The daily sentinel., 1900-09-13
reservations and sites for schools,

reservations ana sites TOT bcnooi1,
churches, colleges.
On February IL, 1883, Mesa county
was created and great was the en-
thusiasm and loud the jubilat1on- om-
GERS were appointed who soon assumed
their duties, and in short time al
the machinery of legal control over the
destinies of the new county was In
motion.
The events Of the year can only be
cursorily mentioned. The principal one
happened in March, when L. ..
Henry secured control Of the Grand
River ditch, placing w. D. Pabor IN
the valley to represent him as manager
and loan agent, to aid the settlers In
proving up and securing titles to their
lands. The work of canal construction
was actively carried on throughout the
year, resulting in giving employment
to a number of people and distributing
large amounts of money; causing ac-
tivity in every branch of business and
giving an impetus to the growth OF the
town second only to the advent OF the
railroad.
In the lower valley a canal system
known as the Independent Ranchmen's
ditch was begun, and while in both
this and the greater canal some water
was run during the summer season,
they were not wholly finished There
was also an extension of the Pioneer
ditch projected, designed to carry 1t
down the valley.
AS usually happens in all new Dor
der settlements, the year was marked
by more or less disturbance, with IA
tai results in few instances.
A second bank was opened early in
the year by w. II. Carpenter, showing
hot hi1ct nf the town had
grown sufficiently large to justify its
establishment.
Up to the spring of 1884 Grand
Junction was the only town In the val
ley, but in March of this year w. e.
Pabor, in the interest of the Colorado
Loan and Trust Company, Of which
L. G. Henry was president and he sec
retary, founded the town Of Fruita.
eleven miles west Of the county seat.
About this time the Western Stock
Growers Association was formed,
with ]. f. Brink president; the
Bridgeport tunnel, which had given
employment for over 300 men and cost
S25OOOO, was finished; the new school
building plans, to cost over $4,000,
were accepted by the school board, and
during the year the Nj. e. south, Bap-
tist and Catholic churches We're erect
ed; Board of Trade organized, with
ID. Crandall president; a County HOr-
ticultural Society formed, with X. A
Orr at its head, and work begun by
H. r. Rhone on his toll road to Roam
creek.
In September Grand river claimed
four victims as tributes 10 its rapid
and remOrseless current, which this
season was more than usually deep
and swift, causing considerable dam
30 nI,n., tod oil hn hn nj q
of the stream.
The lateral extension of the Grand
River ditch having been completed to
the lower valley during the fall OF
1884, the seasons crops were greatly
enlarged and the valley soils, of vary
ing kind-from lightest sandy loan to
deepest and heaviest adobe-were CIV
en- a practical test that resulted in
great satisfaction to those engaged in
tilling the land. There was no question
as to its fertility, as proven by the
bounteous harvest that crowned the
year.
The principal events of the year 1885
We're the location by the United States
Interior Department of an Indian
school on 1G0 acres of land about two
miles east of the city, donated for the
purpose, with buildings to cost $685.
coo; the authorization by the Legisla-
ture of an appropriation of $500 for
the construction OF a bridge over the
Grand, toward which the county was
required to give an additional sum of
$15 900; the organization of Pioneer
and Historical Society.
In the spring OF 1886 the Indian
school was finished; the Roam Creek
Stock Association organized; the toll
road completed. and two stage lines
began operations between Grand Juno
ton and Glenwood Springs; the trou-
bles that had existed between the diff
ferent canal companies operating in
the valley settled by the absorption of
| the smaller canals by the Grand River
Ditch Company, the rights of all be-
ing carefully protected by General Ju-
lius White, representing the Travellers
Insurance Company of Hartford, then
the practical owners of the stock Of
the company; the Grand Valley Race
Association held its first racing term in
June; the Indian school opened in No
vember, while the railroad event of the
year was the rapid approach Of the
Colorado Midland railway, building
down the Grand toward Glenwood
Springs
But the event of the year, which was
to do more to make public the wonder
full resources Of the valley, was the
exhibit of fruits, grains and vegetables
collected and sent in October to the e1-