Semi-weekly herald., 1908-01-16

Plata county. They say that the Du.
range section for agriculture is q sur
prise to them. Greeley has q repu
tation for potatoes yet the Durango po
tato Is far ahead of 1t In looks. siss
and eating qualities. The northern
and southeastern Colorado has sues,
beet factories, yet the prize sugar beet
for percentage in sugar and size is
fed to stock for want OF factories. The
San Luis valley has a reputation for
hogs, yet the Durango section hog pro
duces the best bacon in the world. aid
some OF the local capitalists are about
to organize packing company. The
Arkansas Valley boasts Of its fruit. yet
the Durang apple without worm)
commands fancy price In Chicago
and all the eastern cities. The 1897
fruit crop OF La Plata county was
equalled by a very few counties ir
Colorado. And the oat crop. the alfalfa
crop and the wheat crop OF the Du.
rango section of 1907 Was enormous
The agricultural college professors
SAYS that sections Of Colorado eau
grow one or two things we'll and fall
In all others. while the Durango sec
ton can grow to perfection wheat,
oats. barley. rye, alfalfa timothy. cibv-
er. mfllet. peas, beans. potatoes car
rots. beets. turnips, onions, squash, ap
pies, pears, cherries. plums, melons
and all small fruits and root crops
And 1t all brings good prices, and with
home market In the gold and sii-
yer and coal mines within radius oil
one hundred miles. The Durango sec.
tion is the best watered part OF Colo
RADIO. The Animas river has its head
In the mountains north Of Silverton
and flows through the Animas valley
north OF Durango. making every acre
of that beautiful valley valuable. an
keep on its way south of Durango to
the San Juan river.
The La Plata river heads in the La
Plata mountains, within the confines
OF La Plata county. and Its waters
have made thriving farming commun.
tiles all along this river, commencing
at Hesperus on the Rio Grande South.
ern railroad. the railroad point for
Thompson's park Cherry Creek mesa
and Fort Lewis mesa, with its post.
Offices Of Breen. Kline and Red Mesa
Reservoirs are being built in this
section to save the La Plata river
waters until 1t is needed, and farms
are being cut UP into 40 and so acre
tracts. The Pine river and the Florida
river irrigate many thousand acres o1
land near Bayfield,; Igpacio, Grommet
and Allison, through canals and irri
eating bitches, some many miles II
length. 'f
On. March Il, 1897. congress passed
an act providing for the granting ant
patenting to the state' Of COLORADO
desert lands formerly In the Southern
Ute Indians reservation in Colorado
This act OF congress was passed t.
give the land near Grommet, Allisol
and Bayfield, the benefit Of the Care.
act approved August IS, 1894.
| The coal in the vicinity of Durango
is high in fixed carbon. yielding owe
81 per cent coke, corresponding yer,
closely to that Of Crested Butte II
Gunnison county, which has been con
sidered among the best cokes of the
west, This coal will soon be carried
by broad guage railroad lines to this
south and southwest.
The city Of Durango has now . pop
ulation of about 5000. It's elevation
is 5000 feet; 500 days Of clear, blus
sky In each year.
Durango owns its water plant, the
water being stored In the mountains
thirty miles away, and delivered clear
pure and cold.
The American Smelling and Rehnins
company has one Of its largest works
In Durango and smelts the ores from
all the mining camps Of southwestern
Colorado, giving employment to set
eral hundred men.
The First National bank OF Durango
Colorado. in its. sworn statement ol
December 8, 1907. has deposits Of 81.
1876, ,445.05. One thousand children are
enrolled In nrst-class schools nine
churches, two daily newspapers q Car
negte library, electric light and stree,
railway, two hspitals, one convent
two Touring mills. brewery, three arti
hcial ice plants, lumber and planning
mills, several wholesale and retail
stores with stocks of goods. OF the
value of $4,000.