Gilpin observer., 1918-01-03

| Cripple creek
Denver-Colorado has made good in
the campaign to feed a nation at war!
With 1917 farm products valued at
more than s145,500,000, as compared
with $91 100000 in 1916, the farmers
of the Centennial state have answered
the plea of President Woodrow Will
son for redoubled efforts in agricul-
allies might be fed while their sons
are fighting for world democracy.
The 1917 crops were of the bumper
brand. Its output of metals was enor-
nous. It's stockmen hurled into the
busy marts of trade more cattle, sheep
and hogs than had been dreamed of
heretofore. Its sugar supply relieved
to a marked extent the shortage that
worried government food experts
Its automobile trade grew by leaps
and bounds, keeping pace with the un-
precedented prosperity of the state as
ber of visitors to the national parks
exceeded that of other years. New
towns arose under the reign of gen.
eral endeavor. Oil shale and rich de-
posits of like nature were brought to
light. Colorado manufacturers en-
larged and established plants. Dairy
products reached a value of $17,000,-
900. Colorado banks increased in vol
ume of business to the extent of $27,-
094,976. Colorado entered heartily in
to all patriotic campaigns and national
drives.
Throughout the entire state OF Colo
RADIO a wave of agricultural expansion
swept all districts and a result was
that the value of the farm crops ag-
gregated $145,5O0.O0O, a total that
looms large against the worth of all
agricultural yields of 1916, which was
s91, 1,152,700. The present advance can,
of course, be deemed a guiding star
to the still greater progress apparent
ly inevitable in the Colorado areas in
1918. The farmers are making bigger
plans than ever before and, with good
rains and sunshine, will certainly
strike more powerful sledgehammer
blows at the worlds food scarcity.
Army and Navy records undoubted-
ly will show that the Colorado dis
trict, according to the national pro-
rata of population, did more than any
other state in patriotism. The Ma
tional Guard of Colorado supplied
more than 1000 soldiers and officers
to the American military forces and
also furnished s5S5,000 worth of sup
plies and equipment; $500 Colorado
ans wers drafted into the army; $50
Colorado patriots voluntarily enlist
ed in the Army and Navy; the state
gave more than s1,5OO,OOO to the Red
Cross funds, and the Colorado sub.
scriptions to the First and Second LIB
erty Loans totaled $41.Ol7,s5O.
A year ago the value of all live
stock in Colorado was 1922, ,7S1 900,
while today the figure is S171 ,425 900,
most emphatic showing that the
stockmen nobly responded TO Uncle
Sans appeal for greater food produc
ton. The Denver stockyards had
many large structures erected during
1917. This city is virtually the larg
est sheep market in America and the
local packing plants handled $G.000,-
900 more cattle. sheep and hogs in
1917 than they did in 1916.
The gain in land under cultivation
In this state In 1917 over the 1916
area amounted to 100000 acres addi-
tional, which acreage formerly was
used mostly for pasture land. The
value of the crops to growers in 1917
was more than so per cent greater
than during the preceding year. Four
hundred families moved into the state
within the last eighteen months and
settled on agricultural territory.
The total amount of sugar produced
in Colorado in, 1917 was 100000
pounds and for the best crop the
farmers Of the state received $780,
900. Fifteen factories in Colorado
were operated in crushing the beets
and making the white grains. The
value of the states sugar crop in the
markets will be $36,1S4,75O.
All former total values OF wheat
crops in the state were made to look
small by the immense worth of the
wheat yields of Colorado in 1917 the
growers receiving the highest prices