The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1907-01-26
Grand River Of "colorado..

the name Of the Grand river in this
state to the Colorado. by which name
IL is known in Utah, will be interested
officers Of the chamber OF commercs At
Grand Junction.
There has been considerable objso
ton to the change on the part oS
Grand Junction PEOPLE. that city b.
ing located ON the Grand river. The
following is part Of the explanatory let
ter of Senator Taylor:
LAS every one knows, the Colorado
river is formed by the junction Of the
Grand and Green rivers. about 100
miles beyond our western border. ans
runs thence to the Gulf OF California;
and is in many respects the most pio-
turesque and sublime river on this con-
tinent. l do not know how or when
the Grand or Green rivers got tneif
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 II was
doubtless through lack OF geograpni'
cal knowledge. l have read that IN me
old maps the Grand was called the Coi.
orado, but | have never verified tnat
statement.
The Colorado river was discovered
by some Spanish explorers In loso.
The word Colorado. as our schooA
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 o
ho EnndatOn0
hills and iron stained bluffs through
which it runs the greater part OF over
1900 miles. The river was known a.
the real Colorado Of tho West for
nearly three centuries
THE act OF Congress passed Fepr@
ary 2, 1861, creating the territory OF
Colorado, took the name from tne
river. Like the Missouri end the Mis'
sissippi rivers, the Green river 1orK
Is twice as long as the Grand, yet tno
grand flows more water, IS IN reallty
the main stream Of the Colorado river.
II is the largest and noblest river IN
the state, and 1t has right to ana
should bear the name OF Colorado from
its source on the Continental divide
to the Pacific ocean, over 1000 mileA
Il 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 Grande river
the Rio Grande-in the southern par1
OF the state; and Grand county ana
Grand lake and Grand canon, ana
grand mountains and grand scenery,
and even Grand valley; and everything
In Colorado is grand, until the worn
grand has no special significance OF
meaning whatever While the woro
Colorado stands for everything to III
citizens and means a world OF possf
bilities to all the inhabitants OF the
earth, and will have far greater luS
ter in the years to come.
Il 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 loss
On the contrary. the name OF Colorado
is a household word throughout tns
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
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 1t Is to advertise by well.
known and popular word.
THE Colorado valley, traversed by
this magnificent state stream from
Glenwood to the state line. would In
a few years with its power. manutac'
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. I 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 II the subject Is prop
erly placed before the people by the
press OF this state.
Il 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. II
Mesa, Garfield and Eagle counties
disapprove of the measure. l shall
promptly drop tne matteT. Al tHey AP
prove of the change. 1 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 ss as an act Of courtesy
to Colorado.
THE stream not being navigable, I
assume that an act OF Congress Is not
necessary to effectuate the change.
But II 1t %, I will also take up the mat
ter with our congressman
The following boardA now serve
sel&hout nav BOARD Of aurieultura