The Republican journal., 1907-10-03
FAR WEST FARMER.

ncClcut valley is the prelLleSI place
that he has ever seen. This man was
Bruce G. Eaton, the owner of ''Ettle"
farm in Colorado, near the town Of
Greeley, which is in the center of one
of the richest farming sections of the
state, and, thanks to irrigation, one of
the best of the country.
Mr.. Eaton's ''little farm" comprises
at present %, 600 acres, of which $4,000
are under cultivation, and Mr.. Eaton is
making preparations to till about 5000
more the coming year. Mr. Eaton is
the son of one of the pioneers of that
section who crossed the plains in 1850.
Mr.. Eaton was married about 16
years ago, his wife being a native of
Colorado, but also a graduate of Mt
Holyoke college, so that they have a
tie with the east. The town in which
they live is Greeley, named after Hor-
ace Greeley, and it is beautiful town
about So miles north OF Denver
The homestead was bat the begin
ming OF the EatOn's estate and from
time to time they have increased their
holdings SO that they now have one of
the largest farms in the section. They
are fast assuming the role of the landed
gentry, for even at present Mr.. Eaton
does not have anything to do with his
vast estate except generally to oversee
the work, for all the land is rented to
the farmers who till it, and who pay
rent with their produce. The Eaton
estate also owns most of the irrigating
bitches In the section, especially those
which furnish water to its own land,
and a considerable income is derived
from this source. Mr. Eaton is proba-
bly, several times millionaire
The system of irrigation in this sec
ton is one of the most interesting
parts of the whole. Greeley is situated
on the Cache LIE Poudre river, stream
running from the mountains and fed
by the SHOWS the year round. Above
Greeley the immense irrigation bitches
are dug, of various sizes and capacity,
all carrying an amount of water grant
ed to them by the courts. The first
ditch was the one called No. 3, and it
leaves the river a few miles above
Greeley. 1t has the first grant made in
the county, and has, therefore, the first
right on the water, SO that if the river
is low it can take the water granted to
it, and the others will have to take
what is left. This is not hardship,
however, for No. has but 2O-foot
right, which gives it the right to take
from the river 20 cubic feet of water
per second, small part of the total
flow of the stream. The other rights
rights. There are nine different bitches
running through MI Eaton's farm the
different grants ranging from 20 feet to
1000 feet. These grants are perpetual
and made by the courts, SO there can
be no dispute about them.
The water in these bitches is sold to
the farmers; thus Mr.. Eaton rents the
land to the farmer and then sells him
water, without which he cannot grow
his crops. The water comes high, too.
The man who wants a perpetual right
to enough water to supply him when
ever he needs it will have to pay about
$4,000 for the rights for 100 acres, a
quarter section. This is, of course, a
perpetual right, aud if looked upon as
such is not so exorbitant, but the first
price would be rather staggering to the
ordinary farmer The land owner, such
as Mr.. Eaton, furnishes therefore the
land, the necessary buildings On it, and
the water to make the crops grow. All
else comes from the farmer himself.
The magnitude of Mr.. Eaton's bust
ness may be seen from the fact that he
has 5000 acres of his land planted to
bees alone. The farmers have regu-
lar method OF rotation, and few of
them conine themselves to one crop.
They usually raise alfalfa, potatoes and
bettS, in about the same amount, eX-
cept that there is little less planted to
beetS at present The land that is plant
ed to alfalfa one year will be planted to
potatoes the next, and beets next, so
that the rotation is complete. These
three crops lead, with barley very close
up, and wheat and oats next.
The greatest problem the farmer has
to face is the scarcity of good help.
The most of the farm hands are Rus
SLAMS, Mexlcans, negroes and Japanese. |
The Russians are mostly confined to
the beet industry, as are the Mexicans, |
which the factories ship in by the train
load The negroes are of the lowest
class and are very unruly. The Japa-
Eese are too bright for such work, and
they are quick to learn If they see
that they are being imposed upon they
Will strike at once. They are the stead |
lest of all the workmen in that country.
however, aud are much clei ner and
quicker than the others.
Eaton, small town of 1900, was
named after Mr. Eaton's father, and
Is al up-UO-udte western town. Inc
schools are excellent and are housed in
good, substantial brick buildings. There
are II teachers in the town, and the
course carries a scholar through -
grades, SO that he can enter any of the
State colleges without an examination.
The teachers get good pay also, ranging
from SO to $50 month AT Eaton
they start on $50 and each year an in
crease of 50 is given, up to certain
amount. The school buildings are all
new and up-to-date brick buildings, and
have The latest improvements. The
children come to school from all dis
tances, and most Of them ride, for
every one has a horse there and the
roads are good, although not macadam-
lied. They are natural roads and dusty
most of the time, for there is not enough
moisture to make them wet or muddy.
The water all comes from the river,
which is fed by the SHOWS in the noun
talnS, and 1t is therefore good stream
all the year round. In the summer,
when our rivers are low, their river is
as large as ever, for the SHOWS melt
more than usual at that part of the
year and fill the streams.
Mr.. Eaton has been east for the pur
pose of buying an automobile, of which
he has several already for his foremen.
He has just taken back with him
large six-cylinder car, in which he ex-
meets to make the return trim IN Gotta