Gilpin observer., 1918-01-03

Colorado today than year ago, the
total number of autos in the state be-
ing 6S,500, and for these additional
cars the buyers in 1917 paid more
than $16,000,o00.
The hay crop of Colorado of 1917
had value of $47,492, 900, against a
state hay yield in 1916 that was worth
$26, 100000. Hay is the states most
valuable agricultural product High
prices were paid throughout the ma
tion in 1917 for the hay crops and
the growers in every way Jared more
prosperously than ever before.
The fact that 117,00O persons visit
ed the national parks in this state
during 1917 signifies that the glorious
ly attractive glens and forests of the
Rocky mountains are becoming more
famous from year to year. No other
state in the Union has so many scenic
attractions.
| One of the most encouraging indices
to the new growth of Colorado is the
fact that in Weld county several new
towns have been established during
the last three years, these commune
ties including Raymer, Keota, Buck
ingham. Stoneham and Grover towns
that were instituted as a result of the
recent new industry of growing pinto
beans and other crops. More than
10000 acres in Weld county were
used in 1917 for the growing of pinto
beans, the total production in this dis
trict being 2S,000,000 pounds. A large
ri Of oil ha.
the Federal Government as Army and
Navy supplies The entire agricul-
tural yield in Weld county during 1917
aggregates in value s2o,O0O,OO0.
The growing demands of the world
for more crude oil and gasoline has
turned the limelight of petroleum
trade towards the mountains of shale
in northwestern Colorado, and al
ready tracts of this area are being
taken up, refining plants built and
new companies formed to develop the
deposits. Biologists estimate that in
this state there is enough shale to
produce 20,OOO,OOO 900 barrels of pc
troleum, which could be refined into
1000. 100000 barrels of gasoline.
J The increase in the value of the
Coloradoan dairy products in 1917
over the preceding twelve-month
amounted to 100000, the total
worth of these commodities produced
in the state during the past year be-
ing $17,000,000. The total is for milk,
fresh used and canned, cheese, but
ter and so forth.
Nobody could help seeing the beau
ty. zeal, patriotism, cheer and uplift
that sublimely characterized the wom-
en- and girls of Colorado in their vic
torious works for the Red Cross, Lib
erty Loans, formation of wartime So
cieties, food production and conserva-
tion and other channels of necessity
Sixteen millions of dollars worth of
gold was taken from the Cripple
creek mines during the past twelve
months. Still greater ore bodies are
being found as the workings go deep
er. and the 1918 total is expected to
reach twenty millions. The aggregate
value of the copper output of the
state in 1917 was more than $4,000
600; the total yield of silver in the
state during the year reached nearly
$6,OO0,O00;' the lead output was S5,-
93G,000 and s9,91S,0OO worth of zinc
was gotten from the 1917 ore reduc-
tion. The total value of the five met
ais mined in the state in the last
twelve months was s40,165,OOO The
soaring price of silver had a stimulat-
ing effect on mining. Labor scarcity
was handicap, but was not heavy
enough to daunt the spirit of progress
shown by the mining men.
Deposits in the banks of Colorado
increased in volume s27O94,976 dur
ing 1917. and today the total of depos-
its in the financial institutions of the
state is s260,319,057. Denver set a
record-breaking pace in financial ad.
vancement for all other zones in Col
orado. for the first time in local his
tory the clearings of Denver banks
passed the $100,000,O00 a month mark
in 1917. The total Denver clearings
for the year reached $S79,911,5 $50, a
gain of $197,111, $50, or 2SS per cent.
over tho 1916 record.
With a worldwide scarcity of fuel
the Colorado coal mines proved their
worth in 1917 by yielding $3OOOO,0O
worth OF black diamonds. The 219
coal mines of the state produced 12,-
100000 tons of the fuel, against an
output OF 1O,S00,O00 tons in 1916 and
s,7O0,000 tons in 1915. The $3O,OOO,-
900 set forth as the value of the 1917
yield is figured on an average worth
of $3.50 ton. Two impediments, la
Dor scarcity and car shortage, pre-
vented the Colorado coal yield of 1917
from reaching a total OF 100000 or
100000 tons
Fully 100000 worth of vegetables
was raised in the war gardens In Den
yer in 1917, as patriotic response to
the federal admonition for food pro-