The La Jara chronicle., 1910-12-30

Jara, accompanied by my aid,
Lieutenant j. C. Waterman, 18th
Infantry, Judge C. d. Hayt, and
Mr.. John E. Field, both of Den
yer, Colorado, leaving Denver on
the 18th of December, arriving
at La Jara the morning of the
18th instant.
Shortly after arriving at La ia,
ra, proceeded in company with
several distinguished citizens OF
La lara and Alamosa, to a
place on the Conejos river, ap-
proximately five miles from its
junction with the Rio Grande riv-
er, said place mentioned in song
and story as the identical spot
where Pike and his loyal soldiers
and intrepid companions were to
pass the aftermost and severest
part of the winter of 1907, known
by tradition and legend as the
most narrowing winter in its Sc
verify in over hundred years
in the west.
This place is given by Lieutenant
Pike in his account of his eXplo-
rations west of the Mississippi in
1906 and 1907 as small area
36x60 feet-where he caused to
be built stockade with an outer
and an inner ditch.
The stockade was built of cotton
wood logs of varying dimensions
from base to top and in the neigh
borhood of twelve feet high. He
also, in pursuance of his plan of
perfect defense, from a military
point of view, caused a ditch to
be run from the stockade to the
river above the west curtain, as
near as | could judge, 100 yards
south of the stockade, thus bring
ing to his aid in his defense
water from the river to protect
him and his small band of res
olute and hardy explorers from
the fierce and avenging hostile
savages or perhaps from equally
as bloodthirsty Mexican maraud-
ers.
The main channel of the river
at this time was close to the
south curtain of the stockade,
then unfordable and directly
south of the south curtain of the
fort The river has since changed
its channel and is now some 10
yards farther south.
The place which | in connection
with others (old settlers who liv-
ed in the vicinity for years, have
selected as the original location
of the Pike stockade in 1907, lies
on the north side of the ConejoS
river about 100 yards southwest
of the house Of Mr.. Cortez and
on his claim.
have been governed in my
ground by careful study of the
accounts of the work and travels
of Lieutenant Pike in the west,
years 1906 and 1907. Further
more, the high hill and hot spring
directly opposite, mentioned in
his report; the distance from the
mouth of the Conejos river to the
location of his defensive stockade
and the present appearance of the
water ditch on the south side OF
the original fort. This ditch or
moat, evidently the work Of man
years ago, at the present time
presents a well defined, symmet-
ical appearance.
This intrepid and loyal soldier
of heroic mould, devoted to his
country, to his flag and to his
profession of arms and the Army,
:; was one of the most picturesque
characters encountered from stur-
dy Revolutionary ancestors and
was imbued at an e,.rly age with
patriotic sentiments and love of
country which was constantly in
his mind, and bore fruit until the
day of his lamentable death at the
fatal assault upon York, Canada,
in 1913.
Colorado, in my judgment, is
much indebted to this famous ex-
plorer and intrepid discoverer of
mountain passes and trails where
by its future and wonderful pos
sihilities were by his SIlcceSSful