The daily sentinel., 1906-12-31
HEFAVORITE OF PROSPERITY
Is Grand Junction. the Center of the Fruit Paradise of
Valley of the GRANDPA Recount of Blessings

center or capital of the greatest fruit
raising district of the world
Today Mesa county is easily the
most favored spot in the country for
the production of fine fruit. Time
and experience has proven that ap-
pies, peaches, pears and other COM
mercial fruits reach their highest
state of development in this county
The fruit crop is the main stay, the
sinew and backbone of the CONNER
cial life of this city and this county
and no summary of the years pros
perity and advancement would be
complete without giving prominence
to this king of Grand Valley indus
tries
The fruit crop for 1906 is the
greatest that was ever harvested in
the valley or in any territory of twice
its size in the entire country.
II is carefully estimated that 300
full cars of fruit were shipped from
this county during the season that
has just ended. This does not by any
means represent the total crop for at
least 500 cars were held in the valley
for local use.
1t is safe to say that the fruit crop
of Mesa county for the year of 1906
amounted in all TO about 5000 cars.
The total value of the fruit ship
ments from the county for the year
is placed at 81 100000. Consequent
ly over a million and quarter dol
lars has been or will be paid to the
fruit growers of the county for their
1906 crop.
Total number of ears of apples
shipped this year, 1850.
Total number of cars of peaches
.l fltfg
Total number of cars of pears and
small fruit. 800.
Total car shipments, $500.
The Grand junction Fruit Grow
crS association alone viii pay to the
fruit growers about S05O,OOO.
The total fruit shipments last year
from the county amounted to 1899
cars and were valued at S954,5O7.
Consequently the fruit crop for
1906 breaks all records. At least 700
more cars were shipped out this year
than last and the growers will re-
ccive about one-haIf million dollars
more this year than last year.
The total acreage set to fruit in
This county including bearing or
orchards and very young orchards, is
H. 900 acres.
What other fruit country in the
This year Grand Valley fruit has
been shipped into nearly every state
in the union, Canada. Mexico, and to
the countries of Europe. Grand Val
ley peaches and apples and pears have
gone by the car loads into California,
that supposedly greatest fruit coun-
try in the world, into Michigan and
New York. and other of the famous
apple and peach growing sections of
America. In every market. no matter
how strong the competition by home
products, fruit from Mesa county has
commanded the very highest prices.
It is in demand every where and that
demand is growing as seasons sue
ceeds season.
Many Mesa county fruit growers
have netted over $1,000 an acre on
their peach and apple crops. Humid
reds have netted over $500 an acre.
There are numerous growers whose
profits on their entire crop for the Sea-
son run over the $4,000 mark.
Every man engaged in the industry
got handsome returns.
The value of fruit lands has con-
tlnued to increase during the year.
Hundreds of acres have sold at 81 -
900 an acre this summer and fall
scores of acres have sold at 81
500 and $4,000 per acre.
The Grand Junction Fruit Growers
association, the Independent Fruit
Growers association. the Grand Valley
Fruit & Produce company the Pail
sade Fruit Growers association, the
Palisade Peach Growers association,
The Fruita Fruit & Produce associa-
tion handled the great bulk of the
fruit of the county. Each is strong
and well managed.
Postofiicc Increases.
When the fact that the receipts of
the Grand Junction postoffice in
creases 20 per cent annually is CON
sidered that alone goes a long way
toward showing how rapidly Grand
Junction is growing. The local post
office is one of the strongest in Colo
rado. The total business of the year
will be nearly $4,000.