Semi-weekly herald., 1913-07-03
INCREASING LA PLATA COUNTY
ACREAGE.


Durango people may think the coun-
ty is not improving, but if they will
take the time to visit the different
sections they will be convinced that
many new settlers are coming in and
that the cultivated acreage is rapid
ly increasing. The Herald editor and
family spent couple Of days touring
the eastern portion of the county
being the first general trip for several
years, the route travelled taking us
over the Florida mesa, the fine stretch
of country between the Florida and
Ignacio by way of the lower road,
thence east to the Tiffany and Allison
districts. 1t requires a trip of this
kind to see the land under cultivation.
The railroad runs through Ute lands
most of the way, especially after ieav-
ing Oxford, the vast acres of fine
land remaining virgin soil. How long
this will be and the growth of the
county retarded is an unanswerable
question. There is not finer body
of land in the state. The way it
stands now the county is cheated out
Of taxes and the land is not doing
the Indian or anyone else any good.
Maybe when our children's grandchil-
dren are grown up some action will
be taken. AS matters now stand the
Indian department will not permit the
land to be leased nor will it permit
the land to be sold and the money
placed on interest for the benefit of
the Indians. Thus it is doing no one
any good and this may continue in
. definitely.
We were greatly surprised to note
the steady improvements going on at
the town of Ignacio. The new Ig-
nacio promises to be the second city
in the county if not already so and
there is every reason to expect a
steady growth even with the Indian
lands unoccupied. We're the land in
question open to white settlement it
would increase the farming populs-
-tion by at least 1000 and the town
as many more.
Gcing by rail from Ignacio to T'f-
fany and Allison one does not see
very much of the farming districts.
Crossing the river at Ignacio and GO
ing east by either the middle or
lower routes, one soon runs into the
Spring creek tributaries which are
dotted with farms and stock ranches,
the people of that section engaging in
cattle sand sheep industry to large
extent. Stopping an hour at Tif-
fanny we pass on north and east three
sand half miles to the vandegrift
ranches where Giles jr. is doing the
real farming act. With many others,
the ranch cannot be seen from the
train. This does not detract from the
fine location and fertile soil. The
Vandegrifts have fine orchard, trees
doing splendid, and this is the case
with others who have planted or
chards. Both hay and grain are doing
fine in this immediate section, al
though We found some of the older
alfalfa fields rather thin owing to
last winters severe weather with no
protecting snow. This is the case
over most parts Of the county. The
newer alfalfa fields were not injured
to any extent.
Returning to Tiffany we enjoyed the
hospitality Of the Linebargers over
night where Miss Ruth has recently
returned from Fort Collins where she
graduated after four years course
ending this spring. Mr.. Linebarger,
who is running a good many sheep
and some cattle, is also engaged in
the general merchandise business. He
reports a yearly increase in business
and daily sale slips indicate the farm
srs of the district have money. He
reports the Tiffany-Allison sections
increasing in population with addi-
tional acreage under cultivation. The
first car load of wheat received by
the Graden Mercantile company last
fall was shipped from Tiffany.
Returning home it was necessary
TO traverse the same route to Ig- |
nacio to escape fording Spring creek.
From Ignacio to bayfield, one must
80 over three or four miles of barren
the finest lands in The state.
tut being allotted Indian lands there
is nothing doing for either the Indian
rr white man. What transforTa-
lion scene when about half way to
Bayfield, On all sides are green iclds
what the land will do when
wntered and cultivated. =
Baydeld is the same usually pros