Delta chief., 1883-06-06
Delta, nnd the Denver & Rio Grande railway
compnry. tockhnlder. Of The rnmnanY.

l'eita, nnd the Denver " klo branue railway
company, stockholders of the rpmpany.
THE COUNTY.
The boundary lines of Delta county are as
follows: Beginning at a point two miles
south of The third correction line extended
west to a point of intersection with the
i07a 30 west longitude; thence due north
along said degree Of longitude to the divide
between the hcadwaters OF the Grand and
North Fork of the Gunnison rivers :; thence
along said divide in a southwcSterly direction
tn a point on the extreme southwestern eN-
Of the Grand Mesa; thence in southwest
crly direction to the mouth of the Rio
Dominguez; thcncr due south to point
two miles south Of an extension of the
third correction line; thence due east par
allel with said extension Of the third cor
r,,ction line to the place of beginning. The
county seat is DELTA.
THE VALLEYS.
4 rocca; writer has said Of the soil Of the
valleys that il shows Mt least fonr distinct
characteristics. The first, running in mar
row bel; along the bank Of the river, is a
dark, rich, sandy loam largely eovered with
,sottonwoods, willows aud undcrbrush. The
sagc-hrush lands come next in order in ap-
pearanee resembling the fertile lands of [ tab
and California, carrying but u small quantity
OF sani, ART ais, very productive and dcsir-
able The grcasewood lands, being the most
extensive of the valley lands, do no; appear
to contain particle Of sand. They are light
aud dusty when dry, and sticky and slippery
when wet"
The valleys propcrN-of both the Gunnison
aud tncnmpahgrc are from two TO FIVE
mile, wide back Of which rises the first mcsa
to Il height Of from thirty to iifty feet, This
mesa is an extensive bench of good land
which will In time bc irrigated and covered
with farms. This mesa exists on both sides
Of the rivers and extends back TO the foot Of
the plaicsus, or rs they are generally called
the grand mesas. The rivers run through the
central part Of the valleys, 80 that good farms
are located ON either side. An abundant
growth of cottouwoods extends along the
banks of the streams. and 1t is from these
tree, that the settlers have for the most part
built their cottages, and for n new country
it must be said these places are vcsy pretty.
yellow pine OF the best quality covers thu
mountain ranges. There is belt beginning
near Ouray aud running parallel with aud On
the west side of the uncomp,hgre and Gun.
nison To utah, which is from fifty TO sixty
miles long, and from FIVE to twenty miles
wide. IL is fifteen miles west Of Delta. and
can be reached by wagon road. II affords a
good opening for saw mills. The lumber
made from this timber is as good, if not bet.
{ Mtluutl lr.. In
Der.
LAND
The lands since July 2s, 1889, are open to
prc-cmption, Ia town.sitc entry, and to entry
under the mineral statutes, but not to home.
stead or scrip entries, or timber cui,urc. \
government survey has been ordered, bu, the
prc.cmptcr will have about three years TO
pay for his land.
WHAT WILL GROW HERE?
To this question there is but one answer TO
makc Almost anything in the agricultural
line and in the way of fruits, possibility
that all kinds can be successfully grown.
The first assertion has been practically
! demonstrated. On one ranch was raised
corn, alfalfa, potatoes, turnips, bccts, carrots,
parsnips, cabbage, onions tomatoes, beans,
watermclons, and radishcs. The domestic
| grasses all grow by rrigation-timothy, blue
top, clover, Hungarian, millct, etc. Potatoes
weighing six aud half pounds were raised
ON the North Fork, and green corn and mel
| ons were furnished to the Gunnison market.
Last year Odessa wheat yielded over 80 BUSH
els to the acre, oats from 30 to 20 bushels aud
| potatoes from 700 to 400 bushels. 1t can be
safely asserted that all the cereals and vcge-
tables suited to temperate zone may be
raised. It may bc that here, us 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 and climate where the peach and apricot
flourish to perfection are thought to be here.
Young apple trees set out last spring grew
| from fifteen to thirty.six inches during the
season.
STOCK.
| The platcaus, or grand mcsas, as they are