Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-04-17

insurance and professional offices ad
infinitum Beside these are the big
foundries. brick and lumber yards.
flour and planning mills and Inc brew
cry with its great ice and beer plant.
Just across the river is the State Fish
Hatchery. This institution turned in
to the surrounding streams last year
2 2.50O00o young fish from the spawn
OF mountain trout. Then there is the
oil well which with few more. feet
in depth is sure to become Il gusher
and. further the cold storage plant,
big livery stables. hide and wool
houses, stone and lime quarries. coke
ovens. the sampling works and last
and greatest of all-tne smelter. This
mammoth plant with its towering
smoke stacks. sampler coke ovens
and electric light plant is one of the
largest in the United States. 1t is
the property Of the American Smelt-
ing and Refining company and yields
as large percentage of profit on the
money invested as any other similar
institution In the world. IT employs
ABOUT b'N men anu IL SOth ~ D'
doubled in capacity. All the mines in
the La Plata mountains and at Sill
yerton, Ouray, Gladstone. Eureka and
Telluride ship their ores OF this smell
ter and never ceasiug by night or by
day 1t has continued for many years
10 pour out u yeritable tide of golden
treasure into the lap OF the country.
And now what are the resources
OF Durango? To begin with there are
the coal fields of unlimited extent.
The coal is bituminous and of the best
quality. II may be used for all pur-
poses such as producing gas, coke
steam, etc. The coal production for
1904 OF La Plata county was approx
imately 10000 tons. When the south
ern railway outlets are opened this
industry by itself will insure the fu-
ture growth of the city. But Durango
is not dependent upon coal alone. To
the north, east and west are great
mines of gold, silver, copper. lead
iron. zinc, etc. When the Sherman
silver bill was passed in 1893 there
followed general paralysis of bust
ness here but II soon developed that
this marvellous region contained more
gold In proportion to its value than
silver. So the people took heart
again and have since made 1t one OF
tne greatest gold producing sections
in the state. The mines are now en-
ploying thousands of men and their
pay rolls are enormous. Among other
resources are the stone quarries, and
the interminable pine forests. The
latter keep a hundred saw mills in
continuous operation and furnish an
inexhaustible lumber supply: Every
kind of mineral is found nere and the
existence of coal oil is an incontro-
yertible fact. The farms are farms
indeed. for they produce unlimited
quantities of hay, grain, vegetables
and fruit. The principal fruit belts.
however. lie to the north and south.
The fruit is famous the world over
for its flavor and vast quantities are
shipped every year 10 tne east. Some
SO, 900 acres of good farming land,
also 10 the south. will shortly be
thrown open for settlement To water
| this vast area the government mas
appropriated 81 100000 The canal will
| tap the Anmas river just above Dur
ango. At least 500 men will be needed
| for its construction. II is unnecessary
| to mention how vastly the settlement
and subsequent cultivation of the
t.,,ugf
| ness of this section. Stock raising
| is also one of the resources. The
| broad and grassy ranges are covered
| with cattle. sheep, horses and goats.
Large numbers of these animals are
| being constantly transported to other
| points and form an industry colossal
| in its proportions Every farmer has
| his herd of milk cows and fresh ranch
butter is always in the market. Poul-
try raising is also coming to the front.
Some of the best brick In the world is
made from the great clay beds. The
rapid mountain streams have only TO
be harnessed to produce any amount
% motive power. There are innumer-
| able square miles of what is termed
| rabbit brush from whcn rubber Is
| extracted, and also vast cottonwood
| forests This wood is white and soft
| and ii is only matter Of time until
a mill is here established for the pur-
| pose Of grinding It into pulp and max
ing paper. A beet sugar factory to
| cost approximately sl,S00,000 Is soon
| to he Installed. The soil OF this sec
| tion is suited 10 the raising of the
sugar beet tne average yield being
about 10 tons to the acre. There is
no doubt that this enterprise will be
| n success. lust over the line into
| Utah are great Isolated crags of al
| most solid iron and these will prove
| another great source of wealth for
| Durango has the coal and a mlgnty
steel plant is sure to ~ established
| acre nj no distant day. In addition to
all these wonderful resources it has
| recently come to light that this
| country is rich In zinc and there are
many other treasure troves of nature
| mere as yet unknown or undeveloped
| that need only tne magic touch of
| capital TO make them contribute their