The Delta independent. [volume] (Delta, Colo.) 1886-19??, 1907-09-13
Different Now.

received letter from brother, w. r.
Anderson, which was post-marked
''Delta, Colorado.
This brother had "hiked" across the
plains to Kansas a few years before,
practiced some as teamster in the jay
hawker state, then drifted into mining
about 100 miles from Delta, got fairly
rich in the hills. bought some stock in a
cattle association and was in Delta at
that time of writing.
Then Delta was almost as vague as
the thought of it the letter and its
post-mark brought to the writer. Its
broad range Of grass, greasewood and
mesquite through which its rolling
rivers ran, presaged little of the future
gardens, orchards and farms that were
to form green and gold vistas set first
by beautiful, painted villages, then
decorated by handsome modern cities.
Then the site was unseemly for any
thing except range, and the stockman
looked upon mountain. hill and vale as
his for all time. Even the valley soil,
he predicted, would never be worth
tilling.
But such was not to be. Gradually
the unsettled West became an empire
of industry. Then the land-seeker
pushed his way into the mountain
valleys, water was poured upon the
soil, and the land was found to be richer
and surer of crops than any other. Soon
fruit raising and valley farming became
science and the world was astonished
at the result. Then wealth and muscle
and brain were ready to bring these
rich valleys to perfect state of culti-
walton and production.
This has not yet been accomplished,
but is coming to pass. The broad acres
comprising the valleys of the Uncom-
pahgre and Gunnison already possess
some of the finest orchards and titled
fields in the world. From the former.
apples. pears. peaches and plums are
grown in endless variety and of superior
quality. Berries of best grade are also
a prolific crop. Wheat, oats rye, bar
ley and corn are grown profitably in the
fields. All vegetables do well, while
sugar beets and potatoes are wealth
producing crop.
A little idea of the value of this land
can be had from the proof that crop
worth more than one thousand dollars
has been taken from single acre. Any
number of acres have cleared their
owners one hundred dollars per acre in
a single years crop of sugar beets. and
more than double that amount in pota-
toes. the quality of the latter being the
best of any produced in the state, and
from which Mr.. George Gould has had
his regular supplies shipped to his home
in New York for several years.
But the end is not yet. Only one
fifth of the valley land tributary to
Delta has been placed in cultivation.
Sufficient water could not be had at the
proper points to irrigate it all, only at
great expense. The Government. two
years ago seeing the possibility of irri-
eating and reclaiming this rich terri
tory. put its best engineers and its
money to work on the Gunnison tunnel
project, and that tunnel, which is to
provide all the water needed to reclaim
many thousands of acres. is being pushed
to completion as rapidly as possible.
The towns of Delta county are in the
best Of shape. Prospering with the
country tributary to them. they are
growing as only such an impetus can
make them grow. Chief among them.
Delta, the county seat, is in position
to easily double its population within
the next two years. And this is not n
guess: it is practically certainty.
Delta is ION the map 1t is also on
the states greatest railroad, the Denver
& Rio Grande. Its people are progress
sive. harmonious: the kind that boost :;
not with idle words, but by acts and
works and deeds.
All interests, of whatsoever nature.
are well represented in Delta county.
The visitor to whatever point is not
only welcomed, but he is seized upon
and made to feel at home. And the
fame of this country will grow and
grow, and spread and spread!