Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-07-08
LONGMONT, COL.
INTERESTING DESCRIPTION BY
FORMER ELLSWORTH MAN.
BEAUTIFUL CITY ON THE HIGH PLAINS
OF COLORADO-ITs HEALTH
GIVING CLIMATE.
written by DR.. Atwater L. Douglass. |

Written by DR.. Atwater L. Douglass.1
have been asked many questions rela-
tive to this section OF country which l
have selected for my home. One Of the
principal questions, and the important
one to me, was regarding the climate here
in Longmont, and its effect upon tubercu-
losis and kindred lung troubles.
Upon careful investigation find that
the climate alone will certainly cure
tuberculosis and asthma, but this must
be qualified to certain extent. The
amount OF lung tissue involved or the
length OF time that the disease has existed
does not seem to have anything to do with
the results, but rather the way that the
patient conducts himself after arriving
here. If he shuts himself up in a close
room, away from our life-giving sunshine,
and worries over his trouble, he might as
well have remained at home where he
could die among friends and relatives, for
he certainly would die here. But on the
other hand. if he will get up with the sun
and go to bed at sun down, and during
the day breathe in the pure out-doo air,
it would not take long for him to get good
red cheeks and lips, and grow strong and
healthy.
talk almost every day with healthy,
robust, middle-aged men, who came here
in their youth on stretchers, expecting to
die any minute. To-day they are perfectly
well. Icould never believe half that was
said about Colorado air and sunshine, but
l find that too much cannot be said in
its favor.
/ arrived in Longmont March II, and
that day it was 80 degrees in the sun, but
cool in the shade-just cool enough to
have the effect of tonic but no chill. In
two weeks we removed into our new
house, and evenings Mrs. Douglass and
myself would sit out on the veranda until
. p. M, without suggestion Of chill or
discomfort, while our thoughts would
roam back to our many friends in Maine
still feeding their furnaces. We have 1926
days Of sunshine out of 1856, and our death
rate is only ten to the 1000.
THE FARMERS.
A large majority of the farmers buy milk
| and butter for their own table. They can
not afford to bother with milking, for that
requires regular hours. They are plough
ing and sowing now day and night every
moonlight night, and they will not al
low anything to interfere with that, for it
means money to them. When the crops
are all in thsy will take it easy until time
| to cultivate. Finally harvesting time
comes around, ana they then work at all
| hours till the last is gathered, sometimes
night and day. After that they take life
easy until February, when they prepare
for the next years crop.
| Fertilizer is not necessary here; one
season of alfalfa makes the ground rich
for bects or wheat the next season. They
can raise three crops of alfalfa in one sea-
son. All OF the old farmers are wealthy,
due to the fertility OF the soil. Tney can
raise more beets to the acre by one-third
than in any other part Of the country. The
clear profit on beets alone is $50 to SIS per
acre. Wheat runs sixty to seventy bushels
to the acre.
There are great chances for farmers who
understand raising garden truck, such as
water melons, celery, onions, strawber-
ries, etc. The city market is not half sup
piled, for the old-line farmers will not
bother with that, and yet ten acres Of gar
den truck will yield better than $1,000 pro-
fit. One man cleared $4,000 last year on
straw berries alone.
| INDUSTRIES.
We have in Longmont one of the largest
beet sugar factories in the world-capacity
1900 tons per day. This little city of 1000
| inha bitants is also the most important
grain market and -four milling centre in
Colorado. Besides that we can boast of
the largest pea-canning factory in the
world, turning out 10000 cans per hour,
and it draws its supply from 5000 acres.
| So you can see that there is a demand
for all that the soil will produce. There
is also an income to the farmers from the
beet tops; after clearing their $50 to SO
per acre on beets, they get $3.50 per acre
from the stockmen for allowing them to
turn their cattle to eat and fatten on the
beet tops. Pea vines are made into hen
food so everything is utilized
Owing to irrigation the farmers get their
water just when needed, therefore no crop
| failure. Forty acres under irrigation is as
good as 100 acres in the East. Farmers do
not work themselves to death here; they
take it easy and let the horses and steam
Rest The World Affords.