The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1908-01-31
JULEsBURG's HISTORY OF TO-DAY
Interesting Details that VIII Make
CurCunty Rich and Famous.

No town upon the Western plains
has a more checkered or exciting
history of the frontier days than the
town of Julesburg. 1t derives its
name from the fact that a Frenchman
named Jules Reni was tied to post
and shot to pieces by the desperate
Slade.
1t was during the days of Red Cloud,
Sitting Bull, Roman Nose, Man
A afraid of His-HOrse. Standing Elk
and Spotted Tail that Major n. J.
O'Brien, now of the United States
Land Service, laid out old Fort Sedg-
wick and the government Reservation,
and many were the engagements that
he and his soldiers had with these
noted chiefs and their dusky warriors
Old Julesburg, the first, was
located about one mile east of the fort,
On the south bank OF the river at the
old Ford crossing. This Julesburg was
sacked and burned by the Indians
February 2, 1865. Ia July following
the great Sioux War broke out, and
from that time on till peace was de-
clared there was more Indian fighting
in the vicinity of Julesburg than any
other station along the Platte Valley.
During these times, Major O'Brien
says, the buffalo were more plentiful
on the plains around Julesburv than
the vast herds OF native cattle were in
later years.
Here, at Julesburg, the Mormops
crossed the Platte on their Journey to
Utah. 1t was little south OF Jules
burg that the great feast with the
Sioux and Cheyenne Indians occurred.
A second Julesburg was built four
miles east OF the fort. This was
moved to the north side OF the river,
where the little town OF Weir now
stands, and At one time was the
terminus OF the Union Pacific railroad,
and contained 1000 people. Here the
desperate element held sway until the
better class OF citizens organized them
selves into a vigilance committee and,
by their just but necessarily severe
verdIcts and punishments, rid the
town OF these lawless frontiersmen
and established peaceful govern
| ment.
Those we're rough, wild, exciting
days when the early history Of Jules
burg was made, and no one would
recognize in the quiet, law abiding,
spirited Julesburg Of to-day, which,
by the way, is the fourth Julesburg,
the desperate little frontier post OF
years ago.
Julesburg Of to-day, the county seat
OF Sed gwick County, is pleasantly
situated on the north bank OF the
South Platte River, at the junction Of
the main line and the Colorado division
OF the Union Pacific railroad Nature
has provided the town with Nany ad-
vantages-a superb climate, pure
water mot alkall), an abundance Of
sunshine. plenty OF irrigation water,
and surrounded it with Is fertile and
productive valley as can anywhere
be found.
Julesbur9 is peopled with an ener-
getic, thrifty, hOspitable class Of
citisens, who believe In good churches
and good schools. The Methodist and
Congregational societies each supports
handsome church buildings and
organisations. The schools OF Jules
burg are OF the best. There is
maintained In the town County
High School, whose graduates are ad-
mitted into the State colleges without
examination.
The town supports four hotels, two
restaurants, six grocery stores, six
dry goods and general merchandise,
Two hareware, two implement firms.
one grain elevator, three lumber and
coal yards. two drug stores, two
harness shops, two jcwelry stores, two
meat markets, two furniture stores,
two livery barns, one weekly paper
and no saloons. The town now owns
fine new water supply system and an
electric lighting pIant equipped with
the most modern machinery. The
county has a new court house, is cut
of debt, and, with the velopment of
the farms in the district, Julesburg
has future that may well be the envy
Of many Western town.
The Julesburg irrigation district
contains 21, 800 acres OF as fine land as
can be found in any irrigated country
t was organized in July, 1904, and on
September Il, 1904, $45OOOO 0t
voted to be used in constructing the
JuIesburg reservoir, its inlet and out.
let bitches and in purchasing che Pc.
tereon and Settlers bitches.
The reservoir is located at the eX-
treme west end Of the district. 1t
holds one and one-quarter billion
cubic feet of water, or 2S, 400 acre feet.
1t is forty seven feet at lists greatest
depth and its circumference is about
SIX and One-half miles. It's cmtank
mentS. or fills, are built on Il slope of
four to one on the inside and two t.
one on the outside, with a crown of
twenty feet, eight feet above high
water mark. The inside faces Of these
fills are riprapped with curtain pre-
scribed stone in the most substantial
manner, under the advice of the State
Engineer. 1t has bed or fundatiol
of clay, impcrvious to scepage.
The State Fish Commissioner is
willing to stock the reservoir with
spawn Of the very best varieties OF
fish. The reservoir is easily access
ible by good wagon road. and will be.
come a popular resort for fishing and
hunting.
The inlet ditch for feeding the
reservoir is some nineteen miles IN
length, twenty-five feet wide at the
bottom, thirty seven feet at tie top
and six feet in depth. 1t has a