Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-04-13
RESOURCES OF DURANGO.
La Plata County Blessed With Asri
cultural and Mineral Resources
and Unsurpassed Climate.

(W. r. Armstrong, in Colorado Real
Estate NewsJ
When one hears Durango spoken OF
nis mental picture gallery shows
town with a smelter. the second larg
est in the state, and "A railway leading
from 1t to Silverton, famous for the
rich mines surrounding 1t. AS mat
ter of fact, Durango Is the center of as
rich a farming country as can be
found in the state. as well as being
the gateway to a vast storehouse of
mineral wealth.
Situated in La Plata county, Du-
range is but few miles north of the
New Mexico line and is the yearly
scene of the Southern Colorado-New
Mexico fair. The very air seems to
tell of the aborigines, for in this To-
cality the Indian on his reservation is
still 10 be found, and not so very far
away is the lively little town OF Man
cos, famed for the clifr dwellings of
extinct races of red men. In these,
pottery of beautiful design mas been
found and this speaks for the nigh
artistic development of the race as
the remains of their cities and irri-
eating canals tell of their material
advancement and civilization.
Durango is the commercial, manu-.
iaturing and educational center of
southwestern Colorado. The city has
IA population of 1000 and is tne best
built city of its size in the West. The
wholesale business averages $4,000,
900 yearly and here is located the
San Juan branch of the American
Smelling and Refining company, en-
ploying hundreds of men. There are
coal and coke companies, iron works.
Touring mills, electric lights and
street car lines, three daily and one
weekly newspapers, twenty fraternal
lodges, seven churcnes and an excel
lent school system. OF the three
banks OF deposit and two savings
banks, not one suspended during the
period of financial depression of elev-
en- years ago.
The altitude of the city is $500
feet above sea level; the water is
pure and healthful and the climate is
state noted for its pure air and sun
ny days.
The Animas valley is a well-watered
section. and it is here. more than at
any other place in Colorado, that one
Ia impressed by the landscape as re-
,l,l; l. ht, ttNrnf al
valleys of New York state. In 1909
La Plata county had nearly 10000
acres of land under cultivation and
nearly 5000 acres of grazing lands.
Almost every variety of crop suit
able to the altitude grows here in
great perfection and as luNuriantly as
anywhere Last year there were pro
duced in the county l75.0O0 bushels
of wheat and oats; 100000 bushels of
potatoes and 10000 tons of alfalfa.
valued at s1,000,OOO.
The tax dodger makes it difficult to
arrive at the exact totals of cattle and
sheep In the county. but the assessors
books show 5000 cattle. valued at
100000: 1900 sneep valued at $22.
900: 10000 horses, valued at $27S.-
900. There were shipped last year
800. 900 pounds of wool, hides and
pelts. The county has thirty school
houses. l05 miles of railway and 103
miles Of telegraph and telephone
wires. The total assessed value of the
property in the county is 81. .248, 900 of
which amount sl,146.S33 is credited
to Durango.
Apples grow to their greatest per-
fection here. Trainload after train.
load of apples from this section are
shipped from Durango and vicinity
and wherever offered they top the
market They are worthless and are
noted for their perfect color, texture
and flavor. The crop is enormous
The coal, silver, lead and gold mining
of the tributary country are such as
TO invite extensive development, and
these features are rapidly building up
years until the population OF the coun.
ty will furnish an excellent local mar.
ket for the farmers products.
The fruit grower. the cattle raiser
aud general farmer will find here all
the climatic conditions necessary TO
bring the yields up to the biggest
point. Lands are cheap and can be
bought at figures considerably below
what the productveness of the crops |
would warrant
Like other settled portions of Colo. |
rado, Durango is interested in the |
sugar beet. There is every reason to |
believe that factory will be located
here. and when this is done not only
viii Durango have another industry,
Dut the surrounding country will reap
ne benefit of what has proven to be
so profitable crop wherever grown
N Colorado. A canning factory is
'lso almost certainty. The next five
'ears promise u wonderful growth for
Durango and La Plata county.
Durango mas stirring and patrio-
ic board of trade, and through 1t the
world is being made aware of her re-
f,Il. /