The Colorado statesman., 1907-01-26
Grand River of colorado.


state to the Colorado, by which name
it is known in Utah, will be Interested
in the letter which he has written the
officers of the chamber of commerce at
Grand Junction.
There has been considerable objec-
tion to the change on the part of
Grand Junction people, that city be-
ing located on the Grand river. The
following is part of the explanatory let
ter of Senator Taylor:
"As every one knows, the Colorado
river is formed by the junction of the
/ Grand and Green rivers, about 100
miles beyond our western border, and
runs thence to the Gulf of California;
and is in many respects the most pic
turesque and sublime river on this con-
tinent. l do not know how or when
| the Grand or Green rivers got their
names. But they are of comparatively
very recent origin; and why neither OF
| them were given the name of the main
stream / never could learn. But it was
doubtless through lack of geographi-
cal knowledge. 1 have read that in the
| old maps the Grand was called the COL
orado, but 1 have never verified that
| statement.
"The Colorado river was discovered
by some Spanish explorers in 154o:
| The word Colorado, as our school
books say, was a Spanish word mean
ing 'ruddy' or blood red.' The river
soon thereafter took the name of the
Rio Colorado, signifying the red water
river from the reddish appearance OF
it's waters, below the red sandstone
hills and iron stained bluffs through
which it runs the greater part of over
1900 miles. The river was known as
the real Colorado of the West for
nearly three centuries.
"The act of Congress passed Febru-
ary 2, 1861, creating the territory OF
Colorado, took the name from the
river. Like the Missouri and the Mis-
sissippi rivers, the Green river fork
| is twice as long as the Grand, yet the
grand flows more water, is in reality
the main stream of the Colorado river
1t is the largest and noblest river in
| the state, and it has a right to and
should bear the name of Colorado from
its source on the Continental divide
to the Pacific ocean, over 1000 miles
81 feel that as a matter of state
pride we should make this change
| The river should come from the state
| that bears its name.
Besides, we have a Grande river
the Rio Grande-in the southern part
of the state; and a Grand county anc
Grand lake and a Grand canon, anc
grand mountains and grand scenery
and even Grand valley; and everything
| in Colorado is grand, until the WORK
grand has no special significance OF
meaning whatever. While the word
| dn, cto
citizens and means a world of posi-.
bilities to all the inhabitants of the
earth, and will have far greater lus
ter in the years to come.
81 am fully mindful of the fact that
your prosperous and rapidly growing
city, of which all Colorado is proud,
| has spent many years and thousands
of dollars in Advertising Grand juno.
| ton and the Grand river valley, and
you are known all over this country.
"But all legal rights are protected in
this bill, and / cannot see where one
dollar of that investment can be lost.
On the contrary, the name of Colorado
is household word throughout the
civilized world, and l confidently be-
lieve that we people in the Grand river
valley can with ten per cent. of the
advertising make the Colorado valley
|
more desirable for homes and invest
ments than we ever can the Grand
valley by all the advertising we can
do during the next fifty years. Be
cause every intelligent person knows
I how easy it is to advertise by well
known and popular word.
1.-THE Colorado valley, traversed by
this magnificent state stream from
Glenwood to the state line, would in
few years with its power, manufac-
turing, fruit and many other possibil.
tiles, become famous all over the globe
as the richest, most beautiful and
densely populated valley in the Rocky
Mountain region. | believe the entire
Grand river watershed would be won
derfully benefited financially by the
change; while l am confident the en-
tire state will heartily approve the
measure as matter of state pride
and sentiment If the subject is prop
erly placed before the people by the
press of this state.
81 have, without consultation with
anyone, introduced this bill on my own
responsibility to call the attention of
the public to, and to obtain an express
sion of opinion on this subject. If
Mesa, Garfield and Eagle counties
disapprove of the measure, shall
promptly drop the matter If they ap-
prove of the change, shall vigorously
endeavor to pass the bill; and will
then memorialize the Legislature OF
Utah to likewise change the name of
that part of the river in that state;
and am confident Utah will promptly
and gladly do so as an act of courtesy
to Colorado.
"The stream not being navigable, l
assume that an act of Congress is not
necessary to effectuate the change.
But II 1t IS, will also take up the mat
ter with our congressman"
Senator De La Vergne offered an i'm