The Ordway new era., 1913-07-11
WHAT TEN YEARS
MEANS TO VALLEY
Continued from Page l.)

years ago there was nothing but vast
prairie land between here and Mama.
nola, with the one exception of the
widely known Boston FARM. Then
this ranch was the half way point be-
tween the two towns, and the lone
some traveller, tired Of HE journey in
either direction, would welcome the
sight Of the line fences. The land
between Ordway and Rocky Ford was
little better. Then it was necessary
to ford the river at the point from
which the town got its name, ten. years
furnishing tho bridge over the river
near that point. A drive Of equal
distance with that to Manzanola, the
road from Rocky Ford seemed longer
because there was no break in it.
Then ctions were not laid out, and
the roads did not follow their lines.
They we're built merely by the travel
that passed over them without any
regard for section lines, and were in
fact simply trails across the prairie.
Ten years have brought to the valley
that branch Of the Santa Fe pushed
out cross the prairie, through the
Holbrook country, . water supply
and the building up, magic like, of .
large area Of productive land, and
numerous towns, the towns on this
line having the best mail service in
the valley.
Land values in and about Orduay
have increased hundred fold, and the
end of that increase 10 not yet in sight.
Given water rights second to none in
the state, the land on the north side
of the river has proven itself to be as
pro ductive as the most touted hand in
the valley, and the cantaloupes raised
upon it bid, fair to outrank the pio-
neer in the vnlley-the Rocky Ford.
Last week the New Era showed where
town property had jumped from $500
for 'tbirty-6ve lots to valuation of
$500 for one single lot out of that
same thirty-Hve. One twenty acre
tract west Of town in particular was
bought ten years ago for s55 an acre.
and has been disposed Of three times
in the meantime for as high as $3.50
an acre. Land across the road from
it, with equal water rights, and just as
good, could have been bought ten
years ago for $50 an acre. Now it
com mands $3.50.
Colorado, and the Arkansas valley
in particular, has q future, If its peo-
pie will but see it and grow enthusias-
tic enough about it to get up litera-
ture and tell the world about it.
California, with . climate not one
whit better than this and land not .
bit more productive, keeps itself in
the public eye all the time. and con-
sequently thousands Of tourists and
homeseekers pour themselves and their
money into the state every year. Flo
rida with it's ocean lined coasts forms
. haven in winter for cold blooded
people from New York, keeps itself
we'll advertised and turns its farm
lands into money several times a
year. There is . constant stream Of
money going into that state every year.
Colorado and the Arkansas valley ofier
just as good attractions. We. who
live here, know it, but the people we
want with us do not know it
thoroughly enough to pull stakes and
como among Us. Florida has its
malaria and swamps, with all its sea
coast, and In most parts Of the state q
land that If scratched for short dis
tance will either reveal water or reck.
1t Is said that orange trees are planted
in Florida ground where there is hard
ly enough earth to hold them upright,
heavily feItilized and grow money.
California has its drouthy seasons and
uneven climatic conditions, all reports
to the contrary notwithstanding
Colorado has NO malaria, has a soil
that goes as deep ss you care to dig o,
pillow for it, and climatic conditions
even enough to enable the resident.
to know what to expect.
q