Gunnison news-champion., 1923-01-26

.DR. FERRIS
TELLS Of CO.
(Dr. J. S. Ferris Of Gunnison, in the
Denver Post New Year Edition)
Cunnison. Colo, Dec. 30-When
Gunnison county was created by the
Legislative act Of March 8, 1877, its
area was approximately IL 800 square
miles; that Is more than one-tenth Of
the area Of this state and exceeding
the individual areas Of seven states of
the Union. Out of that vast domain
have been carved the rich mining
counties Of Pitkin and Ouray and the
fruit and farming lands Of Mesa,
Montrose and Delta counties. Yet
Gunnison county retains approximately
$3.50 square miles today, which u .
third larger than ths state Of Della
ware and almost three times that
land area Of Rhode Islsnd.t
The county is also extraordinarily
rich in natural resources. The Colo
rado Year Book for 1870 reports:
Few counties have finer variety
Of minerals than Gunnison county.
The known minerals are aluminium,
antimony. bismuth, clay, including
granite. graphite. grindstone and other.
abrasive stonss; iron, lead, limestone,
manganese, marble, mineral point,
platinum, molybdenum, nickel, oil
shale. sandstone, slate, silver, sulphur.
titanium and tungsten. Most Of these
have been produced in considerable
quantities"
The United States geological survey
records put the total value Of gold,
silver, copper. lead and zinc mineral
mined in this county 70 the end Of
1919 ut $6,l99.S62. In 1913 the pro-
duction Of these metals was valued II
$207,7 TAO. Gunnison county granite
may be seen in the Colorado state cap
itol ut Denver; and Gunnison county
marble in the Colorado museum and
post Office buildings, Denver; the
Cuyahoga court house, Cleveland,
Ohio; and the Lincoln Memorial at
Washington, d. C.
The coal deposits Of the county are
notable. In Bulletin 707, Department
Of the Interior, after a reference to
the great syncinal basin Of coal bear
ing rocks" extending from Gunnison
county nearly to the Wasatch noun
tains Of Utah, one reads:
"1he coal Of highest rank, including
anthracite. is found In the southern
point Of this basin, near Crested
-, -
nison. The coal in this part Of the
state has been baked and converted TO
anthracite thru heat generated by the
surface flows which accompanied the
bituminous coal and anthracite are
mined in this field and find their way
TO market thru Gunnison." The out
put in 1920 was 62O, ,632 tons.
Stock Raising II Chief Industry
Stock raising has for years been
the principal item in the county's
prosperity. The herds are small.
few exceeding 500. but . careful stand
ard Of breeding is maintained. Hence
our Herefords ranging among the
well watered pastures Of the Gunnison
forest reserve and fed in winter on
nutritious native hay rarely fail to
command top prices. Some years 10.-
900 90 to market, yielding q reve-
nue. hardly short Of . million dollars.
range cattle in this county.
gress. To the irrigated area, which
yields bumper crops q hay, grain and
potatoes. are being added non-irigated
b-~~>~ ~Gn~v~. ~ t. 1~~,~1 ~.4.Av.n
the annual precipitation is sbout thir-
seldom fail here In July and August,
compare. fsvorsSiy with lie hey yield il, in
ginning was made with head lettuce.
with the perfecting Of market fscili-
ties bids {ar to become q staple crop.
Here Is the hsherman's paradise.
There are nearly 200 miles Of fishing
grounds, stretching away from . dog
en- railway points TO the wild and ut
termost haunts Of the trout in the
secluded recesses Of the mountains.
shares in these waters flashing Rain
bow or Loeb LAWN, which captures
the Denver Posts best prize for size.
A local hatchery keeps replenishing
the stock in these streams.
Tourist Routes Go Thru Gunnison Co.
Tourists come in increasing num-
bers. Nearly one hundred miles Of
the famous Rainbow Route. the splen-
did highway connecting Pueblo and
Salt Lake City, lie within this county.
Two passes open on the eastern rim
the lCochetopa, the lowest crossing Of
the Divide IN this state, and Monarch
pass, opened in July 1921, after $780,
900 dollar improvement by the federal
government. All thru the county
gravel and disintegrated granite are
being extensively used for road sur
facing. The tourists entering this
county by way Of Monarch pass, may