Durango semi-weekly herald., 1907-01-28
poETIc STORY in PHRASE.

FURNISHED Dy the Durango boaru vi
Trade.
Just twenty-six years ago the city
of Durango was established in the
extreme southwestern part of the
great Centennial state of Colorado.
The visitor winds his way in around
magnificent mountains and after he
arrives, looks around and wonders
how he got In there and where the
exit Is.
Plata county, the commercial, man
ufacturing and educational center of
n vast territory, is situated in the
beautiful valley of the Rio de las An
imas (River of Lost Souls).
The location beggars description.
Surrounded by lofty and picturesque
mountains with a rugged outline and
snow-capped peaks forming per
spective of unsurpassed loveliness.
No section of this great West-in
fact, no section of this United States
has SO many natural resources.
The surrounding country is irregular,
forming valleys and mesas. Numer-
GUS mountain streams afford an
abundance of water for irrigation,
these streams are filed with the fin
ny tribe, and while they have not re-
ceived the advertising of some other
districts, yet the fishing and the
hunting In this district is equal. If
not better. than almost any other in
the state.
/. Our climatic conditions are scien-
tifcally proper; the altitude, $500
feet the air dry and bracing, rich in
ozone and life-giving properties. form
a climate which is delightful. Here
malaria, bronchial and pulmonary
troubles are unknown. The fertile
valleys and mesas produce crops of
fruit, grains and grasses in great va
riety. No section has been SO lavish
ly endowed by nature; it received 23
gold and silver medals from st. Louis
and Portland worlds fairs. for the
production of wheat rye. oats. bar
ley. sugar beets, alfalfa, fiaxseed and
coal. Our fruits are shipped to
New York, New Orleans and Los An
geles and bring a higher prices than
any other.
The mountains are veritable store
houses of wealth, yielding vast guam
titles of gold. silver. lead and other
precious metals. From the base Of
the mountains, the country is under
laid with inexhaustible deposits of
coal, equal in quality to the celebrat-
ed products of Pennsylvania and
Ohio.
The foothills are covered with
great forests OF spruce and pine.
while the lower altitude abounds in
pinion and cedar. The shipping from
this point is immense. In 1906 there
were shipped 100000 feet of lum-
ber. 1,20S,000 pounds of wool, hides
and pelts, and 100000 tons of coal.
Farming lands are cheap and wa
aer is abundant. The country is
new and comparatively undeveloped.
yet 1t has many advantages. 1t is
the proud boast of residents, IF you
cannot see what you want in the
great San Juan, ask for 1t and we
will show it to you" Cut us of
from the rest of the world and we
will produce all the necessities and
nearly all the luxuries.
The Denver q Rio Grande rail
road line. Rio Grande Southern. the
Denver & Rio Grande to Silverton
and the broad gauge to Pennington
give this district railroads running
direct north. south. east and west.
The Arizona & Colorado railroad
(Southern Pacific) Is about building;
this will give us transcontinental
line with direct connections with the
gulf on the south and Los Angeles
on the West.
Stock raising is among the most
important of our Industries. Horses,
cattle and sheep thrive on the luxur-
liant mountain grasses and reach
early maturity. Dairy products find
a ready sale at lucrative prices. Poul-
try raising Is very profitable. Hor-
hculture returns handsome profits
while agriculture Is certain and re-
liable. The country Is free from de-
structive storms and has no annoy
ing insect pests.
Durango Is an educational center
for a radius Of $50 miles. The
schools here are equal to any in the