The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-08-22

The prevalent idea thar the Royal
Gorge is the stopper. the snuffer. the
upper end of the universe where all
life and human activity come to def
mite pause. is total no such thing.
Even Fremont county. to say moth
ing of what may be farther west, has
something worth while to offer, in the
upper Arkansas valley, in the way of
agriculture and successful rural life.
though it is in most ways very differ
ent from scenes and affairs down
here on the outside. Farming does ap-
parently come to an abrupt stop at
Canon City. and for 10 miles yawns
the deep rock gorge two thousand feet
deep bare granite on both sides of the
boiling torrent. At old Parkdale there
is a sudden opening. extending for
nearly two miles, with at least one
large ranch on each side the river. and
the picturesque Webster park running
off to the south six miles almost to
Grape creek. Crossing Currant creek
to new Parkdale, the river and rail-
road find themselves again closed in
with barely room for the two to exist
in such narrow quarters. The vast
winding ravine twists along westward
nearly so miles. past the water tank
stations of Spikebuck. Echo, Texas
creek, Cotopaxi and then two miles
ebove the last named village there
opens perceptible rift. By the time
we reach Pleasonton the valley is
more than a mile wide. IL has lost
its bare. rocky. canon-like character
and suddenly expands into a typical
mountain valley. II widens still more
further up. and at Howard and Calcite
is three or four miles from mountain
to mountain. tho another contraction
occurs before arriving at Salida. Far
above Salida, past Browns canon,
the valley is big and generous. with
plenty of space from Nathrop 10 Bu-
ena Vista and beyond.
1t would be difficult to find in any
mountain region a more attractive
spot than that narrow valley gently
curving from Howard southeastward
to within mile or two of Cotopaxi
"a place more favored in location, cli-
mate and in latent possibilities. II
partakes Of the rest of Colorado in
being utterly deceptive; putting its
worst foot foremost; turning its most
inattractive aspect 10 the world; ten
times better than II looks- Nearly
all this Colorado country is built on
that lie.
From Hayden pass, the lowest notch
in the vast Sangre de Cristo noun
tain ridge dow only relatively. for it
runs up almost to timber line) one Of
the finest mountain streams comes
tumbling and chattering over Its miles
of clean pebbles. HAYDEN creek flows
into the Arkansas river at Pleasanton.
which is a mere passing and loading
switch four miles above Cotopaxi. The
latter village has a store. a little no
tel and several homes, but at Pleas
anton there is not single building
except the station, which is an old
box car. But there is a good bridge
over the river. over which an excellent
road crosses the valley a mile. to the
village OF Coaldale, which is also on
Hayden creek, and is quite place"
Here is the automobile road running
west to Salida and east to Parkdale
and Canon. Coaldale has good store,
school. postoffice, but no hotel.
The idea of a cultivated farm of
more than few acres, or one that
could support more than a COW and a
chicken, does not strike the casual OBJ
server who rides thru on the train.
Yet in fact there are 160acre farms
for miles and miles. all the way from
Cottonwood creek (tbe next one below
Hayden creek) up to Wellsville. There
is one fine farm OF 800 acres lying be
tween these two streams near the
river. its valuation away up in the
thousands. The valley is dotted with
big alfalfa stacks. Though the sum
mer showers are fairly reliable they
are not depended on for farming. the
creeks flowing down from Sangre de
Cristo mountains supplying valuable
water rights. bitches run in all di-
rections and this sumer the water sup
ply has been more scanty than usual.
SO that there is frequent shifting OF
headgates TO give each farm and gar.
den its allowance.
Thruout all this valley the soil is
the finest black mountain dirt, rich