The Raymer enterprise., 1921-03-24
Weld FINANCES N
DESPERATE STATE
by Special Correspondent

0Ie0loy, COiOT0uO, March x0,-
That Weld County. the richest agri-
cultural county Ct Colorado. h In q
bad way finanially, has been an
open secret for some time. but the
extent Of the depression has not been
suspected by the public.
The supposedly strong bank. Of
Timnath was forced to close its
doors recently. because the farmers
were unable to pay their loans.
The water In many Of the irriga-
ton systems two years ago was so
limited that crops were q failure In
many instances, and while last sea-
son replenished the reservoirs. the
high cost Of labor coupled with the
slump in prices made 1t impossible
for the ,tenant farmer to recoup his
losses. On top Of this the hank
failure, the inability Of the remain
ing banks to meet the demands Of
their customers fer the usual loans
forced the poor tenants to sacrifice
the earnings that represented the
fruit OF their toll for many years.
Men who year ago were conser-
vatively rated as worth 100000.
are today on the verge OF bankrupt
cy. and will be fortunate II they do
not become charge on the county.
several suicides can be traced d.
rectly to financial worry OF men who
we're counted wealthy but . few
short months ago
Some OF this IL due to the general
financial depression but more to the
unhealthy boom conditions OF the
war time period, and the "Frensied
Finance" and blue Sky stock pro-
motion" projects that have found
a receptive soil in the greed Of few
prominent men.
Prospects for beet prices for the
coming year are discoQraging. pota-
toes are selling at loss. and feeders
have been SO crippled that 1t 10
doubtful whether they will try the
feed lots again; in fact they cannot
do SO unless the banks can finance
them, which is doubtful.
Notices Of sales by the sheriff and
public trustee fill the columns OF
the newspapers Of Greeley, Suffer-
ing for lack Of food and fuel were
of frequent occurrence during the
winter and the Salvation Army was
kept busy relieving distress Of the
most acute and distressing kind.
The condition Is reflected In the
financial condition of the public
finances. Warrants on the school
fund and the road fund heretofore
readily cashed OF par are now q
drug on the market and the local
Shylocks and money changers are
demanding 10 per cent discount on
warrants that bear 6 interest, and
will be cashed SO as to make the in
terest equivalent to about Is per
cent.
In the. lace OF these conditions
proflteering goes shamelessly on.
Owners OF apartment house and fats
still demand the high rents of war
times. They heed not the cry Of the
poor and the pleas Of starving chill
dren affect them not. n they can
get their rents inreased and buy
more property from their distressed
neighbors why should they trouble
themselves about the improvident
ones?
It was recently suggested In a
public meeting that a coal bin be
fitted up az a school room. and that
road expenditures be confined to
roads already constructed and fur
ther extension Of the road system OF
the county be dispensed with.
1t is estimated that only a small
part of the taxes will be paid
lone look for big exodus OF the
people unless relief comes soon.
such am agreement. The company