Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1916-01-03
.DOlORfS-CORTfz-
MONTICflLO-BlUff
CITY MAIL ROUTE

lettering conditions in the San Juan
basin in which the Durango Exchange
is interested is establishing mail
routes from Dolores to Monticello and
from Cortez to Bluff, territory which
is closely associted in a commercial
way but widely separated on account
of the present mail service. 1t re-
quires four days for communica-
ton sent by post from our neighbor-
ing county to reach its destination
in Utah.
An appeal for assistance was pre-
scented to the Exchange with the re-
suit that a mail route committee COM
posed of Harry jackson, Arthur
Ayres and C. G. Graden was appoint
ed.
A special committee covered the
routes by auto and submitted de
tailed report to the Exchange. This
report, petition for the change
signed by about two hundred persons
residing in the territory and various
letters from prominent business men
setting forth the disadvantages of
the present service will be forwarded
to Congressman Taylor by Secretary
Wilson in day or two.
The report submitted by the special
committee to the Exchange follows:
To the Board of Directors of the Du-
range Exchange:
Gentlemen:
We, your committee appointed TO
investigate and report on the feasibil-
lily, need and importance of closer
mail connection between the large ter
ritory lying west of Montezuma
county, Colo, and in the eastern por-
tor of San Juan county, Utah, beg
leave to submit the following state
ment:.
On the morning of November 20,
1915, we left Dolores, Colo, by auto
mobile for Monticello, Utah. The
first postoffice on the road is Lewis,
located IL miles from Dolores, with
fifty patrons adjacent. A rural
route now serves Lewis.
The next postoffice. 26.4 miles from
Dolores, is Yellow Jacket, with 125
patrons, as estimated by the post
mistress. Yellow Jacket gets mail
three times a week, which is carried
on horseback and averages five sacks
of incoming mail each trip.
Next comes Dove Creek. 1863 miles
from Dolores, and with so patrons of
the postoffice. Here the mail is
brought by volunteer carriers, and
is uncertain of arrival and depart
uIe.
Coal Bed School house, located 45.5
miles from Dolores comes next, with
no mail service at all for the set
tiers nearer than Dove creek.
Next comes Cottonwood, with no
mail service, and perhaps fifty pos
sible patrons.
Monticello, located 64.8 miles from
Dolores, is a growing town of 500
population and is the western term
mus of the proposed mail route.
From Monticello southwark, there is
a Star mail route that connects YER
dure postoffice, the town of Bland
ing, with 800 population and the town
of Bluff, with $50 population.
Your committee made the distance
of CAS- miles between Dolores and
Monticello in less than six hours &C
tual running time, and the location
nf v,,,,,hnr. IF at1luarfc and II
bridges across ravines would permit
of the trip being made in less time.
The roads are thru a territory that
they naturally keep in good condition
mittee we saw a large number of
homes belong to new settlers, who
have been for the past four years and
are now locating on the splendid land
that stretches away in level tracts
for miles. These settlers are raising
farm crops successfully will be join
ed by hundreds Of other home seek
ers, and have right to adequate mail
service.
The records Of the United States
Land office in Durango in which this
land is situated show several hun
dred acres filed on in the section
under consideration. Information
from the county records at Monticello
show that more than 100000 acres
have been homesteaded east of that
place and along the way the pro
posed mail route will take.
Starting from Bluff, your commit.
tee took direct road to Cortez,
Colo, the distance being TIT miles
The absence Of good auto roat
up the San Juan river from Bluff
caused your committee to go to Cor
tee by the moro direct road and In