The Elbert County tribune., 1902-06-26
WATER IN COLORADO
DEVELOPMENT OF IRRIGATION.

OptlfHiehC TEcuEbonc OF tnc otate En-
sineer-At Last Ten Million Acres
Can Be PLACID Under Cultivation
Possibilities Beyond the Dreams Of
the Most sarguine.
Following Is { part of the paper on
''The Status OF lrrign ntion In Colorado"
which was read before the recent state
convention of real estate men in Den
yer by Addison J. McCune. state en-
gineer of Colombo:
Years ago 1t was said by geographers
and explorers that the great Rocky
mountain region or the so-cnlled arid
region. was for the most part bar
ren desert that would never support
more than sparse population. To
person not familiar with this region
such would yet seem TO be the case.
judging from what he can catch from
car window, and especially Is he i'm
pressed with the meagerncss OF its ag
ricultural possibilities.
But how wide of the mark did they
come in guessing the outcome to this
country One can but be enthuse1 at
the acumen OF such prophets as Gov
ernor Gilpin. Governor Evans. General
Palmer. w. +. Pabor and n few others
who first saw It's enormous possibili-
ties.
Colorado, for Instance, has every i'm
aginable resource. save. perhaps. fine
timber, to make great and wealthy
country. Concerning her agricultural
resources. | believe they are capable of
development far beyond the dreams
of our most sanguine citizens. There
tt.l lrpl.. = A
100000 are now under ditch. l be-
lieve, with the use of storage rescr-
voirs and the utilization of the return
waters, in many places over and over
again, at least l0OOO.000 or 12.0O0,O0O
acres will be put under cultivation. A
greater part OF the balance will pro-
duce pasturage so that, with the in
tensive farming which will be prac-
ticed the assurance of an enormous
yield per acre, and the amount of high
class products grown, our state Will,
when thoroughly developed produce
almost as much value of agricultural
products in the aggregate MS an equal
area in some of the humid territory.
This may seem TO some very extrav-
agant statement do not expect such
development to be made in one gener-
alton. so cannot say TO you, wait and
see" 1t may take two or more gen
erations, but 1t will surely come.
Where. you ask, is there so much
land available, and where the water
supply? The supply for direct irriga-
tion in all the streams on the east side
10 already exhausted. you say. About
one-third OF the entire area of the state
lies east of meridian drawn through
Pueblo, and while some of the land
xx-ifl l.. l,t la.
veloped of any In the state. yet taken
MS whole /. has the most scanty
supply of water, and much of 1t must
remain at least partially arid region.
However, with the use of the return
waters and storage reservoirs. large
areas will be reclaimed that few
years ago would not have been consid-
cred ms even coming within the irri-
gated belt. Besides our many broad
and fertile valleys, much of the noun
tain country. that, to casual observer
would be considered fit only for graz
Ing, Is capable of cultivation.
The beet sugar industry. II allowed
to develop, and l hope the people OF
the United States will have sense
enough to permit 1t to develop, Will be
the greatest factor in the growth of
this territory.
After the mountains are reached. and
especially after the range is crossed. TO
where the greatest supply of water Is
found, you will say there is not much
but hills and hollows and rocks. l
only ask you not to judge the country
too harshly. One of the prophets of
whom / have spoken was on a train
passing down Grand valley few years
ago with friend of mine; he pointed
to the elevated plateaus. or benches.
up among the aspens. and spoke of the
fine farms that would one day be seen
up there. My friend thought such an
Idea rather visionary, but such de-
velopment has already begun, and
there are many farms now being
opened up in such places. Any one
passing down the western slope on the
Denver and Rio Grapde railroad can
see one of these upright farms on the
hillside opposite the town of Minturn.
Two years ago the owner took $4,000
worth of timothy hay from that hill
side patch. / did not learn how much
of that was profit, but II is safe to say
more than half OF it. Many farmer
of the Eastern and Middle states would
think he would soon be n trust mag
nate II he could clear $1,000 year:
yet thousands of home-seekers passing
through that territory every year
would not dream of stopping in such
a place to look for farm.
As have said. from the best infor-
nation attainable. we estimate about
3.OOOOO0 acres under ditch. About
2,0OOO00 of this is under cultivation,
and much OF that is but partially de-
veloped. The various new irrigation