The Colorado statesman., 1921-11-12
CENTENNIAL STATE ITEMS.

ture IN the nOn-lTTlkuAtu uiSpANN' "
Colorado In the past dozen years Is
forcefully illustrated by the reports OF
the Census Bureau for 1909 and 1919
aud by the reports OF county assessors
TO the state immigration Department
for 1921, which show that acreage cul-
tivated under irrigation in the state
has increased only about is per cenr
since 1909, while acreage cultivated
without irrigation has increased con
slderably more than 100 per cent The
census reports show that G2 per cent OF
all crops acreage harvested In Colorado
in 1909 were irrigated, while in 1913
only 3S per cent of the acreage har-
vested was irrigated. The total acre
age harvested i'm the state in 1919, ac-
cording to the census report, was o.
O52, 1855 acres, an increase of 93.3 per
cent over the acreage harvested. Inc
irrigated area harvested in 1919, ac-
cording to the same census report, was
], ,925 ,951 acres, an increase of but 1S
per cent over the irrigated acreage
harvested in 1909. Reports of county
assessors to the immigration Depart
ment show that close to 5,SO0,O0O acres
were devoted to crops, exclusive of or
chards, in the state this year, of which
approximately 20 per cent was non
irrigated. Figures are not yet avail
able showing the acreage harvested in
the state this year, though the acreage
abandoned was light except in the
northeast corner of the state, where
drought caused heavy damage to non
irrigated crops.
A two-year battle with beetles was
ended with the return of w. ID. Ed
monston, government entomologist for
Colorado, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and
New Mexico, who has his headquar-
ters in Colorado Springs. Edmon-
ston has been waging a long fight with
the beetles along the northern rim of
the Grand Canon. Approximately B.
600 trees were cut down. 1T is diff
cult to combat the pests as the trees
are not noticeably affected until
year after the damage is done Edmon-
ston said. 'As many as $50 trees in
single group were destroyed by the
insects"
Thirty representatives of the Pub
lie Utilities Companies of Colorado,
New Mexico, Wyoming, met in Den
yer and perfected an organization to
be known as the Rocky Mountain COM
mittee on public utility information.
The object Of the committee is to work
up and give out useful, instructive and
interesting information on the opera
ton, founding, history and news of gen
eral interest to the general public on
public corporations of Colorado, Wyo-
ming and New Mexico.
f. n. Sherfick, "a years old, farm
er near Paonia, died from the effects
of wounds received when he was gored
by a bull in the corral back of his
home. Sherfick's wife played he
roic part in the incident, beating off
/ the enraged animal with club in
vain effort to save her husbands life.
The bull attacked Sherfick, according
to his wifes story, when he went into
the corral to do some work. He at
tempted to jump over the fence, but
was knocked down.
John Ramer, former secretary of
state of Colorado, has received orders
to report to Washington in preparation
to taking over the office of United
States minister TO Nicaragua. Mr.. Ra-
mer was appointed minister to Nicar-
aqua Oct. 8 by President Harding
Ratification by the United States Sen
ate followed, and Mr.. Ramer received
official notification, and letter from
Secretary of State Hughes requesting
his presence in Washington.
John Mitchell, assistant auditor of
the Broadmoor hotel at Colorado
Springs departed with his wife, police
authorities were informed, under cir
cumstances that have led to request
for his detention. The hotel manage
ment charges that $1,000 disappeared
mt the same time that Mitchell went
away, part of it being the hotel pay
roll for the week, and part of it money
alleged to have been raised on forged
checks.
Aztec. New Mexico, has become an
oil and gas center with very good pros
poets of through railroad and agri-
cultural development of the surround
ing country undreamed of by the most
optimistic resident. A group of Aztec
men, believing 1t to be an oil region,
formed a local company, financed it
and brought in two drlllers and sunk
q we'll At less than 1000 feet the drill
struck gas and is spouting more than
forty feet, is wet, and experienced oil
men assert that it is sure indication
of the presence of a new oil field.
Fort Lyons Naval and Marine Hos
pital at Las Animas has been aban-
doned to the Veterans Bureau by the
United States naval hospital corps.
Thirty officers and sixteen enlisted
men of the navy and marine corps have
been ordered to Denver and most of
them have reported to the Fitzsimons
General Hospital at Aurora for treat