The Dolores star., 1907-01-25
Grand River Of colorado"

Grand River Of "CoIorado."
Persons interested In the effort of
Senator Edward T. Taylor to change
the name of the Grand river In this
state to the Colorado, by which name
1t 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-
ton 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. / 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 1t was
doubtless through lack of geographi'
cal knowledge. I have read that IN the
old maps the Grand was called the Col.
orado, but l have never verified that
statement.
'The Colorado river was discovered
by some Spanish explorers In l54O.
| 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
its 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 Tor
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 1t has a right to and
should bear the name of Colorado from
| its source on the Continental divide
| to the Pacific ocean, over 1900 miles,
Il feel that as matter of state
pride we should make this change
| The river should come from the state
that bears its name.
Besides, we have Grande river
the Rio Grande--in the southern part
of the state; and Grand county and
| Grand lake and Grand canon, and
grand mountains and grand scenery,
| and even Grand valley; and everything
l. - io tho
grand has no special significance or
meaning whatever. While the word
Colorado stands for everything to its
citizens and means world of possi-
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 l cannot see where one
dollar of that investment can be lost.
On the contrary, the name Of Colorado
is a household word throughout the
civilized world, and confidently be-
uev0 tnat we people IN Ine Granu river
valley can with ten per cent of the
advertising make the Color ado valley
a hundred times better known and
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
how easy it is to advertise by we'll
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 possible
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 I 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.
THE stream not being navigable, I
assume that an act of Congress is not
necessary to effectuatc the change.
But II 1t IS, will also take up the mat
ter with our congressman"