Delta chief., 1883-06-13
DELTA COUNTY.
The New County and City. and the
Future Garden spot of Colorado.
Natural Advantages, Etc.
rs-i. Nslysii, 3 O., s-.cal4ss..

The growth OF towns on the western from
tier is n marvel 10 some; they show the ag-
gressive commercial spirit of the people
quick to seize some point of vantage for pres
ent gain and future profit. One might say that
here, where the echo Of the Indians moccasin
had hardly died out of the valleys, tina, we
can well believe were
Fair as the garden of the Lord
To the eyes OF the iEinished Indian horde"
that inhabited them 30 short time ago, and
from which they fitted away all unwillingly
-one might think, we say, that here there
could be no vista of promise opening up to
civilized eyes 10 soon. But the clear eyes
and the clearer brain OF one small in stature
but great in activity and intellect, saw and
understood, and upon the slcping mesa a, the
junction of two fair streams there stands n
young town giving promise OF great prosper.
i,y in the near future.
The town of Delta--which bears the same
name us the county i,seif-is located between
the uncompahgre and the Gunnison, just
above the point where the two rivers flow to-
gcther. The valleys Of these streams, in this
NfEf aaN sAf ~ sAhs
could possibly be desired in an agricultural
point Of view. Delta is located in the very
center Of the agricultural and grazing coun-
try, and has tributary TO !, about ioo,o 600 acres
Of as fine farming and fruit-growing land as
can be found in the State OF Colorado. This
place Is the nearest, and, in fact, TIE only
trading point for all the country up the Gun.
nison ns far rs the famed Black canon, the
settlements on the North Fork, of itself m
an extensive country, rich III coal and cattle,
ON the Roubidcan, Surface and Forkcd Tongue
creeks: and down the valley Of the Gunnison
for several miles, and up the uncompahgre
river for ten TO twelve miles. All the
streams of the county lead to Delta Ms the
fingers to the hand; hence it is destined TO be
railroad center; The Denver & Rio Grande
railway, Utah division, was completed to
Delta last fall. by April through trains
will be running from Denver and Pueblo 10
Salt Lake city. BY its connections with the
Chicago, Burlington 4 Quincy, and the Atch.
ison, Topeka & Santa Fe, on the east, with
the Central Pacific on the west, i; will be on
a trunk line from Chicago and ST. Louis TO
San Francisco. The Denver & Rio Grandc
has surveyed two other lines to Delta, one
down the Grand canon Of the Gunnison from
the mouth of the Cimnrron, with n view to
avoiding the present grade over the Cedar di.
vide; the other from Crested Butte, through
tne anthracite eoal field and down the North
Fork. The Denver 4 South Park railroad is
graded from Gunnison to Ruby, and is sur
vcycti thence 10 Delta, through the same an
thrncite coal-ficld. II is only matter of
time that these three other roads will be
built. The situation of Delta is such that no
railroad down the Gunnison, North Fork or
uncompahgre can ignore her. A, school has
been kept up during the summer and winter.
The Town company is making provision for
free reading room. Lots have been set
apart for n church and parsonage for each Of
the leading denominations. Parks have been
reserved for courthouse and schools. Arrange
ments are being made by the Town company
to plant the parks and streets with trees. II
Is the intention to make the town a pleasant
home for families. Good clay is ut hand for
making brick, and beautiful white magnetism
and red sandstone can he hnd The largest
wagon bridge west Of the Grange" about 400
feet long-spans the Gunnison at this point
The elevation of Delta, Us given by Prof
Mnrcy, is 4,so0 feet.
Delta has municipal government; Mr.. J.
]. Barker is Mayor.
The Town company in September, 1881, SC.
lected about 500 acres for a town, which has
been surveyed and plated. The company Il
composed of George A. Crawford, president
and general manager; Harvey A. Bailey, as
sistcnt manager, II. c. vandeventcr, sccrc-
tary; together with d. c. Dodge, general
manager Of the Denver 4 Rio Grande; W.
A. Bell, vice president Of the Denver 4 Rio
Grandc; w. r. Wcitbrcc, manager Of con.
struction Of the Denver 4 Rio Grande, as di.
rtotors. There are also Hon. Allison White
and II. E.Rood, Of Philadelphia; F. NJ. Ander.
son, w. 0. Stephens and N. +. Frcdcricks, Of