St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-30

rev. morgan, VINO was present,
lodged complaint against Aid. Muir
phys saloon, charging the alderman
with maintaing wine rooms and ad-
hitting women to them. InaSmuch as
Aid. Murphy is out Of the city, and
as his license does not expire until
sometime next month, the committee
decided to postpone consideration Of
the matter until Aid. Murphy's return.
BOOMER FROM COLORADO.
w. F. Cross Talks Fruit Culture and
Mining.
w. F. Cross, for number of years
secretary of the Minnesota Agricultur-
al society, is sojourning in st. Paul
pending his return to Grand Junction,
Col, where he and his family have
been enjoying the pleasures incident
to the mana cement OF a large fruit
farm which he purchased last May.
Mr.. Cross has been a resident of Min
nesota for forty years, and, while not
swerving in the least from his loyalty
to the North Star state, he is full of
enthusiasm for the country which
temporarily claims him, and declares
it to be q perfect paradise on earth.
Mr.. Cross would not advise young
man with any sort of favorable pros
poets in st. Paul to go into the Col
orado fruit-groWing business, but, said
he to a g o b reporter yesterdy. lit
is the ideal place and the most adapt
able undertaking for man as old as
L am, who desires to enjoy life and
at the same time to accrue considera
BILE OF an income"
Mr.. Cross admiration for the Grand
valley and the fruit raising industry
is borne more of observation, perhaps,
than of actual experience, as his trees
have been out scarcely a year, whereas,
the trees. even in the fertile Grand
valley. do not begin to bear fruit I'M
til the third year. However, his Or
chards are Furnishing in a remarkable
manner, and the surrounding fruit
ranches, the oldest of which have been
under cultivation but eight years, are
giving immense yields, and paying
from $500 to $500 per acre. The ranches
are all supplied with water by an i'm
proved system OF irrigation, and, as
rains are very infrequent and light,
the soil never becomes water soaked,
but maintains an even degree of mOis
ture throughout the year.
Geographically" said Mr.. Cross, in
speaking OF his new home, the Grand
valley skirts the western slope of the
Rocky mountains, extending fifty miles
through the central portion Of the
state" THE climate of this beautiful
valley, traversed it's entire length by
the Grand river is most healthful and
invigorating. The weather of the past
week in ST. Paul is fair specimen of
the Colorado winter, while the only diff
erence which 1 have noticed in the
summer is that the high temperature
prevails for more protracted period.
Politically the people are a unit on the
single issue of free silver. They are,
however, not forcing their favorite
measure, but are conservatively rest
ing their energies, fully convinced of
the ultimate adoption of their advo-
Gated policy. Meantime, the population
Is devoting itself to gold, lead and coal
mining, content to let the vast 7aposits
Of white metal rest in the bosom of
Mother Earth until what they consider
the inevitable political millennium ar
r1Ves, when free coinage of silver. will
make them millionaires
In regard TO the fruit industry, con-
tinued Mr.. Cross, it bids fair to rival
In quality, quantity and profits any
fruit raising section of the United
States. Every variety of fruit except
oranges and lemons, is grown in the
Grand valley in the greatest profusion
Drought, hail. frost or wind has never
yet destroyed or injured a crop in the
eight years the valley has been under
cultivation, and the duties of caring for
fruit ranch, far from being arduous,
are among the most pleasant occupa-
tons.
Peaches are at present the staple
crop, but in my opinion, apples are des-.
tined to become the chief product of
the fruit farms. They grow to won
derful sizes, possessing the highest fla
vor ina ginable, in addition to being
free from the ravages Of insects and
worms. The cultivation Of prunes,
too, is fast becoming one Of the chief
occupations Of the farmers. Wild land
in this section, with guaranteed wa
ter right, can be purchased for $50 per
acre, and, while the returns do not
come in until after three years, thus
necessitating some capital to main
tain the ranch in the meantime, when
the trees do begin to yield, the rest is
easy. There will, in my opinion never
be an overprOduction of Colorado fruit,
for the reason that only compare
lively small portion Of the land, most
of which is embraced in the Grand
valley, can be utilized for fruit-raising
purposes, on account of the lack Of rain
and insurmounta bic difficulties in the
way of irrigation in other parts of the
state." The embryo fruit farmer
paused at this point and looked off
into space.
81 had an interesting experience
while on my way to st. Paul, he finally
continued. Il stopped at Cripple Creek,
the new Eldorado, where men get rich
in day, and 1 must admit that I was
agreeably surprised with the place. 1t
is, indeed, all and more than is claimed
for it in the line of gold deposits, but
what interested me most was the evil
dent air Of refinement and stability of
the camp Most of the houses are of
logs, however, and some Of the popu-
lation Is composed Of the rough ele-
ment, but on the whole the town of
Cripple Creek Is a marvel A city gov
eminent administers its civil affairs,
schools are maintained, and fine
churches, of az many different denonli-
nations, are regularly filed with wor-
shippers each Sunday. The population
of Cripple Creek Is placed at 10000"
continued Mr. Cross, (which is withal
an orderly community. OF course,
what Is known as the 'wide-open policy
prevails in the operation of saloons
and gambling houses, but this seems to
be an essential Of boom times, such
as Cripple Creek and the other six
surrounding, but smaller towns, are at
present experiencing.
ST think" said Mr. Cross, chat the
reason Of Cripple Creeks superiority to
the old-time mining camps can be found
In the fact that it Is, so to speak, in
the center Of civilization. Men from
large Clues gu W the HllileS To better
their fortunes, and in view Of the COM
para lively short distance, take their
families. This neceSSitateS schools
churches and social surroundings who'll
ly unthought of in the days Of 40 when
! California was the fortune hunters
Mecca. AS a matter of fact, all this
Cripple Greek region has been thorough
ly prospected years ago, but only for
placer dirt whereas the gold is be-
naath the surface in the hardest III
of granite. The main gold belt upon and
around which every one Is endea yorine