The Elbert County tribune., 1905-01-26
In Yuma County.

Inc foilowing breezy letter Is clipped
from the Elizabeth Banner and will be of
interest to our readers, many of whom
have interests in Yuma county:
Idalia, Colo, Jan. 2, 1905.
DEAR EnrToR; They say that all things
come to them that wait, il they only hus-
tie while they wait, and l cannot doubt
but what you have been admirably ac-
quitting yourself in that line.
presume You know already that east
ern Arapahoe county has also been di-
vided and part annexed to Yuma county.
To my mind a step in the right direc-
ton was taken when the county seat was
changed from Yuma to wray, as the lat
ter gives promise of becoming quite an
active railroad center. 1t has already
about 500 people, many churches of diff
ferent denominations, new court house,
big high school, two or three hotels
and a fine postofiice building.
One particularly pleasant feature that
attracts strangers attention is its
shade trees along boarded walks.
There are two breezy local mediums,
one called the Wray Gazette democrat
icl and the other the Wray Rather GRe-
publican).
At distances of from ten to twelve
miles stretched out on the prairie there
are many little oases which Uncle Sam
calls his own. Between Wray and Idalia
there is quite difference in the country.
The road is somewhat sandy, then lit
tie sheep grazing area, few hills and
the Arickaree river, which is quite a
stream
South of Idalia twelve miles is quite
an agricultural region. One thing /
haven't been able to solve yet is the
cause of farming being carried on so diff
ferently from our county, when there is
but one between Yuma and Elbert.
The corniields for as early as Septem-
Der looked parched and hail beaten, and
/ learned afterward some of them had
been. Outside of range cattle they
''raise Cain" down here, or rather l
meant to say "cane," or sorghum, which
the children delight in chewing as well
ms candy.
The corn is Mexican, and as fall ad
yanced kept watching for them to cut
and stack it, but as no one seemed to be
exerting themselves in that way ] ven
tured to ask when the gathering would
be done.
I "Oh," said they, "we snap and pick our
! 1orn." And with big lumber wagons
having high board on one side, they
husked as they picked from morning till
night, and then when it grew late they
snapped the ears off which made me
think it quite back breaking process,
but they all seemed resigned to this
method and labored uncomplainingly,
only stopping for new finger stalls and
the salve box.
Time is calculated from the time the
| thresher makes its annual visit, wheat
being another great source of income.
Separators are just coming in style,
and station will probably be put in at
Idalia However, there are few, but
they are indeed far between and the sta
tions are even farther than that.
The prairie is covered with buffalo
grass: timber is more than scarce, and
the homesteaders build their shacks of
sod, which keeps them very warm.
This is indeed world peculiar to it
self. The people are mostly Germans,
good hearted, industrious, sober and re-
ligious, preachers making circuits from
one school to another. There are no lit
eraries, but plenty of dances; and as for
localisms-well, when heard them say
"pretties, Ia plural substantive for play
things or anything fancy, "ugle" for
ugly, "shoats' for pigs, and ''road" for
the railroad station, l came to the con
clusion that / must be indeed antipodal.
Fuel is picked up on the prairie, and
is quite saving on the purse, costing
only the time.
Well, / think this lengthy epistle has
fully fulfilled its object, so l will close.
Fraternally,
JESSIE G. McBREEN.
|