River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1891-03-05

myself, but nevertheless / am going
to give you surprise and let you know
/ still linger in our little world all
right side up and none the worse for
wear.
In regard to my not writing you be-
fore, | have no good excuse, so in or
der to keep the peace that once existed
between us / will only say that have
had something on the string ever
since my arrival in Colorado and have
not written to any of ny friends,
much to my discredit, no doubt.
If it is of any interest to you l will
try and tell you how 1 have spent
most of my time since leaving River
Falls.
My trip out here was a most enjoy
able one. | enjoyed the ride over the
Rocky Mountains very much; it is be-
yond my description, the grandeur and
magnitude have to be seen to be real
lied. Last summer / spent most of
my time hunting and fishing on
"Grand Mesa (which is an oblong
mountain 1900 feet above the level
of the sea, on the top of which are
large parks broken by strips of timber.
In some of the parks are very nice
lakes and small brooks. There is
where the deer, elk, bear, mountain
lion, wolf, fox and trout, some of
which weigh and 8 lbs, hold forth
during the summer months, while
thousands of head of sheep and cattle
Craze on its sides.) One can put in
four months up there and enjoy every
minute of the time, for while it is hot
down here, there 1t is just right, with
no flies or mosquitoes to bother one.
Upon my return from my hunting
trip took up ranch which l am at
present holding down. 1t is Is miles
from Delta, my nearest town. | have
so acres fenced in, log house and
barn on it. | keep 3 saddle horses, a
team Of work horses, one colt, hogs,
shepard dog and cat, which con-
stitute my live stock at present. |
am doing my own cooking, washing
and work in general-a regular old
batch-it seemed rather strange at
first but / am used to it now and don't
,~,;.,d ~ NJ oil hava mazda ri S00
since left-not so bad after all; is il!
| got this place by luck, as every one
in the neighborhood supposed it had
been taken up. as there is a man on
every ranch around me, some of which
have mortgages on them from 5000 up
to $4,000. My time for proving up
will be up March LIST. l also have a
100 acre coal claim which will, in a
year or two bring me in good bit,
from the outlook now. / am going to
put out about 20 acres of fruit trees in
the spring, consisting of apples, pears,
peaches, apricots, plumbs, ounces,
grapes and "a few varieties of small
fruit. The hay raised in this country
is called alfalfa; we get on an aver
age = tons per acre and cut it three
times each season: it is worth SIS per
ton. l am going to SOW 30 acres.
Everything is raised on the irrigation
system here.
In regard to climate, it is grand.
The summers about the same as in
Wisconsin while the winters are very
mild and short. People were blowing
here the 22d of December. The cold
est night we have had so far has been
So above zero and any day one could
work outside in their shirt sleeves.
We had two little flurries of snow
about = inch each time. There is
lots of stock on the winter range yet
and the cow boys are still rounding
up.
The country agrees with me and l
am all taken up with the present out
look. / could ask for no better luck
than / have had since | crossed the
big divide. Every one is scheming
here for money and the chances, the
way look at them, are 10 to l here
to what they are in Wisconsin or the
East anywhere where / have worked.
OF course one has to get move ON
him, but that is the case anywhere.
Delta is a thriving little town and
some very nice young society there.
The girls are rather in the minority,
but that only makes the lads hustle
so much the more. We have dances
in this neighborhood nearly every
week and very nice literary society
every Saturday night with an average
of % people. The people
in general are very different from any
have ever met before. They all
seem to be of rather free and easy
class, very easy to get along with and
as good folks for neighbors as one
could ask for.
There are lots of people who spend
from one week to four months on Grand
Mesa, from all quarters of the globe.
| would like to have you come out and
spend the summer with me. Will in.
sure you a first-class time and think
would be satisfied to remain here.
| have good riding horses, guns. dogs
and traps, if you like that kind of
sport.
/ have not heard from any one in
the Falls since / left, or In fact any
news, so anything that has happened
since left will be news to me. Who
is married, dead and born!
hope you won't wait as long as /
have before writing and | will try and
do better in the future. Give my re-
CARDS to Cad (old boyl and all my
friends. if / have any.
Hoping this will find you well and
enjoying yourself, / remain as ever
your friend, JNo. j. TRAVIS.
1t is quite probable that you may
need the services of physician some
day; but you can postpone the time
indefinitely by keeping your blood pure
and your system invigorated through