The Delta independent., 1919-11-28
ONE OF THE VERY FIRsT
SETTLERS IS HERE VISITING

One of the very first settlers In
Delta was Geo. Moody, who came to
this place in 1881, and we are more
than pleased to record that he has
come to Delta again for a visit that
will probably extend over month.
Mr. Moody has been located near Tell
uride the past few years engaged in
mining near Mt. Wilson. He is sttli
in the best of health and says that
he greatly enjoys to be able to again
visit his home town.
Mr.. Moody "drifted" into the I'm
compahgre valley In the spring OF 81
1t was necessary at that time to OBJ
tain permit to pass through the
valley from the government agent at
the Army post near Montrose. a
white man was severely dealt with by
the government If he failed to ad-
here strictly to rules. Any person
was subject to a $1,000 fine and six
months in Jail If he entered the ter
ritory without a permit. The whole
of the Uncompahgre valley was occu,
pied by the Indians up to 1882, and
1t was not very safe to travel about
the reservation even without a gov
ernment permit. but Mr.. Moody ven
turned thereabouts and located on
what is now known as the old fair
grounds. taking up 100 acres. making
filing on September 3. 1881.
There were no railroads in the val
ley at that time. He engaged in sur
R Marcy, another survey, and to Mr..
Moody Delta county is given credit
for its first true map. The same lines
are now very closely followed.
AS time went on and a railroad was
built in the valley, new people came
and the Indians were removed, and
from that day on the territory started
upon an area OF development Settlers
were numerous.
Mr.. Moody came west from Kewa-
nee, Illionois, where he said he served
his apprenticeship as stone cutter
At that time the late Judge A 4.
King was attending law school at that
palce. Later Mr.. King came taSOalta
county and located.
In the upbuilding of Delta Mr..
Moody had a hand In nearly every
thing. He did the stone work on tie
present handsome First National Bank
building. He laid out several otAnr
building sites, incluidng the sprae1nt
court house square. The sfhooitn,asT
block was originally the court house
block and throught the efforts Of Mr..
Moody the two locations were ex-
changed. He planned the central
school
At the beginning Of the agitation for
and the launching of. the Labor party
in Colorado, Mr.. Moody was one of
the leading workers for that party on
Delta County. As he recalled the Lab
or party swept the entire state elect
ing Governor Waite and capturing the
legislature During the year he was
instrumental in establishing the Delta
County Laborer, now the Delta Trib-
une.
He brought to this office a copy of
the Daily Citizen that was given to
him by friend many years ago and
which he treasures very highly. The
paper was published at Vicksburg,
Mississippi. by ]. NJ Swords, under
date of July 2. 1868. The type for the
paper was all set by the rebels before
the fall of vicksburg, and only a few
lines were added which we onote as
follows:
Two days bring about great
changes The banner of the Union
floats over Vicksburg-General Grant
has caught the rabbit; he has dined
in Vicksburg, and he did bring his
dinner with him. The Citizen lives to
see It. For the last time It appears on
wall paper. No more will we eulogize
the luxury OF mulemeat and fricassed
kitten-urge Southern warriors to
such diet never-more. This is the last
wall paper Citizen and is. excepting
this note, from types as we found
them. 1t will be valuable hereafter as
n curiosity.
The paper referred to above was a
five-column sheet printed on wall
paper and Notwithstanding the many
years of handling IT looks like it would
undergo as many years. 1t sure is a
curiosity to peruse.
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