvania. by analyses make by experienced
mctaluryists in the East, the bituminous coal
contains 20 per cent. of carbon and but
small percentage of ash and moisture; the