The Lamar register., 1899-03-01
LAMAR AND paowERs COUNTY.
Opinion of the Climate, Resources
and People by Visitor.


written by G.. j. Jackson, who has
been visiting here several months:
LAMAR, Colo, Feb. IL, 1899.
Editor Standard:
Thinking some OF your readers
might like TO know something con
corning this part of the country, l will
try 10 give minute description OF it.
Lamar, the county seat OF Prowers
county, is located in the Arkansas
valley, thirty miles west of the Kansas
line, on the A. T. & S. +. X. r., at an
elevation OF 1860 feet. 1t is a very
nice thriving city of twelve years
growth, with population of about
twelve hundred. The city has cleo
trio lights, water works and fire de-
partment, one bank, graded school
with seven teachers, three churches,
three hotels. One recently built by
the business men of the town, is a
fine stone structure fitted with all
modern conveniences, a credit to any
city of larger size.
The merchants are a wide awake,
hustling class OF men,. Judging from
the substantially built blocks OF brick
and stone and the large stocks of mer-
chandise carried, causes me to think
they are doing prosperous business.
As far as my acquaintance goes. the
people are very genial and clever; a
great many Of them being from Iowa
is no doubt accountable for this fact.
The principal industry is stock
raising, there being as yet an almost
unlimited range on Uncle Sans great
buffalo grass plains. There are sew
eral herd, of cattle near here, that
number in the thousands, aud many
smaller ones, also large herds of sheep.
II my friend, j. X Haines, will come
here, have a location in view where
/ think We can do well III the sheep
industry.
While this city is on the great des-
ert and the region for parties who are
real axious to obtain cheap land 10y
filing desert claims, yet profitable
farming is being done in the valley,
along the line of the irrigation bitches.
Water rights cost the farmer Sl0per
acre for as much as he wishes to irri-
gate, aud is meted out to him in am-
pie quantity by the Irrigation Co,
in ample quantity so long as they
have the water, which supply IL taken
from the river and stored in large
reservoirs. 1t fails only when the
rain and snow from the mountains
fail to supply the river; as was the
case TO some extent last season. /
guess they will have enough this
year. water being abundant.
All small grain Yields Well, and
corn is being raised to some extent.
Alfalfa, kafiir corn, milo maize and
sorghum are the principal feed crops.
Nearly all the farmers have given up
the idea of letting their cattle rnstle
on the plains through the winter
months, and find it pays better to
feed, The past cold snap has caused
quite heavy losses. The half starved
range cattle drift with the storm un-
til their strength gives out, and they
drop by the wayside and die. A fag-
ged range COW will fight rather than
move out of the road, and consequent
ly you must turn out and drive
around her if you wish to proceed.
Three hundred head Of young cat
tie were shipped from here last alon-
day by Kansas buyer to be fed in
Kansas.
An eastern company has just made
contract with the valley nelon as
sociation whereby they agree to take
500 cars of canteloupes from terrific
ry extending about so miles along
the line OF the r.. r. These melons
command the highest price of any in
the eastern cities as they are said to
be finer melons and have better flavor
than those raised in any other section
of the country. 1t Is claimed that a
fair yield will net the raiser 500 per
acre at contract price.
Apples, pears, peaches, plums, etc,
and all kinds of small fruit do well
II ls1.n NUnl1s, aro IN, tho I1au