Semi-weekly herald., 1908-07-30
THE SAN JUAN AND ouRAv couN-
~ BORDER QUESTION.

DDss~ .sa ~ |
20
This case which took up the entire
wsek Just closed At Silverton. is one
that should be Of interest to all in
Colorado. After lapse of thirty years
certain citizens Of Ouray county came
70 the surface and see where they can
grab . slice from their neighboring
county by resorting to smart practices.
It was not for political purposes as
was the case . few years ago when at
the Democratic party Of Durango who |
had an ambition to go to congress |
saw what he considered good chance
to make Archuleta county Democratic |
By having bill introduced in the leg. !
islature which would throw the town
Of Edith into New Mexico which al
ways rolled up good Republican ma
3ority. That was politics Of a ques-
tionable character. The ouray and
Ban Juan litigation is for revenue only.
During the campaign OF 1876 the two
or three hundred people living In the
town Of Ouray and vicinity made the
division or forming the county OF
Ouray political issue. Charles II.
Mcintyre, who was the nominee OF the
Republican convention, resided at Min
sral Point and 1t was generally under
stood that he would favor the town of
Ouray by introducing a bill dividing
San Juan county. which at that time
took In vast territory reaching to the
Utah state line on the west and many
miles to the north. The first state
legislature met In January. 1877. and
as early as the 18th Of that month the
county of Ouray was born.
In the early days Of our state gov
ernment 1t did not take many moons
to introduce bill and have 1t made
into law. The mootable question was
the inaccessible condition Of the trails
during the winter months and but lit
tie better in summer. The county
seat, which was Silverton. could not
bs reached and neither could the town
Of Ouray during the winter months
without great hardship and danger of
snowslides. To accommodate those
who might have business with the
county clerk and other officers OF each
county, the boundary line was agreed
upon BY taking In the greater portion
Of the water shed of Engineer noun
tain and running due west, striking
the Uncompabgre river at Its main
branch. which runs up Poughkeepsie
gulch and Mineral creek. which had its
source from Engineer mountain.
The ouray people now contend that
the creek forming It's source on En-
gineer mountain is the main branch
Of the Uncompahgre and Mineral
creek IL small stream running from
the Mineral City flats. and that an
erroneous construction has been put
ON the terms, the junction of Mineral
creek and the main branch of the Un.
compahgre covering a strip of territory
about 1900 feet wide by four miles
long.
When the parties to the boundary
question agreed upon line they In
sisted that an emergency existed and
that this bin become a law upon its
passage. From that date all claims
which were patented on the disputed
ground were claimed to be In San
Juan county and all patented property
was assessed as belonging to San Juan
county.
The voters who lived in that terri
tory voted In San Juan county for
years and for twenty-five years or over
the Ouray people never protested the
boundary lines or the claims of San
Juan county. And why should they
nowf And II the line was satisfactory
u 1877-so far as being inaccessible for
the transaction Of county business,
why II 1t more accessible now? An
emergency exists now full as much as
II did thirty years ago.
Moral.
n any OF our readers have unsur.
veyed lines on patented ground don't
delay in establishing your corners by
monuments or otherwise; or, II you
are enjoying water privileges that are
mot absolutely beyond protest. don't
delay In having them adjudicated
while the county is new and save ex-
penss and worry for there are always
some one looking for loopholes TO titles
Of valuable properties.