Durango semi-weekly herald., 1905-04-13

Written by Blair Burwell and pub
lished by direction OF the Durang,
| Board OF Trade.
Durango is the leading town II
Southwestern Colorado. Its nam,
means enduring. and IL deserves 1t
Its first house was built in October
| 1880. Population. March. 1905. 5000
| Elevation $500. Rainfall is inches
Maximum temperature, es. Minimum
20. Three hundred days annually
of clear. blue sky. Atmosphere. dry
bracing, full of ozone, healtn.giving
There are states for which its peo
pie claim that each is the best In the
Union. Colorado is beginning to make
that claim. Southwestern Colorado
ls It's best part This is true
Durango is surprise. Approach.
ing 1t from the East, one passes
long stretches of Indian reservations,
These, like all western country when
not irrigated. impress uufavorably. 1t
Is water which works the change.
Without water it Is a desert, with
water 1t is garden. There is sur
prise when from behind hills the
train rolls within sight of smokestacks
and signs of life. the beginning OF a
busy, thriving Western city. The
groups Of white tents scattered here
and there for miles down the Animas
river. are the grading camps OF one
of the new roads south The surprise
grows as business and residence por-
TONS OF tne city are visited. the ex-
tent seen, and the character and
with drives into the country, as the
agricultural land, shut in by hills from
general view, is seen, and extent and
quality is realized. Wnen II is i'm
agined that one has reached tne end.
II may be that over the next hill is
place of surprising beauty. 1t con.
linnes to grow for all is not seen
here in day nor in week, nor In
month As we come into
knowledge of its wealth of coal OF
It's neighboring mines of gold silver
and of copper; its banks, and learn
people and see their rock-lIlIe faith
In the country's future, we at length
realize that We have struck an ideal
western town, with western pluck
and energy. aud Il western future of
growth, We fall in love with tae place
The business man, il shrewd, realizes
that II is just the place for him to
Tie to-and it is.
Nestled in the foothills II has an
endless wealth of scenery. These nills
break the storms which sometimes
rage. so that the city is like ship
in port. In reading of Rome We are
so often reminded OF its seven hills
that after while we come to think
that the hills somehow make tnc
city. Durango, in its excellent and
abundant water supply. stored in the
mountains thirty miles away, deliver
ed clear, pure and cold; In its climate,
dry and healthful. none better Its
coal. which In extent and quality, for
steam, coking or domestic purposes.
Is not excelled; its smelling, one Of
the American Smelling Il Refining
company's largest works, and its most
profitable: its electric power plant,
second largest in the world; Its near
by mines of gold and silver. at Sill
yerton. Red Mountain, Gladstone ana
in the Needle Mountains and the La
Platas. in its extensive and excellent
surroundings; all grouped
here in one; has in these seven things,
seven prominent and enduring hills
upon which to build to last,
It has strictly first class schools.
with somthing over 900 children en-
rolled: nine churches; three daily pa
pers; a public library; Wholesale and
retail stores. three banks; electric
lights and street railway; two hos
pitals; one convept: brewery; ma
chine shops; Touring, lumber and
planning mills Within an hours drive
are valuable not medicinal springs.
These springs are valuable for many
of the Ills of flesh and as a side issue
have been used to heat hot houses
and also to hatcn eggs II Is rather a
queer Incubator. Some one has said
thai Durango mas It's upper 400 and
Its lower 004. We are rapidly adding
a cipher TO the first and taking one
from the last. 1t bears the unusual