La Junta tribune., 1905-07-05

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A banquet was given in the evening
ard some Of the spellbinders poured
hot air into the opinion moulders in
very copious quantities. enough 10
make some of them think they were
not only the salt of the earth. but
the earth itself and the fullness
thereof.
Montrose is situated in the center
of the Uncompahgre Valley. which
is similar as To climatic conditions
and crops raised TO the valley of the
Arkansas The Uncompahgre VAL
ley is from three Tn ten miles in
width. reaching from the San Juan
mountains on the south for sixty
miles To the Gunnison river on the
north. The Gunnison tunnel, an un-
dertaking commenced by the nation
al government the first of the year
for the purpose of furnishing water
for the irrigation Of lat .O0O acres Of
land in the Uncompahgre Valley. is
located about five miles from Mon
trose The project contemplates the
driving of a tunnel six miles in
length. starting from the bed of the
Gunnison river in Black canyon and
running through he high divide TO
the Uneompahgre Valley. The wa
ter is conveyed from the tunnel
through canal twelve miles long to
the Uncompahgre river. from which
the valley at present derives an in
sufficient irrigation supply. With
the additional supply from the Gun
nison river thousands of acres Of
land in the Uncompahgre Valley will
be brought under cultivation. The
editorial bunch visited the west por-
tai of the tunnel Tuesday morning
and penetrated the interior through
mud and water for distance Of 800
feet, where the men are now at
work. The tunnel is twelve feet
square. timbered with twelve by
twelves. and when completed will be
rounded with concrete from end to
end. II will carry a flow of 800
cubic feet of water per second of
time. Wok on the tunnel is pro-
crossing at both ends at an average
rate Of twelve feet per day. and
shafts are being sunk at intervening
points from which the work Of ex-
cavating will soon be in progress in
both directions. At the present time
24O men are employed. working
three shifts Of eight hours each. The
contract calls for the completion Of
the tunnel by April Is. 1903. and it
will cost 81. 2.5O0. 900. The national
government is TO be Reimbursed by
the water users by ten equal pay
ments distributed over ten years
without interest. the first payment
being due the first year the water is
available.
Tuesday evening twenty-five or
more Of the editorial bunch went to
Ouray to visit the most picturesque
and romantically beautiful spot in
Colorado. Imagine six square blocks
of La Junta dropped into the bot
tom of huge bowl. with precipi-
tous mountains on all sides and not
a sign of inlet or outlet. and you will
have a very good idea of Ourxy.
One Of the attractions advertised for
the Fourth of July celebration was a
tight rope walking exhibition from
one mountain peak to another
something that would not be possi-
BILE anywhere else on earth. Box
canyon" brilliantly illuminated by
electric light. was visited about mid
night by the editors. 1t is one Of
the most stupendous and awe-inspir-
/ ing freaks Of nature that you will
! find anywhere. An immense vol
ume of water that makes the seven
falls" Of Cheyenne canyon look like
lateral from the Otero ditch.
comes down over . precipice 500 feet
in height into the gloomy receases Of
dark and forbidding canyon. max
ing . roar like unto Niagara falls.
While going down the canyon along
. treacherous pathway blasted into
the solid rock. some Of the pencil
pushers got dizzy. pleaded guilty to
'.seein' things at night" and had to
abandon the trip. Seeing the Box
canyon at Ouray is worth the price
Of trip over the Rio Grande itself.
The editors left Ouray Wednesday
morning and returned home by way
Of Montruse. Grand Junction. Glen
wood Springs. Leadville. Salida and
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