, 1908-07-08
NATURE IS
ALL SMILES
COUNTRY TO NORTH AND WEST
Is IN A FLouRisAiNG
CONDITION.
Much Land Being Reclaimed in the
Valleys Of the Laramie, Rock
River and the Medicine Bow
Elk Mountain Is Enjoying a Build
Ing Boom.

Is
A party OF Laramieites who recently
returned from o trip through the Rock
River and Elk mountain country were
very much pleased at the evidences OF
thrift and prosperity apparent on ev,
cry hand. Owing to the GOODNESS of
the season grasses and grains are not
quite as far advanced as Is usually the
case at this season Of the year, though
the ranges could not be in finer condi.
ton and the yield of grain generally
will be fair. From this city almost to
Rock River station the road leads
through the recently acquired holdings
of the Tallmajge-Buntin company and
while the work OF reclaiming this vast
tract has o yet begun in real earnest,
enough land is under cultivation to
demonstrate the splendid possibilities
OF the soil. Surveyors are at work and
stakes are being set for the vast irri-
CATION project to be constructed. There
are thousands of acres of the finest
land in the state in this vast tract
which can be made as productive as
any in the west with small outlay of
labor after the bitches have been com
pleted, and even now they resemble
n vast lawn with their wealth of ma
tive grass.
Rock River Valley Looking Fine.
The Rock river valley, too, is enjoy.
ing the same healthy condition as mat
shown in both the Big and Little Lar
annie valleys. Almost on every hand
are waving fields of grain and the
meadows will give a good yield of
hay, though the harvesting season may
be a little later than usual. Much ad-
iitional land is being given over to
pats and other grain each season and
the yields Is entirely satisfactory.
There Is a asst amount of land in this
pretty little valley that should be AMI
no doubt will before hong be utilized
by the famer instead OF the fiockmas-
ter.
Prosperous Elk Mountain.
In the Elk mountain country the
Basin Land and Live Stock company
is carrying on a farming project of no
small proportions. This year more
than 300 acres have been planted to
grains and is showing a very good
stand. The large steam plows are con-
stantly at work breaking new land and
it is the desire to eventually cultivate
every acre possible in this way. Large
irrigation bitches have been taken out
of the Medicine Bow river and carried
to the highest plateaus in that section.
In this 1t looks as though seemingly
impossible engineering feats had been
accomplished. On the highest por-
tons Of the surrounding foothills ditch.
es are conduting the waters over the
lands and rs mi stops and looks he
would almost swear that the water was
running up hill.
A Building Boom.
Nesting near the foot of Elk noun.
tain is the little hamlet of the same
name. A prettier little village would
be hard to cenceave. The little city
is located in a beautiful natural grove
Of several hundred acres. The Medi-
cine Bow flows through The very heart
of the town and the snow-capped noun
tain to the south lends beauty to the
Landscape. The town is enjoying a
building boom at the present time,
no less than half a dozen commodious
new residences being in the course of
construction. One of these Is for
Mr.. and Mrs. j.. w. Campbell, Mrs.
Campbell formerly being Miss Louise
Thobro. Mr.. and Mrs. Andrew kortes
have also recently erected a neat lit
tile home, having 1t about completed.
Mrs. Kortes vas formerly Miss Inez
Richie. There are also twenty or
thirty other nice buildings in the will
age, including several splendid resi-
dences, a church, school house, hotel,
saloon and a large store. Harry Sure
son, the Laramie painter, has a num-
Der of contracts On the new work, and
is personally attending to them.
Is a supply Point.
Elk mountain is n of the principal
supply points for the tie camps in the
Medicine Bow mountains and many of
the head men of the Carbon Timber
company and kindred make
their home there. The Denver, Lara
ME and Northwestern railroad is ex-
pected to pass about three miles north
of the present townsite, the coal
fields in which members of the new
company are interested lying about
five miles distant. The coal supply for
the town is now secured from these
fields and the quality is said to be very
good.
Ideal Summer Resort.
Elk mountain is an ideal summer re
sort, the scenery being unsurpassed
anywhere, the air pure and bracing
and there is fine sport in the way oil
fishing and hunting right in the very
doors. The population is whole-souled
and cheerful and the people from the
surrounding country frequently hold
large picnic and dancing parties at thai
place. There was a splendid dance on
the night Of the Fourth mi could
President Roosevelt have looked into
! that hall 1t would have done his heart
| good for there was every evidence thai
the people Of that vicinity were az
much opposed to race suicide as he