La Junta tribune., 1917-06-07
BIG BOOST FOR la JUNTa
Milk Condensary Prospect Already
/ Putting Us On the Map-Some
OF Our Other Good Features

Sanford Bell. field representative
OF the Denver Manufacturers Asso-
citation, recently visited La Junta
and in last Sundays Denver Post
1 required two columns of six point
space to chronicle his observations
In this Vicinity. His story is a good
one and 1t is herewith given:
The most important thing that has
happened in La Junta in many years,
according TO public opinion there.
was the closing OF the contract. this
week, with Libby. Mcneil & Libby
of Chicago to put up at once s75,-
600 condensary. The site has been
chosen and contracts have been
signed among farmers In the neigh
borhood for 3 3,500 cows to supply the
milk. Work on the plant is to be
begun at once and Is expected to be
ready TO receive milk within ninety
days
This company has fourteen other
condensaries in different parts OF the
| United States. This one at La Junta
is TO profit by their experience with
the Others and be the most modern
and sanitary of them all. II will mean
| much TO La Junta and the surround
ing country and may mean much to
Uncle Sans soldiers and the allies
The cows that are to supply the
milk for this condensary are to be
thoroughbred Holsteins. most OF
which will have to be shipped in.
The banks of La Junta are backing
the enterprise by loaning the La Jun
ia Industrial Association the money
with which to buy the cows. The
association I'm turn disposes OF the
cows to the farmers on easy terms
OF settlement.
This good work has been accom-
plished mainly through the efforts
of the La Junta Industrial Associa-
tion. OF which. at present, G. W.
Milliken is president. and c. c.
Hearnsberger Is secretary. The work
just now consummated has been go
ing on for three years. Aside from
being a new, big. productive industry
the bringing in of those thorough
bred Holsteins will inevitably affect
for the better stock breeding In
this vicinity
A matter OF equal Importance, II
not ultimately greater, is that OF the
tremendous. recent immigration into
this section of the country.
More than 2o0,00o acres of land
have been taken up by the home
steaders. just south OF La Junta.
within the last fourteen months. Dur
ing the first four months OF 1917
there were $50 settlers who took ad-
vantage OF the new 640-acre home
stead act that went into effect De-
cember 30, 1916. These. with
those who preceded them in 1916.
under the 320-acre homestead act.
raise the total number OF new set
/ tiers to over one thousand. Some OF
these claims were filed on by peo-
pie who already were In the county.
but had less acreage than the new
laws allowed. The other settlers
have come chiefly from Iowa. Ne
braska. Missouri. Oklahoma. Texas
and New Mexico.
Many OF those who took up their
claims In 1916 have built their first
houses and have In crops. Through
them will come part OF the In
creased production for this year from
Otero county.
One OF the splendid features Of
this vast influx OF new people into
this country. Is that. on the whole
they are a very desirable class Of
settlers. They are mainly thrifty peo-
pie from the next tier OF states east
OF Colorado who understand the con-
ditions OF the new country into which
they have come. They are assets.
not liabilities to the state. In fact.
the days OF the land shark who tries
to bring In settlers through mis-
representation and collect heavy tolls
for locating them on land very dit
ferent from that which he shows
them. are a part OF the ancient his
tory OF this valley. No man could
do tina, and live here. These people
don't believe In that kind OF ethics.
La Junta means. literally. The
Junction II got It's name from the
fact that II was the junction OF the
two forks OF the old Santa Fe trail.
one leading toward the southwest to
Santa Fe. y. NJ. and the other Keep
Ing 10 the north OF the Arkansas