Delta chief., 1883-05-09

Delta has municipal government; Mr.. J.
J. Barker is Mayor.
The Town company in September, 1851, Sc
lected about 500 acres for a town, which has
been surveyed and plated. The company is
composed OF George A. Crawford, president
and general manager; Harvey A. Bailey,
sis;ent manager; NJ. c. Vandcvonter, secre-
tary; together with u. c. Dodge. general
manager Of the Denver a Rio Grandc; ".
A. Bell, vice president Of the Denver & Rio
Grande; W. +. Weithrec, manager of con-
s,ruction of the Denver * Rio Grande, as di-
rcctors. There are also Hon. Allison White
and II. E.Rood, Of philadelphia; +. NJ. Ander-
son, W. o. Stephens and NJ. +. Fredericlls, OF
Delta, aud the Denver & Rio Grande railway
company, stockholders Of the company.
THE COUNTY.
The boundary lines of Delta county are
follows: Beginning AT a point three miles
south Of the third correction line extended
west to a poiat of intersection with the
1879 30 west longitude; thence due north
along said degree of Longitude to the divide
between the headvatcrs OF the Grand and
North Fork of the Gunnison rivers; thence
along said divide in souihwcsterly direction
to point ON the extreme southwestern cS-
OF the Grand Mesa; thence in n southwest
crly direction TO the mouth of the Rio
Domngucz; thence due south 10 a point
three miles south Of AN extension of the
third correction line; thence due cas-; par
allcl with said extension Of the third cor
rcction line 10 the place of beginning. The
county seat Is Delta.
THE VALLEYS.
A recent writer has said of the soil of the
valleys that it shows at least four distinct
characteristics. The first, running in a mar.
row belt along the bank Of the river, is
dark, rich. sandy loan, largely covered with
cotionwoods, willows and underbrush. The
savc.brush lands come next in order, in APP
pcarancc resembling the fertile lands of Utah
and California, carrying bnt a small quantity
of sand, are also very productive and desir-
able. The grcasewood lands, being the most
extensive Of 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 a height of from thirty to fitiy 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 platcaus, or as they are generally called,
the grand mcsas. 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 u 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 ouray 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 railcs west Of Delta, and
can be reached by wagon road. II affords n
good opening for saw mills. The lumber
ter than the best Chicago or Milwaukee lum-
Der.
LAND.
The lands since July IS, 1882, are open to
prc-emption, to town-site entry, and to entry
under the mineral statutes, but not to homc-
stcnd or scrip entries, or timber culture. A
government survey has been ordered, but the
pre-cmptor will have about three years to
pay for his land.