The Meeker herald., 1899-03-04

noon on the Blue River branch Of the
Rio Grande. 1t will probably take sew
eral DAYS TO complete this work. after
which the plow will be put on the lbex
branch TO open that line as quickly a.
possible and give the people along that
line provisions. which are daily grow
ing more scarce. There Is practlcaily,
however. no more danger OF suneriny
in the little towns between here and
Dillon for the reason that the party OF
prospectors who started out to open
up the wagon road between Pando and
Robinson have successfully accom-.
plished the job Provisions can now
be taken in over this trail.
A natural oil we'll exists near Steam
boat Springs. The oil spring. as 1t Is
called. is located in gulch In the coal
regions and large quantities of crude
petroleum are constantly issuing from
the earth and flowing away down the
little gulch, much as water would do,
only that the earth absorbs the oil be.
fore II flows far. The stun IL about
the consistency of heavy machine oil,
and is used by ranchmen adjacent for
lubricating wagons and other farm
machinery. where ii gives excellent re-
suits. The oil has great reputation
| as a wonderful remedial agent in cur
in. sore. shoulders or other bruises or
cuts in horses and other animals. Peo-
ple send great distances, in some cases
from other states. for bottles OF 1t to
use in the stable.
A contract for the purchase OF sOO
sacks OF sugar beet seed. the largest
ever let in the west. has been made
by Secretary Charles Boettcher of the
Colorado Sugar Manufacturing Com
pany. 1t will be divided among San
francisco and New York seedsmen,
most of the seed. however. coming
from the east The seed will be plant
ed by farmers in the vicinity of Grand
| Junction. The location of the beet SUI
gar plant will be on the Grand river,
half n mile southeast of Grand juno
ton 1t will occupy thirty acres and
be accessible to the three roads touch
ing Grand Junction. 1t is estimated
that the plant will have daily ca
pacity of 10000 pounds of sugar. Dur
ing the first year of its existence more
than 10000 tons of beets will be util-
lied.
An Omaha dispatch says: Presi-
dent Burt of the Union Pacific has Is
sued an official notice that the over
land has become the owner of what is
which heretofore has been part OF
the Colorado Southern. or Union Pa
cific. Denver & Gulf road. The pur-
chase of this branch. taken with the
trnckage agreement just made with
| the Colorado Southern. whereby the
latter road is accorded the use Of the
| Union Pacific tracks between Denver
and Cheyenne. is taken to Indicate but
n step forward in regaining control OF
the entire Southern system. 1t was
originally n part of the Union Pacific
line. but was segregated under the re-
ceivershfp regime. and placed under Il
separate management. as was done
with the Oregon Short Line. The lat
ter road is now In process of being all
sOrbed by the Union Pacific. and 1t Is
reported that when this deal Is out of
the way negotiations for the accession
Of the Southern will be begun.
BY a decision of the United States
Supreme Court just rendered. the tax
payers of Lake and GunnisOn counties
are directly relieved from paying about
$GOO,OOO in bonds. and the same deci-
sion will probably affect another mil
lion dollars of county securities. The
cases We're argued before the Supreme
Court in December by Governor
Charles S. Thomas. The two eases in
volving the Lake and GunnisOn coun-
ty bonds which We're argued by Gov
ernor Thomas lasI December. coming
up to the Supreme Court from the
Court of Appeals. were reversed with
costs. The decision was rendered by
Associate Justice Harlan The titles
of these cases are: Board of County
Commissioners Lake County. Colorado
VS.. Harry II. Dudley, and County
Commissioners of Gunnison County
Colorado. VS. Il. II. Rollins 4 Sons
Judge Hallett held tlnt GunnIson
county was not liable and the bonds
void. The st. Louis court reversed
Judge Hallett und held the county
must pay. The ease was argued in
Washington at the same time and by
the same parties us the Dudley case.
The Supreme Court seems to have re.
versed the St Louis court and sustain
ed Judge Hnllett The case involved
S5GO.ON worth of bonds. and is OF great
Importance to the people of the county
Many thrilling tales ARE being told
of efforts of people in the mountains
To reach the large towns. Joseph Rog-
ers. who has been mining on the west
side of Tennessee Park. about six
miles from Leadvillc. had terrible
experience a week ago. His provisions
gave out and rendered II imperative
that he should reach Leadville for n
fresh supply. He started to walk and
for time got along fairly well, but
us the snow became deeper his diff.
culties increased with every step. The
snow was up to his waist and In
places reached his shoulders. and he
soon came to the conclusion that prog
ress in the ordinary method was i'm
possible. He then lay fiat on the snow
and by working with his hands and
feet succeeded in covering about two
miles in two hours. He had then
reached place where the walking
was better. but was so exhausted with
his previous efforts that he found II
Impossible to proceed and fell in the
h