La Junta tribune., 1899-02-15
Irwin in charge of the principals

department and M. E. Norton,
now Mrs. Rufus Phillips, of the
primary department.
In July the TRIBUNE bore witness
to the organization OF the La Junta
Town Company, with Division
Superintendent Chas. NJ. Rath-
burn, president, and DR.. G. w.
Mel, l.. A. Benton, r. A. Steen,
Geo. A. Kilgore, Samuel Strauss,
| ]. S. Kerr, A. c. Stiles, Fl. H.
Allen and G. d. Phillips, members.
In the early years OF the TRIBUNE
it derived considerable share of
its support from the live stock in
dustry, through the publication Of
the brands of the stock men. Late
in 1856 a brand book and map,
which had been originated and
nearly perfected by Mr.. Bowman,
was published by his successor.
This book contains quite a COM
plete record of the brands, owner
ships and locations OF all the lead
Colorado and northern New Mexico
at that time. One of the most
conspicuous advertisements in the
paper was that of Patterson Il
Hart Bros .'Phi Norman" horse
herd. Prominent among the brand
book advertisements were the
ga A" horse and cattle brand Of
A. l. Anderson, the 1.-TWO quarter
circle" brand of the Columbia
Land and Cattle Co., with III. s.
Holly, manager, the ''box-diamond"
brand of Dement, & Phillips, the
half circle heart" brand of Henry
George of Trinidad, and the "S5"
horse brand OF Geo. II. Hill, Fort
Lyon. August 10th, in a reprint,
is mentioned the shipping OF a
western broncho from Cheyenne,
Wyoming, to Havre, France, by
Mark Dunham, the noted horse
importer of Illinois, to Rosa Bon
heur, to serve as a copy for a
painting. The animal was selected
from the herd of the Post Percheron
H@rea Association
| About this time appears local
item referring to ex Mayor Denny,
the founder OF the TRIBUNE, and
his prediction for pioneer stories
with a slight Munchansen flavor,
when he was mayor, postmaster
editor, telegraph operator and
ticket agent. Mr.. Denny always
took especial delight in regaling
"tenderfoot" with his experiences
as postmaster, when the swild and
woody cowboy" demanded letter
or blood, and in which event he
turned the office over to the knight
OF the spurs till the latter was
satisfied.
The TRIBUNE was frequently
called upon to oppose measures
which were considered contrary to
public interest. The limits Of this
sketch will hardly admit of follow
ing the inner details of the voting
of bonds for the court house at
Las Animas, the carrying of the
election by trickery, the injunction
suit and its failure, the burning of
the old court house and county
records, and finally the division of
the county.
The TRIBUNE from time to time
published clippings containing in
formation regarding alfalfa, which
is probably the most valuable
forage plant in cultivation, and
perhaps the oldest. tis mentioned
by Virgil in the Georges as lu-
cerne. An extract which appeared
in the TRIBUNE in 1887 states that
alfalfa was known as valuable
fodder plant in Media, 500 years
B. c.; that it was carried from
Media to Greece, then to Italy.
France and Spain, and from Spain
to South America, being transfer
red from South America to Cali
fornia as Chill clover. The value
and nutritiousness of the native
grasses of eastern Colorado were
lfreouentlv extol1ed hv Ia Iunta's