The Delta independent., 1910-01-21
Della and Delta County.
BY EUGENE W. TAYLOR.


county in the United States.
Its fruit crop was grown on about
27O acres. In addition to this there
are about 14,0Oo acres Ilanted with
Young trees which will come into bear
inc at the rate of several thousand
acres each year for the next four years
This makes Delta county confident that
i, will continue to lead the procession
for several years to come.
The total production for all kinds OF
crops was more than 81, ,OOJ. 600, accord
ing to the best figures now obtainable.
The fruit output is so high that 1t over
shadows everything else, but other prod
ucts sold in the county brought over
million and half dollars.
Briefly that is the story of the coun-
ty. The thriving little towns which
constitute its business centers have rec
ords quite as astonishing in their way
which are told of in other articles IN
this issue.
The county seat, the town of Delta,
has had its full share of prosperity and
confidently looks forward to another
year of progress equally as great. Sew
eral new blocks have been completed
and occupied almost as soon as the
workmen left them, showing how busi-
ness is growing, and there is not now
vacant store in the town. Dozens Of
handsome residences also have been fin
ished during the year.
The splendid sidewalks Of the city
have been extended to correspond with
its growth: the electric light company
has practically rebuilt its system; and
so great have become the demands on
the telephone company that it also has
been obliged TO rebuild and enlarge.
Delta already has supply of noun
tain water as fine as any to be found IN
the West. but the town has outgrown
the distributing plant as it has every
thing else. For that reason 1t has been
found necessary to construct an auNili-
ary plant. now practically completed
which will meet the demands of the city
for wears to come. 1t was found ear
lier in the year that the population and
postoffice receipts would warrant free
delivery service. Negotiations were
opened with the government and have
been SO successfully carried on that
within the next few months this SER
will be established.
The people of the town do not sit idly
by and wait for these things to happen
however. They are live. progressive
bunch, and when they want something
they start after it and never stop. That
is the reason why it may be confidently
predicted that the next year Will see the
erection of beet sugar factory at
Delta. Capitalists are now investigat-
ing this project and there is little doubt
that it will be carried through, as Delta
can meet with every requirement.
The Delta County Business Mems As
sociation has. within the past year
started publicity bureau. designed to
spread far and wide the news of Delta's
progress and the opportunities presented
for new settlers. Hundreds of columns
have been printed about the county in
newspapers all over the United States.
and the result is steadily growing
stream of new settlers to develop the
county. There is room for all of them
and many more. for, Notwithstanding
its wonderful record, the county has
only started to grow.
1t is estimated that there is plenty
of water available to irrigate every acre
of land in the territory. and it is only
a question of time when this will be
done. Several important irrigation en-
terprises have been completed during
the last year, which will bring into cul-
tivation large area hitherto untitled.
The most important of these is, of
course, the Gunnison Tunnel which will
supply $50. 900 acres, of which only 40,
600 acres is now occupied. Fully half
of this immense new territory is di-
rectly tributary to the town of Delta,
and as all the land is valuable and ca
pable Of producing large crops, the nat
ural increase of business which will
thus be created can easily be imagined.
Private capital also is doing its share,
The Roubideaux- -Redlands Company has
within the last month completed dcth
and reservoir system which will supply
water to 1000 acres of Government land
most of which ia being taken up under
the desert act. The North Delta canal
will reclaim a, 900 acres Of new land, all
of which lies within a short distance of
the town, and will be completed early
in 1910. Other enterprises Of lesser
magnitude, but all of Importance. are
also in process Of completion.
Moreover. Delta soon will be on the
main line Of the d. 4 r. G. when the
lin, from Salida to Montrose il broad