The daily sentinel., 1900-09-13

for pasture lands, many small valleys
and one grand and magnificent stretch
of tillable land, stretching from where
the river leaves the canon and extend
ing for forty miles, broadening as it
goes, till it reaches the Utah line. As
a result, wrote Mr.. Haskell, Mesa
county is adapted to mining, grazing
and farming. Within its mountains
and canons are found extensive veins
of coal, iron, copper and silver, but
awaiting development by the miner.
Its extensive plateauX and elevated
parks and valleys, covered with luxu-
riant grasses, afford stock u range for
summer and winter not to be sur
passed; while the lower and more ex-
tensive valleys, with their fertile soil,
abundance of water for irrigation, and
mild, equable climate, permit the
farmer to devote his attention to the
successful culture of either grain, fruit
or vegetables
In word, Mesa county is an inland
empire by itself, endowed by nature
with all that her magnificent bounty
can bestow.
OF the smaller valleys, Plateau Is
the principal one. The main stream
is fed by many little tributaries rising
in the Grand mesa, during its course
through valley never more than a
But back of this rise mesa lands which
in time will become cultivated, creating
habitable homes, but now more used
as ranges for cattle, which is the prin-
cipal industry of the Plateau valley.
1t is also favorite point for hunters,
as game abounds and the brooks are
full of trout. Hawkshurst was the
first nucleus of settlement, and a
postottice was established there as
,,,l.- fhraxA
other towns, Mesa, Collbran and
Snipes, and settlers have increased to
such an extent that the county cleo
tions show over 500 voters in the val
ley, while IA weekly journal at Coll
bran sounds it's praises to the world at
large.
The Unaweep valley, or rather canon,
lies in the southwestern part of the
county and is more of a scenic section
than Industrial, as the valley does not
broaden out until it reaches the
Dolores country. The scenery will
some day make it the attractive point
for tourists, while its low altitude and
sheltered situation will commend it to
health-Seekers, as a small creek courses
through the canon. Many discoveries
of rich silver and copper ore have also
been found in this district, which as
yet is undeveloped along mining lines.
The Hannah creek valley, as well
as the Whitewater, are located In the
southern portion of the county. The
streams, however, are not tributaries
Of Grand river, but of the Gunnison,
and empty into it, passing through fer
tile lands of greater or less extent
They are crossed by the narrow gauge
system of the Denver 4 Rio Grande.
railroad, with Whitewater as the
terminal point, thriving and prosper
GUS town having back of 1t large pas
ture lands, while about it, as the creek
approaches the Gunnison, are well cul-
tivated farms, each supplied with it's
own irrigating ditch, with homes well
established and improved.
Bluestone valley ends at point i'm
mediately opposite De Beque, in the
eastern part of the county, and
stretches back toward Grand mesa
for distance of twenty miles or
more, though never over two miles
wide. Like Plateau, Whitewater and
the other creeks mentioned, the ease
with which water can be taken from
it has caused the arabic and irrigable
lands to be well occupied by thrifty
and intelligent class of people, ell
gagged in fruit-raising, farming and
cattle-raising. Here, as elsewher in
the small valleys, the soil is exceed
ngly rich, yielding heavily of all kinds
of grain and vegetables. 1t may be
said, also, that coal crops out every
where.
Roam creek comes into the Grand
near De Beque, running back about
thirty miles to what is known as Hog
back canon, and is better known as u
cattle country than for general agricul-
tural purposes, the water supply being
scanty, even We're the valley lands
abundant. But the mesas and foot
hills lying back of it have been occu-
pied as cattle ranges ever since the
reservation was opened up to settle
ment.
These, outside of great Grand valley,
are the sections of Mesa county in
which general agricultural develop
ment is steadily going on and their
value becoming better known. Their
safety from frost is one important
point in their favor, for in seasons
when, in the wide and open lands in
Grand valley, climatic conditions are
unfavorable to fruit prospects, these
sequestered wales; sheltered by the
hills that rise above them from the
cold currents of air,swept down from
the north and west are unharmed.
Plateau valley particularly is favored
section of Mesa county, well meriting
the description given of it by an en-
thusiastic physician, who declares that