Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-10-27
A Voice From Colorado.
Avon, Colorado. Oct. 20, 4

Avon, Colorado. Oct. 20, 'O4.
Editor Journal:-A trip down tn.
Eagle and Grand rivers by rail il
| apt to strike tenderfoot with awe
as he beholds the lofty peaks tow
ering quite often above the clouds
first receding and again approach
ing the road-bed until there is
barely room for the train to pass
between the mountain of granite
and the river. At some remote per.
iod, great volcanic disturbances
took place, as is evidenced by the
great mountains of rock standing
at an angle of about fifty-two de-
grees on either side of the great
gulches: but the best and surest
evidence is found in the great lava
bed of several hundred acres.
found at the mouth of the Eagle
river and there forming the river
bed. The lava looks for all the
world like great level plain COW
cred with rough coal cinders only
blacker and the sunken crater is
out from this deposit about four
miles aud those who have visited
it say that it is over two miles in
diameter and covered with nice
grass on which the great herds of
cattle feed. A ride of tweny-seven
miles down the cannon of the
Grand from the lava bed brings one
to Glenwood, the noted resort for
invalide; but at this season of the
year it is dead on account of the ex-
odus of those who came there for
health or pleasure. The town ia
clean and board of health regula-
tions strict. This sign at every
street corner and business place
confronts one: Splitting on the side
walk is forbidden. Five dollars
fine for each offense. BY order of
the Board of Health" I observed
that ordinance to the letter.
The D. & r. 6. Ry. have the finest
depot at this city of any on their
whole system, am informed.
From this city westward the great
fruit country extends. I noticed
quite number of fine orchards OF
apple, plum and cherry trees; but
it is not until ones arrival at Pali-
sade that the true magnitude OF
the fruit industry strikes one.
There the mountains recede and a
broad mesa or plain OF alkali
ground as white as ashes, extend
ing many miles to the west takes
their place and every acre of this
land is taken up in tracts of five
ten, twenty and forty acre farms
which, for the most part, are plant.
ed in apple, peach, plum, pear and
apricot trees and on many tracts
fine lucious grapes are grown and
where alfalfa is grown, three cut
tings are made in one season. New.
er before has the apple crop been
such delight to the grower as it
is this season. The fruit, besides
being 80 large and appetizing is al
most free from worms. The variti.
es are numerous and the trees are
loaded to the breaking point, as
we'll as the peach, pear and apricot
trees. On preparing fruit for the
market the fancy apples must be
free from all blemishes whatsoever
even one spot on an apple religates
the whole box to second place and
an inferior price. Peaches are grad.
ed as to size, eighty and under to
the box, being branded on the box
as extra" from that to ninety as
ninety, and from that to one hun.
dred and eight as one hundred and
eight to the box, all peaches above
the latter figure go as pie peaches
All fruit for shipment must be
picked before it ripens else it will
be total loss if shipped far away.
The Grand Valley Fruit Growers
Association takes charge of most
of the fruit at Grand Junction and
ships it to all points of the com
pass. Every member receives a
number and he must put that num-
Der on every box of fruit delivered
at the ware house. A like associa.
ton is also established at Palisade
and west of Grand Junction at Fru
tia and during the season train
loads of fruit are shipped from
these three points. Hundreds o.
bushels of the earlier fruits rotteo
on the ground or was fed to stock
for want of help to pick it in season
to ship.
A ditch thirty-two feet wide and
at Palisade, the starting place
holding water to the depth of fiji
teen feet, waters good portion OF
the fruit farms from that town tt
Grand Junction and Fruita, and at
the water flows rapidly through
its entire course, it is known'as the
gravity ditch. Farms further ou'
are watered by windmills, steam
power and water wheels, which
does not give near the flow of wat
er nor the most satisfactory results
as compared with the former.
Ranch hands along the Eagle
and Grand rivers, receive $1.25 pei
day and their board. Good trui
pickers $3.50. Help, with few ex
ceptions, cannot be depended upor
being rather uncertain az to theil
staying qualities. They will stoI
from two to three days or maybe
for a week and then some fin,
morning after enjoying a hearty
breakfast, call for their time, (ane
they always get it) and then move
along and maybe before the day IL
over mother crew will come along
and take their place; and so it goes
Grand Junction is in Mesa county
at the junction of the Gunnisor
and Grand rivers and ia prosper
GUS city of about thrty-five hun
dred inhabitants aud has fin,