Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-08-01
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Observation-Disclosures
Canon City. south and west OF tn.
Cripple Creek gold fields, is the pretties
little town chat We have seen in GU,
mountain wayfaring. 1t Is the first of /
series of thriving towns in the Arkansa,
river valley. For two miles along the
road by which we entered broad fields
were devoted to fruit culture. Az We
passed those trees that were large
enough to bear We're Just bursting int
bloom. The air was filed with Fragrance
from the plum blossoms. the lawns were
carpeted in green, and here and Their.
an apple tree was robed in pink ant
White. The town had cleaned-up ap
pearance that was delight to the eye
The grounds of the state penitentiary
are very pretty and suggest the work O
landscape gardener. We were some
what surprised at the number of "trus
ties" about town and in the near-b,
fields. Two We're seen perched on q
street sprinkler and seemed to be en-.
joying their partial liberty. Theil
striped clothes of black and white mad,
them exceedingly conspicuous. The Ar.
kansas river. which flows thru the town
is largely responsible for this mountain
garden spot, for 1t gives generously o
Its waters to redeem the arid vale,
thru which 1t wends it's way. On either
eide of the river one sees network OF
bitches, the smaller radiating from thu
larger The main ditch, often severa
miles in length, follows the higher
ground along the sides Of the foothills
and. from this lead down the smallel
bitches along rows of fruit trees OF
across broad fields OF alfalfa. Here tn,
farmer is an expert rain maker. H,
does not criticise the weather nor search
the heavens for signs of rain but with
hoe he makes little embrasures in the
side of the ditch next field and the
ife-giving fluid trickles down among tn
alfalfa roots. When he thinks the show
er should end he closes the opening an,
the clouds roll on.
Irrigation has reclaimed many acre
Of land hitherto nearly worthless TIL,
farmer does not indulge in very grea
variety OF crops. He finds alfalfa tn,
easiest raised and the most profitable
One not familiar with this plant nigh
at a little distance easily mistake It fol
clover. 1t grows luxuriantly and is usu
ALLY harvested three times during tn,
season. Like clover, one seeding suffice
for series of years. This adobe sol
yields wonderfully when irrigated. On
can come as near seeing" things grow
here as anywhere. Florence. the mex
town down the valley from Canon Cnty
has gained some notoriety abroad a,
Colorado's chief oil center They ar,
Just beginning to develop their oil field
and excitement Is running high. Up ant
down the valley from Florence OF
claims are being rapidly staked off. 4
sort of Klondike fever has seized al
classes of the people. In the town ant
| on the rising ground on either side on
can count score Of lofty derricks ris
| ing above an equal number of wells. II
all the wells thus far discovered 1t II
necessary to pump the oil to the surf
ace The oil is used for fuel purposes
instead of coal, for operating the pump
ling machinery. lite value lies In Its fue
properties. Some southwestern rail
roads have already substituted oil To-
coal as fuel for their locomotives.
Between Florence and Canon Cit,
some parties in boring for oil struck
body Of water containing sufficient sal
/ to make evaporation profitable.
| From Florence thirty-three mil,
| drive drive down the Arkansas vale.
brought US to Pueblo, the western Pitts
| burgh. Pueblo is certainly smok,
city. AT distance of twenty-five mile!
before reaching the city We could SCI
a great volume Of smoke rising near thu
eastern horizon from her many irol
shelters and hanging above the cit!
| like great black pail. Pueblo values
her smelters highly for they are he
chief industries They are supplied Will
| iron ore from the nearby mountains.
was told by a. proud citizen that tn
quality OF steel made here could rot b.
surpassed anywhere. At any rate thei
| pig iron and steel rails seem to com
pete successfully with that of the east.
The city, minus the smoke, remind
one very much of Des Moines, tho no
| so large. The city has several mile
/ from the mountain range to the ives
of it, while about 1t rise ranges of Low
| hills and the indulations of the plain
/ The country about the city presents ,
| sorry picture to the Iowan familiar witt
\ luxuriant vegetation. He looks in vail
for broad fields Of cornand oats. Evel
weeds seem to grow in half hearte,
way An Iowa agriculturalist in visit
ing the arid west is apt to turn pessi
mist. Blu. this is a paradise for thos
who desire to delve deep into the cart
in search of riches. Colorado's untol
mineral wealth fully compensate her TO
4 lack OF farms. Her numerous mines o