The Delta independent., 1906-11-16
PIONEER DAYS.
Geo. o. Staios Writes . Historical
sketch. Relates Incideats of Pio-
neer Days. Colorado Better
Than California.

EDITOR INDEPENDENT
"It is twenty one years ago today
November 7th.) since myself and fam
lily landed in Delta county. staked
my l6O just below Eckert the next day.
A person who has never gone through
the experiences Of pioneer life has little
idea of the change since then.
As near as l can remember, Delta
was about the size of Cedaredge and
was the only town in the county. There
was one little paper called The Delta
Chief being the only paper published
in the county. 1t has since been much
enlarged and become more lNDEPEND-
ENT.
In those days very few had faith that
we could raise fruit in this county, but
finally Geo. P. Chiles astonished US by
demonstrating that fruit could be raised
here. At that time there was not a
bridge across the Gunnison river in the
county, and 1t was ford when possible
and when not low enough our old friend
Ark Hall used to run ferry.
There were no Rrist mills in the coun-
" and so all -four was shipped in and
of course was very high. Apples; well.
yes. If you could afford ten cents n pound.
Nearly every dwelling was n dirt roof,
but everyone said it never rained.
Well. the next April it rained for about
week straight and perhaps we didn't
l.. IL. r. A. Et I yaf
along fine for couple Of days as
would sit by the fire and read. but soon
the mud soaked through and then we
had "A sight. remember saying: IF
we can't have shingle roof before an
other spring. we will go back to Michi-
gan" Well. we did put up a shingle
roof house and it was the first one on
the mesa and was considered quite a
house. 1t is still standing on the old
place Deer, mountain lion. and coy
otes were plenty in those days. Land
up in the cedars was not considered
much good, SO where Cedaredge now
stands was our hunting ground. After
Ark Hall took charge of'the upper fer
ry he was allowed to charge so much a
team for crossing. l remember a man
from the upper country crossed one day.
and Ark asked him for the quarter and
Mr.. Man refused to pay. so Ark said:
.'lf you don't. will shoot you." and
walking into his tent got his gun. BY
that time the man was behind a tree
and SO every time he moved. crack went
the gun. After keeping him there sew
eral hours he was allowed to go on.
In those days the COW boy element
rather predominated. l remember at
the annual round up a couple of cattle
men had difficulty and one deliberate
" shot the other three times, and shot
to kill too, but by careful nursing he
was pulled through. There was no at
tention paid to it. The next summer
the same man got into difficulty with
another man and shot him dead. he
then took to the hills. remaining around
a couple Of months; wrote a full account
of the affair for the Chief, sold his ranch
and stock-going before witnesses to
do 10. and then left for parts unknown
1t was very common to see boys in
those days, just entering their teens,
with six shooter, and belt well filed
with cartridges and carrying bowie
knife. They knew how to use them,
too.
Delta county was no rougher than
Mesa or Montrose remember that q
fellow at Montrose deliberately shot
another nun several times, the victim
begging him not to kill him. but he shot
until his victim was dead and then by
some means got clear. Another man
there stole yearling and got ten years
Mt Canon.
What change In the last twenty
years Gradually the 100 acre claims
arc being cut up and set out to fruit
and land Is raising at rapid rate. We
don't take back seat for any country