, 1890-10-29
A FARMING COLONY.
Fine Prospect of Such an Addition
to Laramie County.
The Wyoming Development Co.
Can See Daylight.
A Thoroughly Reclaimed Tract of
$1,000 Fertile Acres.

A happening that will be almost as big
a thing for Cheyenne as the shops is i'm
minent. 1t is nothing less than settle
mem bY farmers of the broad and fertile
tract of land north of the city, known as
the Wyoming Development Company's
claim. Its extent is $4,000 to co. 900
acres, nearly every foot of which is capa-
BILE of cultivation. and all of which Is un
der ditch, being irrigated by the most
costly and daring system of tunnels.
canals, bitches and ~lateraIs in the state.
: The tract OF land was taken up IN sew
crafty, insttad of by individuals, and the
entries we're contested. 1t was never
charged that there was more than a
technical violation Of the law, and there
was prejudice behind the opponents of the
men who had the enterprise, faith and
means to embark IN an undertaking
which reclaimed so. 900 to 60, 900 acres of
wild land.
The matter is now before the secretary
Of the interior aud doubtless with every
prospect that the decision will be favor
able to the company. This inference is
drawn from the fact that the Wyoming
Development people have lately redeemed
the lands sold for taxes last spring, the
deeds covering the entire holding.
Acquisition Of clear title by the COM
pany means the establishment of the larg
est farming colony in the west within
fifty miles of Cheyenne and on a railway.
These granger will all trade here and
they will produce enough to make this
end of the state self supporting.
In his report to Governor Warren last
year Prof. Elwood Mead, state engineer,
says the canal of the Wyoming Develop
ment company waters $4,000 acres, at a
cost Of 1886, 900. nearly half a million.
Mr.. Mead adds:
The Wyoming Development com
papy's canal ranks among the important
irrigation works of the whole continent,
not only 10 the size aud cost, but in the
originality of its plan. The water Is di-
verted from the Laramie river about fifty
miles from where it Is used by means Of a
tunnel $3.50 feet long, through a noun
tain, and which empties the water
diverted into a stream running parallel to
the river. From this stream it is caught
by a system of main canals aggregating
100 miles in length. This system ofworks
waters one of the finest bodies of land in
southern Wyoming, but although com
pleted in 1886 has been almost unused
owing to complications involving title to
the land. This is most unfortunate,
not only to the parties constructing
these works, but to the territory at
large. II these lands bad been
promptly brought under cultivation it
would not only have added largely to our
agricultural population but would have
enabled the cities of Cheyenne and
Laramie to have obtained a large part of
their food supplies at home. thus
materially reducing the cost OF living in
both"
Large grain crops and immense veg
etable yields have been produced on this
land. Emigrants passing west have time
and again pleaded to be allowed to settle
on this tract and take chances on the out
come Of the contest.
A feature of the irrigating plant Is a
tunnel through a mouptnin. This alone
cost more than $500, 900.