The Greeley tribune., 1907-10-31

lower side. Likely the naturll t"u-
mel so formed is half q mile III
length, measured from the poIht
where it enters the monntaIn IN Tue
upper side to Its exit on the Iu"er
Richardson's intention was TO HOiiu
a gate and conduit at about 'he
center OF the natural tunne and iof
that purpose he had sum smart
from about the center of the top Oh
the mountain down to the creek De-
low, distance Of 2ll feet or more
He had struck the root OF tue
natural tunnel squarely In the center
OF same, had timbered the shaft ana
constructed ladder dow same TO
the creek bed. We had no scaling
ladders or other appliances and did
not dare try going down on ladder
Il years old. although 1t was with
some difficulty we restrained MI
Peery from making the descent
There everything was Intact, Just as
the dead man had left it L years
ago. He had hauled in sand and
gravel and was preparing to haul ID
cement with which to construct the
outlet, when consumption caused his
death and his life work terminated,
to be taken up ana complied years
after his demise by Greeley'S ditch
and reservoir men.
We entered the tunnel or cave on
the lower side OF the mountain or
exit" Of the creek, but lack OF
time and torches prevented much ex'
ploration. ] understand that ensi-
neers employed by Mr. Richardson,
with himself and others. have trav-
ersed the entire length OF this sub
terranean passage and that it has
been pronounced entirely practicable
to put in the gate and conduit he
was about to build at the time of
his death. 1t is estimated that 1t
can be put in, considering that the
shaft is built, for something like
SIS, 900, when body of water, esti-
mated at billion feet, can be i'm
pounded in the canon back Of the
natural dam. The water will stand
from 200 feet in depth Just hack OF
the dam and taper down TO a grade
some three miles up the canon; anu
that the capacity of the reservoir
can be increased to two billion feet
by raising the dam.
The morning after our arrival at
the Richardson cabins 1t was SNOW
ing aud the weather looked bad
That is not the best locality imagi
nable for getting showed in 50 we did
not think best to delay our leave
taking. However. Mr. Reithman,
Mr. A lien and myself struck out on
foot to get around tile natural dam
or mountain and down into the
canon on the inside OF Same, down
into the reservoir site, aud we sue
ceeded, but it was literal like 60
ing down into the 'sshott3mless pitt
itself. We could loost stuN at the
high walls of the canon that lowered
above us, up, up, up among the
clouds, where the eagles nest. MIR
Wyatt rode up the crest Of Che canon
on one side for some distance and
got pretty good Idea of what sort
of a hole it is in which to store
water, from his horses back We
got back to our cabins about half
past ten O'Clock, wetter than rats,
and Immediately hiked out for Well
ington. arriving there about 5 p m :,
half frozen, as it rained and showed
alternately all day.
In conclusion may say that we
all think we'll Of the project. Per-
sonalIy i believe the property is
worth half million dollars just as
1t stands. From $4,000 to $40, 600
will put in the gate and outlet con-
dlit and enable one billion feet of
water to be stored One Thousand
dollars will rebuild the bridges on
, the road to the dam; the road itself
is in excellent shape. The title to
] the land has been secured and is all
right. The water supply is much
better than we anticipated, Goose
creek carrying from 30 toF4O cubic
, 1eet OF water at this, the lowest
stage OF the season. am told that
D. u. Schuyler, the well known irri.
y cation engineer and expert Of Los
q Angeles, made at one TINA most
S favorable report on this site, pro.
t nouncing 1t one Of the grandest sites,
e especially for storing water for do
lhesIic purposes, that lie had ever
S seen also' that the Stopping up OF
: 'he natural tunnel through the
mountains was practicable and not
d very expensive.
a Mr.. Editor, am sure this article
WI! pfoVe interesting to the owners