Elbert County tribune., 1921-10-07

into the Grand canyon at the bend below the Lit
tie Colorado on June &c. He named the canyon
Puerto de Bucareli (Bucareli's Dass) in honor of
the then viceroy.
Grand river, both above and below its junction
with Gunnison river. was named Rio San Rafael
by Fathers Domniguez and Escalante in 1T76. To
the south branch the present Gunnison river, they
the name Rio San Javier (Xavier) and re-
ported the Ute Indian name as Tomchi. In this
Pixies maps 1S05-07. like other early maps,
difficult to interpret. His "Rio de los Anmas'
Qas Anmas) is much more like Grand river than
his Rio San Rafael" In 1S43 Fremont ettered
it Grand river, did Captain Stansbury in 1S49.
But for long years the maps showed great di-
versity of nomenclature Below its junction with
the 6unnison, this river was usually called Grand
river, rarely Rio Colorado Grand and
Colorado. Above the junction it called Grand.
Bunkara, Blue and North Fork of Grand river. Gun
nison river named variously Eagle Eagle Tail.
South Fork of Grand, Grunde and Grand river.
In after years Captain Gunnison's name became
gradually fixed the branch which he explored,
and the name Grand on the north or main branch,
while the name Blue river describes a small
south branch of the latter In Summit county,
Colorado.
Green river called Rio de San Buenaven-
tura by Dominiguez and Escalante In 1776, and
Escalante says (Dario Sept. IT, 1776), that It
was so named in 1853 by FIR. Alfonso de Posada.
Thinking that 1t flowed to the west. the map MAX
ers represented 1t crossing the Great basin and
flowing into the Pacific ocean, Thus it that
the River Buenaventurn became the famous ghost
river" which for years haunted the maps of the far
West Pike 1S0507, mapped it with headwaters
in the position of upper Green river, having
afluent, Rio de San Cemente (Escalantes name
for White river. east branch of the Green riv-
err, and flowing southwest into Sewer lake (name-
less). Before 1911, however upper Green river
was known to be connected with the Colorado.
The Astorinns called it both Spanish river and
Colorado river 1t was called Rio Colorado bv
Jededah s. Smith In 1924 and Rio Colorado OF
the West by william H. Ashley In 1925. BonDe-
Vile. 1897, lettered 1t Colorado of the West on his
map of the territory west of the Rocky Mountains.
The name Green river dates at least far
back as 1924. Dale refers to a Item In the
Missouri Intelligencer June % 1928, of party
leaving Santa Cruz in November. 1924 to trap on
Green river" Fremont says that the Spaniards.
contrasting 'its timbered shores and green wooded
Islands with Its dry sandy plains" named 1t Rio
Verde (Green river); Bancroft speaks of an en-
poyee of Ashley's, Mr. Green who gave his name
TO Green river; and Chittenden advances the
theory that the name may have been suggested
by the color of the water
The act of congress providing for the organiza-
tion of the territory of Colorado approved
February 2S, 1861. As introduced and as passed
by the house, the bill named the proposed
organization the territory of Idaho-"Idaho' hav-
ing been selected from many names proposed. In
the senate. motion of Senator Wilson of Mas
sachusetts the name of the territory was amended
by striking out Idaho" and inserting Colorado
This was done at the suggestion of Delegate Will
liams for the reason that the Colorado river arose
in Its mountains hence there was peculiar ft-
in the name Bancroft. however says that
''rhe name Colorado given to 1t at the sug.
gestion of the man (Wlam Gilpin) selected for
its first governor and he quotes from manu-
script of Gilpin's as follows: "Some wanted II
called Jefferson. some Arcadia. said the people
have to great extent named the states after the
great rivers of the country and the great feature
of that country Is the great Colorado river. Ah'
said he CWison of Massachusetts,. that is IT.:
and he named 1t Colorado"