La Junta tribune., 1910-01-01

We have . fine dam across the riv.
er. . concrete headgate and = ditch
Of ~ cubic feet per second that
viii MI both the Horse Greek and
Adobe Greek reservoirs; but. think.
ing there was one more link missing,
We concluded to widen this reservoir
supply ditch to sixty feet on tho bot.
tom making II carry $500 cubic feet
per second or more. which will be
completed In time for flood water
this season. This ditch will fili these
two immense reservoirs to their full
capacity In ten days or less. This
entire system will be entirely com.
pleted during the year 1910. and when
done will be one of the largest and
best irrigation systems in the world.
have farmed under the Fort Lyon
canal for sixteen years and have al.
ways raised good crops. and when
our reservoir system Is completed, I
am proud to say, would not exchange
my holdings for anything | know Of
anywhere in the Arkansas Valley.
First. consider 76l cubic feet OF
early water with ditch that will
carry more than as much again flood
water, and that backed up by reservoir
water to the amount OF l0l 900 acre
feet to irrigate 10000 acres Of land.
The reservoir supply itself is as good
b most Of the projects one reads
shout. Ass1Ass eeed feature is that
all Of the reservoirs are less than
four miles from the main ditch. That
means there is no loss getting the
water to the consumer. We now
have 10000 acre feet stored and two
months to run winter water II we
had had our supply ditch widened.
All of the reservoirs would then have
been full.
Suppose We now see what we have
been raising without the storage
water. Alfalfa hay. three cuttings.
four to five tons per acre; wheat.
twenty-five to forty.five bushels per
acre: oats. forty to eighty bushels;
beets. twelve to twenty-five tons per
acre; cantaloupes, $50 to $50 per
acre. All kinds OF vegetables can
be raised In abundance. Fruit does
well and II properly cared for viii
bring good returns.
The worst feature under the Fort
Lyon canal Is that the farms are
too large. They run from 100 to
1900 acres. There are 5000 acres
within six miles OF La Junta that
should have 200 families on-lnstead
OF twelve. La Junta is firs,-class
marke, for any farm or garden pro.
duct one raises.
There are going to be about $500
acres put on the market soon. The
land is owned by a Denver syndicate.
II is all within three miles of La
Junta and none OF II over two miles
from the railroad. II Is under high
state of cultivation and AS fine n
body OF land AS one could find any
whore. II stands La Junta In hand
to help sell II and get more people
here. There Ia alfalfa and wheat ON
most OF the land now. and you won't
have TO spend several years getting
ready to raise crop. II is all ready
TO grow crops when spring comes.
with plenty Of watrr TO irrigatc.
There Is one thing ! have not cx.
plaincd-that is. the bonded indebted.
ness. When our last Issue Of bonds
is sold we will owe 100000. which
will be- about 81 per acre. This IN
not the average rent for one year.
This 100000 win pay for the entire
reservoir system and the ditch from
tho river to fili them. This entire
system belongs to the farmers. We
don't have to pay some company =
graft 10 run Il. We run Il ourselves
and BY 1911. when We will have com.
p,sted our work. the Fort Lyon water
rights will be classed among the very
best In the state. II you want land
for = good Investment. now u the
timc to buy. for Il 10 bound to
keep going up In price. Undsrstand I
am not advertising for I have no
land on the market. would rather
buy than sell.
A FARMER.