Semi-weekly herald., 1911-01-16
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border line of Colorado and New Mex
leo, and pastured during the summer
season in higher attitudes
The agricultural lands are supplied
by a never-failing flow of water from
the Animas, Pine, Florida, San Juan
and Dolores rivers, which rise in the
mountains near by and whose supply
is constantly maintained by the melt
ing SHOWS that never disappear from
some of the highest peaks.
There is sufficient supply OF water
and land here to support a population
equal to many eastern states. There
is plenty of room here for the honest,
Industrious homeseeker. who desires
to have home for himself and fam.
lily, and at the same time, being as
sured that at all times he will be able
to make a good living in any occupa.
tion taht he may engage in, and aside
from this, to lay up a sufficiency for
the rainy day. Land is cheap now
here, but 1t will constantly increase in
value. The United States land office
for the Durango land district Is in
Durango, and this district embraces
all of Southwestern Colorado, and
there is yet vacant and unappropriated
lands that can be taken up under the
homestead law, the desert land law,
and the timber and stone law.
All the offices OF the San Juan ma.
tional forest are at Durango. and For
est Supervisor Shaw. states that $4,000
head of cattle and horses, and 5000
head of sheep were grazed on two and
one-half million acres embraced In
the three national forests In the San
Juan during 1910 This live stock is
grazed under permit obtained from
the United States government at a
rate of twenty-five cents per head for
cattle and five cents per head for
sheep, for the summer season.
Within the limits of La Plata county
are some OF the greatest coal deposits
in the United States. Several large
coal companies are now in active op-
Grafton, employing many coal miners.
This coal field has attracted the at.
tention OF the Union Pacific railroad,
and 1t is said the Hartman railroad
system has invested more than one
million dollars In coal lands within La
Plata county, and has spent over 5000.
900 in the preliminary field work and
acquiring rights OF way to build a
railroad through Arizona and New
Mexico to connect with their railroad
system on the Pacific coast, SO that
their investment In coal lands will
be utilized and this section of the West
will then be in direct communication
with the Gulf OF Mexico on the south
and the Pacific ocean on the west !;
and 1t is also stated In the newspapers
that the Rock Island system and the
Santa Fe system OF railroads are look
ing our way.
But the Denver & Rio Grande sys.
TEN OF railroads Is with us now, and
this system has developed this San
Juan country. 1t came to Durango In
1881 to help us mine the gold. silver,
copper. lead and zinc in the mountains
of the San Juan country. The La
Plata mountains near Durango, with
now the largest gold-producing mines
in the world. and the mountains sur.
rounding Silyerton, Rico. Ouray and
Telluride. to transport the ores con
tanning the precious metals from these
mountains to the plant Of the Ameri
can Smelling and Refining company
at Durango. The Denver & Rio Grande
railroad has extended it, hnss from