La Junta tribune., 1911-02-18

w.st for a distance Of twenty-five
miles. with a width OF from two TO
four miles. This entire valley Is
under the Holbrook ditch, one of the
I'm st comprehe nsi,e irri. alton sys-
Mems Ia the state.
Col H. r. Holbrook. OF Pueblo,
now dee ased, first realized the won
derful agricultural possibilities Of
this stretch OF country Along in the
early eighties the colonel was EN-
ployed as civil engineer by railroad
companies who were at that time
projecting their Ines into this sec
ton. He noted the richness of the
virgin soil, its adapta ility TO irri-
cation ana deciuea that at some fu-
iure date he would organize an irri-
CATION project which would reclaim
the valley. In 1889 Mr.. Holbrook
be an a survey Of the valley, and
In 1880 began the work OF construct
Ing the ditch. This work WAS con-
tinued for period OF a-out two
years, the canal being completed In
1892. Up to this time Mr.. Holbrook
had personally financed the enter
prise, but In July Of 1892 he sold
his interests to the Laguna Canal
Company. himself owning larger
part Of the stock. The FIRST officers
OF the company were Il. X. Holbrook.
pr. sident. W. n Randall, vice presi'
aent and superintendent, and II. X.
Holbrook, W. n. Randall and j. ID.
Mcdonald. directors. This manage
men, owned and controlled the
system until the year 1907. when
ssrits OF fatalities removed the en-
tire corps of officers and directors.
In the spring of that year J. ID. Nc
>aonald died. In September w. y.
ia aldall WAS killed in an accident
ana In December II. X. Hoibrook aus
tanned u stroke CT appopi.ay and
died. These fatalities left the
company with no official head. and
the stock was placed In the hands
OF an executor. John Randall, OF
ROCKY Ford. was appointed executor.
and the following gentlemen quail
fed as officers OF the company:
John Randall. president; J. Il. Lewis.
vice president. and G. +. Randall. sec
retary and treasurer. :.
In May. 1909, the Hol rook lIr.sa-
ton District was formed to take
over all interests OF the Laguna Canal
Company. The district having been
perfected In Jaauary. 1910. al OF the
ltsnis. franchises. etc. OF the Lasuna
Canal Company were transferred TO
the Hoibrook Irrigation District OF.
ficcrs of the new company are as
follows: W. T.. Stanton, president.
frank stansfiela. secretary. and }. 4.
Lewis. supcrintendon Mt. The direc-
tors are: ". 4. stanton. r. l.. Est.p
and ]. II. Seeman. AZ soon as the
transfer Was completed the new man.
Agemcnt At once commenced the work
OF increasing the capacity Of reser.
voir No. and the Dye reservoir. The
funds for this purpose were secured
by a bond issue Of S6;0.O00. These
! improvements are now completed.
A word 1t this time In regard TO
the late Col. II. X. Hoibrook Is time
y. Indeed. an article on the Hol.
brook country would b. Incomplete
were II TO omit recording In part
some Of his achievements. In the
frat place he Is entitied to the dis.
tinctton Of being termed the father
Of the Holbrook Valley. With W. n.
Randall he financed the irrigation
project which placed iolbrook among
the bcI farming sections Of the
slate. Previous to .uildinx his canal
Mr.. Hoibrook acquired control by pur.
chase and lease Of practically every
quarter section Of land under the pro.
posed ditch. Hs mtchod was to buy
each alternate quarter section from
the state and icasc the other Then
after the ditch had been completed
and settlers brsaa pouring Into the
valley he sold bis own land y those
able 70 purchase. and to others he
sub-leassd The state lands aud sold
water rights q = minimum price.
Within . few years these renters
were able 70 purchase the lands out.
right from the state. Up and down
the valley may b found hundreds Of
farmers who got their starr In this
maunsr--meu who today own their
own farms and Who are rated we'll
" n Tie financial world. Among
these he memory q Coloas, Hol.
brook 10 heN In almost sacred rev.