The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-11-06
From Colorado.
VII OSyHO4 ssO8O'
GRAND JUNCTION. Col.
0ntol.oy. % 1901

20 October %, 1884. !
7 Editor Valley TSryinian -
hSIR. The thought occufed to me re
Gently that it might interest your reader
to know a little something about far-of
Colorado, the Centennial State. 1t Is
Z strange appearing land to one who has al
ways lived amongst the rounded and grass
clad hills, tile smiling valley and singin,
brooks Of the Allegheny slope. An eastern
man picked up and placed down here in ;
night might suppose that he had landed il
i the moon, SO far as any familiar features
'of the landscape are concerned. The worlt
Flooks but newly made. The hills are abrupt
aud broken. not rounded and smooth.
The valleys are brown and barren save where
the sage brush and grease wood appear, as
they do everywhere in Colorado, except
liabove certain elevation. Going back
lfrom the river Oh TO the higher ground
4 an abundance of nutritious grass is found
! and ON this grass feed the thousand herds
Of Colorado. The cattle run out all win
ter, even when the ground is covered sew
eral inches with snow. In this county,
Mesa, stock-growing is at present the
most important industry. Agriculture
will take the lead at no distant day. but
the processes of development are slow.
| Crops grow here at will of the farmer. He
can make it rain on his corn and not Fon
his wheat, OF the reverse. All crops are
raised by the process of irrigation, and this
when perfectly handled is the most success
full system of farming known Under this
system forty acres well handled will pro-
duce more than 100 acres IN the eastern or
Middle States, where the caprice of the
weather determines so largely the amount
OF yield. Before land can be reduced from
its naturally barren state, great canals
must be built, costing vast sums of money.
There is our canal in this valley, the valley
of the Grand, that has cost 1925. 900. The
capacity of this canal is about 400 water
rights of eighty acres each, or 50 900 acres.
These rights sell for $40 per acre, making
a total value of $4,000 for the ditch.
This, of course, barring accidents, and
suppoSing the rights are sold. Questions
Of water and bitches and matters connected
with them are production Of much litiga-
ton and give rise to many perplexing
questions. Fortunately for this valley |
there can never be any trouble about the |!
water supply. The Grand river is the
Mississippi of the Pacific slope. 1t drains |
the greater portion of Western Colorado, |
and at certain seasons of the year is very |
dangerous and treacherous stream. Just |
at the junction Of the Grand and the Gun
nlsOn is the city of Grand Junction. You |
would hardly believe me if l should give |
you description of the place and then add |
that three years ago last month the Ute |
Indians occupied the ground and the site
OF the present city was covered with grease
wood and inhabited by jack-rabbits. Yet
such is the fact. The city is built unlike
most Western towns. of brick. The Main
street has eleven two-story business houses
of which eight are brick, and of these four
are connected, making one block of 100
feet frontage. The city has three hotels
two banks, two newspapers, a masonic
lodge, knights of Honor and Odd Fellows.
1t has three brick church buildings, With
eight church societies But best of all it
has a public school building now nearly
costing $4,000. The people
are educated, energetic and hOspitable.
have received only courtesy and Kindness
during my stay. Politically the county
and State are Republican. Blaine and Lo-
gan will get a handsome majority in Colo
RADIO how much l cannot say, but several
believe there,is splendid future before
this city. 1t is so advantageously located
aud is surrounded with such wealth of
resources. 1t is already the end of Il rail
road division and distributing point for
the trade Of an enormous county. An
other railroad is already under discussion
and will come ere long. With its location,
its farms, its cattle ranches, It's endless
beds of coal, there is no reason why this
should not be city of 900 souls before
it is ten years old. Its first period of rapid
growth is passed, and while the '.boom'' is
gone, still the place is growing. At the
present there are four brick cottages in
Nocountry in the world that possesses so
much shows so little. To the stranger it
appears worthless and indeed a desert.
But pass few miles to the west and visit !
,he valley of the great Salt Lake and your ,
loubting ceases. The Mormons have ;
aiken desolation and brought forth wealth .
md wonderful beauty. 1t will be even so
acre. The bitches are now constructed and d,
| year or two will see this valley as green ,,
md as beautiful as the valleys of the Blue
Ridge. D. f. TAYLOR.