Semi-weekly herald., 1910-01-03

Y The year 1903 has been Il very pros
7 peruus one FOR Durango and La Plata
county and the people are. yers op
tornisiic regarding the fnture, and
there Is good reason for this While
Durango has not materially Increased
in population, there has been a steady
and substantial growth with mum
Der of business buildings and resi-
denees erected and not a vacant house
TO be had Probably the Increase in
money wealth is the most noticeable
as the deposits of the First National
bank of this city indicate. having in
creased quarter of a million or more
during the year.. the combined capital
and deposits amounting to over ST.
s700,O00 when the last statement was
made III November. In addition to
the First National there is the Du.
range Trust company a new instilu-
lion. having been organized in July
with $4,000 capital and deposits now
;tmonnt TO nearly 100000 The La
Plata county bank is a new financial
institution capitalized at $25,000, with
many local STOCKHOLDERS and directors.
This institution opened for business
the 22d of this month. This gives
Dtnango three banking houses. as
against one year age, with another
ti'usr company preparing to enter The
field with s1o0.0O0 capital, the stock
.being .over-subscrihed. It is said. to the
extent Of s50.000. This furnishes an
idea of the financial condition of the
town and county which is pleasing
one. and indicates a, growing country
population as well as city, IN fact.
Z
county have advanced and increased
in population faster than Durango,
hundreds of families having located
on land within the past year, not to
mention the 200 to 300 heads of fam
illes who filed on Carey act lands last
July, who are awaiting the delivery
of water before becoming permanent
SNiNiNio hDpu iosvUV dNlNb NtlC
fled on. first payments having been
made at the time of filing in July, the
state land board holding the money as
well as being secured by bond for the
delivery of water, which is promised
and guaranteed the first of April next.
To this end a contract has been let
to the Standard Construction company
for the work of building canals and
laterals to cost 100000. the construc.
iion company giving bond to have
water running through the bitches by
the time promised Steam, shovels
have been purchased and work will
start with a big force the first of the
year This company has filed on
Emerald Lakes for reservoir purposes,
having purchased the rights OF W. T
Kirkpatrick, and a capacity OF ten
thousand acre feet thus secured to
provide against dry seasons. The
opening of this tract of land means
great advancement in agriculture the
coming year.
Another agricultural enterprise Is
being formed for watering lands on
the Florida mesa to the extent of eight
to ten thousand acres, the system
costing about s350,OO0, and in the
eastern portion of the county several
bitches are being enlarged to accom-
modate an increased acreage, notably
the Pine River canal and the Florida
Mesa Farmers ditch. Thus fully
25 900 additional acres of land will
be placed under water in time for
next seasons crops. In the western
portion of the county are several
more ditch and reservoir enterprises
the largest being the La Plata Ditch
and Reservoir company, which will
provide water for what is known as
the Prewitt pastures, which have re-
Gently been placed on the market with
n guarantee of water the coming sea
son, the company working large
force of men on canals and reservoir
at this time. Water is secured for
less money in La Plata county than
any section of the state. largely be
cause the county is traversed with
four streams, running parallel and
averaging from ten to fifteen miles
apart. two of the streams running a
never failing supply without resorting
to reservoirs, while the others are
capable of filling reservoirs to irri-
gate every available acre of land.
Farmers of La$Plata county hold
many first prizes for grains exhibited
at Chicago, St. Louis and other places.
All kinds OF grain do well and pota-
toes equal to any in the state raised
Wilma fine yield 10 the acre. 1t only
being within the last year or two, how
ever, tina, farmers began grading and
growing potatoes for outside market,