The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-08-06
COOPERATIVE COLONIES.
Something About One in Colorado by
One of the Colonista

SO-OpSEdt1NS COIiipdHy yHOW OpGTd(-
ing in western Colorado. This COM
pany was organized and chartered in
February, 1894, by State Senator 3. L.
Smith, Judge P. A. Simmons, ]. H.
Smith, Henry Walker and ]. S. Bar
tow. The objects and purposes of the
company are stated in its charter to be
ITO acquire and hold lands and other
property and to preserve and utilize the
same; to construct bitches for irriga-
ton and other purposes; to attend to
production, distribution, construction,
sanitation, commerce, exchange, educa-
ton and entertainment" Their con-
stltution provides that their property
shall never be mortgaged nor encum-
bered; that the company shall control
all bitches, canals and public utilities;
that it shall be the object of the COM
pany to provide employment for its
members, and that occupa tions of ques-
tiona BILE propriety, such as gambling,
liquor selling, etc, shall be prohibited
Committees were sent out in various
directions to look for a field where good
land and water for irrigation could be
secured In most places these commit
tees found themselves fOrestalled-cap-
ital was ahead of them and had appro-
priated the natural opportunities in
advance of settlement, but the noun
tainS were crossed by the committees
beyond where capital had Ventured and
q mesa of about % 600 acres of smooth
and yet vacant government land was
found, high aboVe the San Miguel river,
which afforded many times the quaint
ty of water needed. Preliminary sur
veys for an irrigation ditch were made
and that location was selected as the
field for another effort of a little body
of social reformers and homeseekers to
put into practice their dreams OF better
living.
1t was no easy task these people had
undertaken. For fifteen miles along
steep mountain side their ditch must be
built. There was the land, without
water meager range for cattle, parch-
ed in the suns of a thousand years and
barren except for a growth of wild sage
brush, which thrives only in the desert.
There was the abundant water, and be-
tween the land and the water fifteen
long miles of mountainside, of cliff and
chasm, to be cut down, to be bridged
by trestles, to be dug into by hard la
Dor before the land and the water
could be brought together. That done,
what had been done a thousand times
before would be again accomplished
the desert would be made to blossom as
the rose, opportunities for the labor of
thousands of people would be created
and homes as beautiful as the mind of
man could conceive and execute would
be made.
This, then, is the first work of these
hardy co-Operators-to bring that land
and that water together. Almost, but
not altogether, devoid of capital, they
must depend upon their minds and
Drawn to accomplish a task which cap
ital had thus far refused 10 undertake.
Can it be done? If it is done, can these
pioneers realize their dreams of a bet
ter social order?
Among the members who have been
added to the small number of Colora-
doanS who initiated this movement are
several quite we'll known Kansans. The
secretarys books show the name of
John w. Breidenthal as a full-paid
stakeholder, also the names of Mrs.
Annie L. Diggs, Mrs. Julia Breidenthal
and Mrs. DR.. McLallin. That of VIM.
H. Porter, formerly county treasurer
of Labette county, also appears, as
Of re- r Sh1sG9 m of
Enterprise. P1ainville, in Rocks coun-
ty, has J. H. Patterson, H. D. Bennett
and c. H. Smith. E: A. Sharp of OF
tawa county, John Williams of Nor
ton, A. c. Thompson of Scandal, H. B.
and George H Martin of Colby. James
Shearer of Frankfort, w. T. Shoe
maker of Norton, also appear as mem
bers.
Geo. B. Rugg1es, formerly the Popu-
list sheriff of Osborne county, was the
general manager of the colony work
till his departure for Kansas a few
weeks ago. when the management fell
to Mr. Robert E. Cooper, formerly
prominent stockman and farmer of
6aTe With and his 0 famy TWo M Meo #
Bros. Edw. Yoxall and VIM: Wander
grift of Rocks county are also here a
work on the ditch. So Kansas is fairly
we'll represented in this movement look
ing towards the reconstruction of So
ciety.
They have already done an immense
amount OF work considering their num-
bers and the money they have had to
put in. 1t is indeed wonderful how
much they have done with the means
at their command. It is doubtful if
capital could have hired more work
done at less expense.
They say about all they need is
Colorado grub stake"-that is, food
for themselves and teams while they
are doing the work, and for this they
depend largely upon nonresident stock
holders.
If they succeed in building the ditch
what then? They will have redeemed
another patch of the great American
desert and will have laid the founda-
ton for several thousand homes and
a prosperous community.
Under their rules they cannot mort
gage or cucumber their properties
hence they are practically out of debt
! and have no interest bills to meet. What
they have to show for their labor is so
much capital actually created by their
labors, and there is certainly consider
able of that in sight-in their ditch
along the mOuntainSideS, in those some
in the many miles of roads they have
built and in other things done and Gre
ated by them
OF course estimates have been made
as to the cost of the ditch. The most
sanguine think the water will cost
! about $3.50 per acre and the most pes
simistic think it will cost about $12. so
per acre. Experienced builders of sim
liar work figure the cost at about SO
| per acre, nearly all of which will be
| paid in labor, as has been done on
many such properties in the arid west.
| Often have men who had little or no
( money invested their labor in irrigat-
| ing bitches which were valuable CAPT
| tai.
| The members of the Colorado Coon
| erative colony are not here only to build
/ homes; they hope and work for the es-
! Establishment of better social conditions,
| for more perfect equity between men
| in their business relati TONS for a
| stronger and more useful citizenship
| The colony has small store a
| blacksmith and wagon shop, a printing
| office, two small farms worked on
| leases, two boarding houses, a sawmill
| a harness and shoe shop, etc, all be-
] ing operated comparatively and to the