The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-08-29


great tunnel and turn the flow OF the
Gunnison River into the new channel
where for all time to come 1t VIII fioV
prosperity and fertility TO the people.
By the enterprise wealth, and energy
o. great government a river has beer
drained from the granite-bound channel
IN which II has flowed almost since time
began and carried through six miles Of
tunnel. $500 feet below the granite crest
TO the head OF one OF the most beautiful
and fertile valleys of colorado.
More than a hundred thousand acres OF
land, now owned by private parties, viii
be watered. the only restriction being
that they be held, not for rental. not for
speculation, but as the actual homes OF
actual settlers.
First Reclamation Project.
The Gunnlson tunnel was the first prof.
sect undertaken by the United States
Government Reclamation Service. and
work on II has been progressing steadily
for four and one-half years. 1t is now
completed. and President Taft will turn
the flow OF the Gunnison River into the
main and distributing canals, which will
1rrigate 10000 acres Of choicest land now
semi-arid. The Gunnison tunnel is in
Montrose County, in the Uncompahgre
Valley. in Colorado. The two gangs OF
men boring the tunnel met at 5:45 D. n.
July 6. 1909 at a point 10.S12 feet from the
intake on the Gunnison River.
The tunnel is $4,000 feet (six miles, long,
II by Is feet inside measurement, and
lined throughout with cement. The main
canal is 30 feet wide at the bottom. So
feet wide at the top, and the average
depth of water is 10 feet The capacity
is 1900 cubic feet Of water a second. The
cost of the tunnel and distributing canals
when completed will be over $5.000.000.
and perpetual water rights will be sold
20 actual settlers at approximately $50 an
acre. being based upon the actual cost OF
the tunnel Ten years time will be al
lowed Tor payment without interest.
The lands 10 be irrigated are suitable
Tor fruit growing and the raising of all
kinds OF farm crops. The water. after IL
leaves the tunnel will have 30 feet fall
which can be used 10 generate electric
power sufficient TO light every town and
every farmhouse in the Uncompahgre
Valley and provide power for all kinds
OF commercial and Industrial purposes.
The lands under this project will AFFORD
homes for all time 10 come for a popula-
ton OF at least 5000 Americans. Al
ready there are modern towns-Montrose.
Olathe, and Delta-in the valley, and with
the development Of this vast area other
towns Will undoubtedly come into exist
ence 10 meet the requirements of the
repidly growing population.
In Heart of the Mountains.
The Uncompahgre Valley is situated in
the very heart Of the Rocky Mountains.
$50 miles by rail from Denver and go
from Pueblo. It IS reached over the Den
yer and Rio Grande Railroad after one
OF the most picturesque journeys In the
world. Tho train peneurates the Grand
Canyon OF tho Arkansas. climbs over
Marshall Pass in series.of loops I'D the
great shoulders Of the mountains. cross
ing the very summit Of the ridge, under the
browning crest OF Mount Ouray Il winds
its way down the western slopes. starting
alongside a small rill which grows and
grows with accessions from other streams
until the shore of the Gunnison River is
reached. For fifty miles the tracks fol-
low the river. through valleys and can
yons that get ever narrower and narrow
er, until for twenty miles the train runs
through the very depths Of the Black
canyon Here Is a constantly changing
panorama Of sheer precipices. needle-liIxe
minarets OF rock. and massive walls
Narrower and narrower grows the can
yon; higher and sleeper grow the walls.
The train twists and turns around the
bases Of enormous cliffs. until at last. like
hunted thing, IL leaves the canyon.
grown too deep. too steep and too diff
cult for even railway engineer, turns I'D
a side canyon. finds it's way over Cerro
summit. and descends through grassy
slopes into the Uncompahgre Valley.
Valley Forty Miles Long.
The valley lies forty miles long and
twelve miles wide. in a succession Of
level table lands or "mesas." rising from
the river sometimes like flights Of stems.
To the northeast, and dominating the
whole valley, Is the granite ridge whose
summit is cleft TO make the great trough
OF the Gunnison from which the train
has just escaped. To the southeast the
valley Of the uncompahgre, a green rib
bon among brown hills. runs away to-
ward the wonderfully jagged teeth Of the
SaWtooth Mountains. Extending for thir-
ty-five miles along the southern horizon
IS section Of the San Miguel Mountains.
q part Of the Continental Divide rising
west are the rounded Horsehy Mountains
while TO the north. above and beyond the
ridge OF the Gunnison Canyon, the Grand
Mesa runs its level line, crowned with
forests. to the east
The average elevation Of the valley Is |
1850 feet above sea level, which is q. little |
greater than that Of Denver. Tho shell |
tered location OF the valley. however. |
gives Il. in spite OF this elevation. a mild
and warm climate From the tables fur /
nished by the United States Weather Bu- |
reau Of observations ct Montrose extena. 4
Ing over a series Of twenty years II 10 /
seen that the daily variation of tempera-
ture is about 40 degrees F. The nights 4
are always cool, even after the hottest /
days The highest temperature OF sum /
mer Is about 100 degrees F. and the low
est Of winter is 20 below zero. Such low
extremes, however. occur only once or
twice in the course OF winter and rare
~ continue for any length OF time. The
annual precipitation is about nine inches
WElch comes largely IN snowstorms In
the spring and showers in the summer.
TIE winter weather being open and sun.
ny Sno" very rarely lies on the ground
Tor more than few days at time.
Dipping Vat a Good Investment.
San Antonio, Tex. Aug. 8.-Cattle
raisers in the Southwest are realizing
more and more that the dipping vat is
the best investment for the ranch. The
men who first arrived at this conclusion
are already reaping large benefits.
AS a remedy against the tick the dip.
ping vat has no superior. and the sans
can DO said OF all other skin diseases