The Elk Mountain pilot., 1914-06-11
Graduation Essay
AN ESSAY ON COLORADO
BY ELVIN LEON GAZETTE
Class of 1914

1t is privilege to live in Colo
RADIO you all know this slogan.
We have studied the history of the
United States, and of this, our
state of Colorado. We have for
COTTON many things, for that is the
privilege of the school boy, but we
remember enough of the history OF
our great country to say with truth
fulness and thankfulness that We
account it as blessing to live on
the soil of this great country OF the
United States. Heroes have fought
and died to build up this new land
of liberty, and daily heros fight and
die to make it greater yet.
Colorado is singularly favored by
nature, it has rich plains and
richer mountains, it has its beauti-
full sunshine and its invigorating
air, it has the treasures of its pasture
lands, the delicious fruits of its
orchards, it has its mountains
stocked with precious gold and
silver, and numerous mines of the
"Black Diamond. No wonder
passions are fierce over such riches.
Science has found in our state a
field where it can obtain the invalu-
able radium destined to be one of
! of the greatest benefactors of man
kind.
Those among you that have lived
in other states have heard the praises
of Colorado. Were you disappointed
when you stepped within its bound
ries? Coming from the East you
pass thru two million acres OF
cultivated land, and twenty one
million acres where the cattle
Craze. These extend into the gorges
of tie Rockey Mountains, and some
of the finest portions of hay bearing
land are found right at our doors.
Colorado is the leading irrigation
state in the Union. The total
number of farms that were under
irrigation in 1910.was 1926; the
total acreage was 2,792, ,O32. Be-
sides that we have great districts
OF dry farming. Our agricultural
and horticultural products represent
yearly value of Sl0,O0O,OOO We
also have our great sugar beet in
dustry. This industry started in
| 1898, and the various factories now
handle about million tons of beets
yearly. Some counties are noted
for their rich potato crops, one
section shipping annually some
IA, 600 carloads. On irrigated
lands as many as four crops of
alfalfa are raised yearly, Our
wheat crops average about 32 bushels
to the acre. Speaking of fruit.
Colorado apples and peaches and
Rockey Ford melons are far famed.
The. estimates for1911 were So, ,S4T :
$50 worth of apples, and the peach
crops amounted to nearly 81 ,OOO,-
900. Our dairy products are not
far behind these in Importance.
IF we follow our mines in Leadville,
Cripple Creek, and a number of
other places, we see them getting
the yellow mettle from the gold
mines, and making Colorado the
leading gold producing state in the
union. have spoken already of
the value of radium and for the
mining of this important substance,
/ Prospect. Valley has sprung into
sudden fame. Not far South of us
we have large deposits of iron in
Saguache County. and our Gunnison
county is also said to be rich in iron
ore. All varities of coal are found
over coal bearing area of nearly
40 900 square miles. Colorado
coal is famous for its-auality
Lately it has also become famous
for other reasons. Do you know
that the Geological Survey estimates
the amount of coal in this state at
371 ,OOO. 900 tons, sufficient to
supply the whole world at the
present rate of consumption, for 3OC
years.
I What shall l say of Colorado
Marble? Solid mountains of the
Finest white marble are found in
our county, it has been chosen tc
rear up worthy monument to oui
great martyr president. Tourists
will stop at Washington and patriots
viii gaze at the monument that y
to be erected there with the heauti-
full material Colorado is giving t.
the great national monument. W.
have not to go very far to see the
gigantic monuments nature hn:
) fashioned around us. Seventy
four glorious mountain peaks rise
their heads more than 1900 fee
into the regions of perpetual snow