The Delta independent., 1907-12-20
Eckert Locals.

Mrs. Nichols has been sick since Fri
day with grippe.
Postmaster Wenger drove down to
Delta last Saturday.
Miss Echo Smith of Delta was an
over Sunday visitor with her parents
Pete Madsen has just finished baling
big lot of hay which he expects to
ship soon.
Rev. George being sick last Sunday
his pulpit was filed by Rev. E. Webb
of Oklahoma.
About four inches of snow is reported
on Cedar Mesa, while in the valley the
fall did not exceed two inches.
The Clark family on Paynes Mesa
are on the sick list requiring the at
tention of a physician; grippe seems to
be the trouble.
A number of the young people spent
a very pleasant evening this week at
the home of Jeff Reede. Miss Reede
the hostess, was pronounced by all to
be most delightful entertainer.
Ben Myers has moved on the Brown
place where Will Bennell lived for two
years, he having moved to the Madsen
place on Upper Dry Creek. Chas. Rist
has rented the Jeffers place, recently
vacated by George Hull
Paynes Mesa farmers are shipping a
good portion of their products to out
side markets and are doing well in the
| Mnn1ax, loo
of oats was shipped to Grand Junction
and several car loads of hay will go out
IN few days.
Santa Claus is string up things pretty
lively around Eckert. There will be a
Sunday School entertainment and
Christmas tree and a real live Santa
Claus at the Baptist church on Monday
night. On Tuesday eve at the Eckert
hall Prof. Taylor will combine the
Mound and Trickle schools and give a
rousing Christmas entertainment.
Our attention has again been called
to the urgent need of more shipping
facilities for our future fruit crop and
as Read seems to be the only available
point where sufficient trackage and
ware house room can be secured it be-
comes an absolute necessity that
bridge be built across the North Fork
at or near this point. At present the
county does not own a single bridge
across this stream that is tributary to
the Surface Creek country while this
district alone pays taxes on valuat ion
of nearly $500, 900 or nearly as much as
the entire North Fork country. The
total valuation of the North Fork
country. including all towns except
Paonia and Hotchkiss, is less than
$500, 900. yet the taxpayers have payed
for bridges in this district alone $24, 900.
A careful estimate of Surface Greek
fruit district including Tongue Creek,
gives 292, 900 bearing trees as follows:
1872, 900 peach, and 160,o apples, maxi
ing the low estimate of an aver age of
two boxes per tree it will give 264 cars
If peaches and $40 cars of apples or
.otal of 904 cars. We understand that
Austin has capacity of about 8 cars
per day or less than one third of this
estimate which fact alone demands that
we be given relief before the coming
season. There are parties ready to
build ample storage room and the rail
road company has expressed its willing
ness to lay all trackage necessary SO
that it is now up to the County Com
missioners to not only make the neces-
sary appropriation but to see that the
work is begun as early as possible.
This is serious matter that our fruit
growers should talk over and in our
opinion a meeting should be called
at an early date and get an expression
before the next session of the County
Commissioners. Allowing ten days in
which to move the peach crop and
Austin working full capacity under
present conditions, the orchardist will
necessarily lose about 1874 cars of fruit
valued at about $75. 900 or several times
the cost of good substantial bridge
Gentlemen, the matter is up to you in
time, if you do not act, do not blame
anyone but yourselves if your crop is
left on your hands for lack of shipping
facilities.