USA > Colorado > Larimer County > History of Larimer County, Colorado > Part 13
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One other consideration is worthy of note. The relations between forestry and irrigation are very intimate. Thirty-five years ago the streams were at a flood during most of the irrigating months Now they run low in July at least. The mountain forests which protected the snow banks have been depleted ; these snow banks which formerly melted gradually and did not disappear until August, are now gone by the first of July. Hence the more sudden floods in the springtime, and the lower stages of water in July, August and the autumn months. It is not the irrigation ditches of Colorado that causes the Platte to run dry in Nebraska, the Arkansas in Kansas, and the Rio Grande in Mexico; it is rather the destruction of the forests which de- prived the sources of supply of their natural pro- tection, and thus permanently changed the char- acter of our mountain streams. No one act of the federal government is more largely in the interest of agriculture and irrigation than the establish- ment of forest reservations about the sources of the great rivers which flow from the mountains out on to the Plains.
While it is probably a fact that in most sections of the state the water limit has been reached, the following consideration will permit a gradual, but certain enlargement of the irrigated area. The
further building and establishment of reservoirs, by which the water that now flows to waste during the flood season in the spring and early summer will be stored for use during the irrigating season; the con- tinued use of water by which the land will become thoroughly saturated, the seepage increased, and less water will be required to grow a crop than is used at present; and the more careful protection of mountain forests about the headwaters of the streams, by which a larger and more uniform vol- ume of water will be assured during the crop grow- ing months.
The names of the more important ditches built and in operation in Larimer county, with date of priority, quantity of water appropriated, dates of en- largements and much other matter pertaining to irrigation will be found under the caption "Irriga- tion and Agriculture," immediately following these remarks :
Irrigation and Agriculture
The agricultural interests of Colorado, which, until about thirty years ago, were overshadowed by mining, stock growing and other interests, are now commanding the attention they deserve. Farming is now the leading industry of the state and the value of the products of the farm exceeds those of all the other industries. Agriculture is the founda-
MITCHELL LAKE-ALTITUDE 8,000 FEET
tion upon which the superstructure of all other in- terests rests. It forms the very basis of society and gives it that stability which is the keystone of pros- perity. Without agriculture as one of the principal industries of the commonwealth, its population must necessarily be fluctuating and unstable. In the early days the pioneers of Colorado paid but little, if any, attention to this pursuit. Gold was the talisman that drew them across the plains to the Rocky Mountains, and while they delved among
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HISTORY OF LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
the rocks for the precious metal, the fertile soil along the water courses was left untouched by the plow, the hoe and the spade. Great caravans of wagon trains were employed to transfer to them from the Missouri river the necessary amount of flour, bacon and produce to enable them to prosecute their search for the hidden treasures of the mountains. The difficulty and uncertainty of obtaining supplies of fruit and vegetables by this method and the high prices they commanded, led to experiments in their production here, and the results were so marvelous as to yield and quality that the cultivation of the soil was extended, laying the foundation of our present agricultural prosperity. The pioneer far- mer had much to contend against. The climate was an untried one, and, though he might plant in the spring, he was not sure of a harvest. There was so little moisture in the air that irrigation was nec- essary, and of this science they were ignorant. For several years in the early 70's the grasshoppers har- vested their crops and the forces of Nature seemed to be arrayed against them. Now the climate is un- derstood, irrigation is practiced intelligently, and the appliances for overcoming the ravages of the pests that prey upon the farmer's fields and orchards have made the tillers of the soil masters of the situa- tion. Owing to the scarcity of water only a limited area of land, comparatively speaking, can be culti- vated, unless-as now seems probable-the system of dry land farming recently inaugrated in the arid regions proves a success. There are millions of acres of fertile lands in the state that can only be utilized for the production of crops through that system, for the water supply is insufficient to irri- gate them. Experience teaches us, however, that no matter to what state of perfection the system of dry farming may be brought, there will now and then occur crop failures on the unirrigated lands, there- fore irrigation is Colorado agriculture's main de- pendence. The writer has lived in the Caché la Poudre valley where agriculture is almost the sole industry, for more than thirty years, and has never yet in all that period of time known a total crop failure. There have been years in the early part of that period, before the irrigation sys- tems of the valley had been brought to their present state of perfection, when the water supply-owing to a light snowfall in the mountains-was insuffi- cient to irrigate the lands under ditches having junior appropriations, and, as a consequence, the crops failed to mature on those lands for the want of moisture. But this has never occurred on lands
under ditches having early appropriations and prior rights to the use of the water flowing in the stream.
During recent years the irrigation systems of Larimer county have been brought to a very high state of perfection, through the conservation of flood waters in storage basins and through more economical methods of distribution, so that at the present time there is little or no danger of a crop failure because of the lack of moisture. The reser- voir capacity of the county is now about ten billion cubic feet and contains water enough to cover 230,000 acres of land to the depth of one foot, and this water is used to supplement the supply flow- ing in the streams. In this way, practically all the land in the county that can be watered from the ditches is given the moisture needed to mature the crop. The reservoirs are filled during the fall, winter and early spring when the water is not needed for direct irrigation, and from the flood waters that pour down the streams in May and June. The stored water is held until needed for irrigating late crops, such as potatoes, sugar beets and the last cutting of alfalfa.
Larimer county is the banner agricultural county in the state, and the value of its farm prod- ucts is exceeded by no other county in Colorado.
Ditches and Irrigation
The first settlers of the Cache la Poudre valley early realized that successful agriculture in this region depended upon the application of water to the land by artificial means. Hence we see them either as individuals or as a group of neighbors banded together and uniting their forces in the con- struction of small irrigating ditches with a water capacity sufficient to irrigate their gardens, grain fields and meadows. Later on, as the country be- came more thickly settled and the demand for irri- gating facilities greater, companies were formed and incorporated to build larger and larger ditches to carry water out on to the table lands, which were found to be better for all kinds of farming purposes than the river bottom lands.
The first irrigating ditch taking its water from the Cache la Poudre river was built in 1860 by G. R. Sanderson and used by him to water a farm now owned by Mrs. J. H. Yeager of Pleasant val- ley. The headgate of this ditch is near where the bridge crosses the river above Bellvue, and its prior- ity is dated June 1st, 1860. In 1863 Mr. Sander- son sold his squatter's right to the land he occupied to Joshua H. Yeager and the ditch was afterwards
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HISTORY OF
LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
known as Yeager ditch. The capacity of the ditch was established in 1882 at 24.80 cubic feet of water per second of time and given first priority. The ditch was enlarged in 1863 after Mr. Yeager bought the land, increasing the capacity to 33.50 feet per second of time. It may also be stated here that the Yeager ditch was the second irrigating ditch built in all that part of Colorado lying north of the Arkansas river, the first one having been taken out of the Platte near Denver a few weeks before the date of the building of the San-
May 25, 1867.23 First enlargement. ... . .
8.33
June 1, 1868.30 Second enlargement ... . 11.93 52.76
Apr. 1, 1866.16 Chamberlin ditch.
14.83 14.83
Apr. 15, 1866.17 Taylor & Gill ditch ....
18.48 18.48
Apr. 15, 1867.22 Mason & Hottel Mill race
93.06
93.06
Sept. 1, 1867.24 W. R. Jones ditch ..
15.52
15.52
Oct. 1, 1867.25 Josh Ames ditch ..
35.92 35.92
Mar. 1, 1868.26 Martin Calloway ditch.
15.22
15.22
Mar. 10, 1868.27 Bristol ditch No. 1 .....
15.22
15.22
Mar. 20, 1873.55 First enlargement ...
48.88
57.84
May 1, 1869.31 Cache la Poudre Ir. Co.
62.08
May 1, 1873.57 First enlargement ......
20.42
82.50
June 7, 1869.32 Fort Collins Irri. ditch.
1.66
Apr. 1, 1871.38 First enlargement ...
31.66
July 20, 1872.51 Second enlargement.
33.33
Sept. 1, 1873.63 Third enlargement.
62.28
128.93
Sept. 1, 1869.43 New Mercer ditch.
4.16
Oct. 10, 1871.46 First enlargement. 8.33
July 2, 1872.48 Second enlargement.
15.00
Feb. 15, 1880.80 Third enlargement ...
136.00
163.49
Mar. 1, 1870.34 Bristol ditch No. 2.
14.83
14.83
May 1, 1871.39 William Calloway ditch No. 2 .. 21.05
21.05
Mar. 10, 1872.47 Chaffee Irr. ditch.
22.38
22.38
Nov. 1, 1872.53 Lake Canal Co. ditch. .
158.33
158.33
Mar. 15, 1873.54 W. S. Taylor ditch .. 28.60
28.60
Apr. 1, 1873.56 Larimer County No. 2 .. 175.00
175.00
July 1, 1873.59 Aquilla Morgan ditch .. 17.65
17.65
Ang. 15, 1873.61
H. F. Sturdevant. 10.66
10.66
Aug. 20, 1873.62
May 1, 1874.65 Vandewark ditch. ..
10.16
10.16
May 15, 1874.66 Mitchell
ditch Weymouth
17.35
17.35
Nov. 1, 1874.67 Boyd & Stafford ditch ..
15.30
15.30
Jan. 28, 1875.70 Wm. Calloway ditch
14.16
14.16
Mar. 22, 1875.71 Wetzler Weymouth
Mitchell 10.36
Mar. 1, 1877.74 First enlargement. 3.00
Oct. 1, 1875.73 Kitchel & Ladd ditch .. 2.95
2.95
Apr. 1, 1878.76 Henry Smith ditch .... . 7.23 7.23
Apr. 15, 1878.77 Abram Washburn ditch No. 1. 9.56
June 18, 1878.78 Boxelder Reservoir ditch 17.50
17.50
Apr. 1, 1878.80 Carter Cotton Mill Race 127.30
Dec. 31, 1879.85 First enlargement. . 37.16
164.46
Apr. 15, 1879.81 Abram Washburn ditch No. 2 .. 15.43
Sept. 1, 1859.84 Johnson, McNey &
Chase ditch 3.40
3.40
June 1, 1868.29 Second enlargement.
4.33
10.10
Jan. 19, 1880.86 Mitchell-Weymouth No. 2
16.27
16.27
Oct. 21, 1870.36 First enlargement. 14.42
Sept. 15, 1873.64 Second enlargement. 12.13
50.91
Sept. 1, 1861. 4 Pleasant Valley & Lake Canal 10.96
June 10, 1864.11 First enlargement. . 29.63
July 19, 1872.49 Second enlargement .... 16.50
Aug. 18, 1879.83 Third enlargement .. . . 80.83
Mar. 1, 1862. 5 Pioneer Ditch Company 12.72
Sept. 15, 1864.12 First enlargement. ... 16.66
June 1, 1864.10 Larimer & Weld Canal. 3.00
Apr. 1, 1867.21 First enlargement ..... 16.66
Sept. 20, 1871.44 Second enlargement ....
75.00
Jan. 15, 1874.69 Third enlargement ..... 54.33
719.99
Apr. 10, 1865.13 John G. Coy ditch. 31.63
May 1, 1865.14 John L. Brown ditch ... 8.00
Mar. 1, 1866.15 Boxelder ditch.
32.50
29.58 the Cache la Poudre river and its tributaries. In the above table the ditches taken out of the river to water Weld county land are not included. At its highest stage the river carries about 7,000 cubic feet of water per second and about 150 cubic feet 31.63 at its lowest stage. The lowest stages occur in the 8.00 winter time when the water is not needed for irriga-
Order of Name of Ditch No. cu. ft. for Total Am't
When Built Priority or Canal each priority Appropriation
June 1, 1860. 1 Yeager ditch.
24.80
June 1, 1863. 8 Yeager ditch.
8.70
33.50
June 1, 1861. 2 Watrous, Whedbee Secord &
1.44
July 1, 1866.19 First enlargement.
4.33
June 10, 1861. 3 Dry Creek ditch.
11.60
Feb. 1, 1880.87 North Poudre Canal & Res. Co. 315.00 315.00
Apr. 25, 1881.89 Larimer County ditch .. 469.80 Oct. 1, 1881.90 Eagle Nest Ranch ditch. 5.02 5.02 469.80
These ditches were all proved up on and their
priorities established by the court in 1882-3. Since then one large and several small ditches have tapped
137.92
Aug. 1, 1878.79 Fourth enlargement .... 571.00
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CHAMBER'S LAKE, DAM AND RESERVOIR- ALTITUDE 9,000 FEET
derson or Yeager ditch. The following table shows the date of construction, date of appro- priation and order of priority of all the irrigating ditches and canals in Larimer County, taking water from the Caché la Poudre river and its tributaries :
No. 2.
13.36
9.56
15.43
July 15, 1879.82 Third enlargement. 12.70
Mar. 15, 1868.28 Canon Canal ditch ....
8.60
HISTORY OF
LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
tion, and the water is then run into storage reser- voirs. In the foregoing table it will be seen that the figures in priority show the order in which the ditches are allowed to take water from the river. For instance: The Yeager ditch, the first con- structed, can take practically 35 cubic feet of water in advance of all other ditches, but its appropria- tion for its first enlargement, which was made three years later and numbered "8" cannot be used until all the other ditches and enlargements made during the three years' interval have been supplied. The system of water distribution under the Consti- tution and Laws of the state is an elaborate one, de- signed to provide for the beneficial use of water and to protect ditch owners and the users of water for irrigation in their respective rights.
The Notorious Slade
In Coutant's History of Wyoming reference is made to Joseph A. Slade, a notorious character, who when drunk, for about two years terrorized the peo- ple along the Overland route from Laporte west- ward, in the following terms:
"Before closing the events of 1863, it will be necessary to introduce a notorious character in these pages. It was a recognized fact in the Overland days that all the officers and agents connected with the Overland stage were men of the highest char- acter with a single exception, and this individual was Joseph Slade. He was division superintendent, first with headquarters at Fort Laramie, and later established Virginia Dale, naming the place in honor of his wife. The incidents connected with this man Slade, I have drawn from numerous and what I consider. reliable sources.
"Hugo Koch, who now resides in Fremont county, Wyoming, tells me that he came west in the fall of 1858 and that at Atchison he joined a bull train which was in charge of Slade, who the follow- year became superintendent of a division of the Overland stage company in Wyoming. This, then, is the introduction of that notorious character into this country. Koch describes Slade as not far from thirty years old at that time, though he must have been older, as he was a volunteer in the Mexican war. He was rather under the medium size, dark complexion, firm set features and determined look. Slade was accompanied by his wife, who was rather good looking and about the same age as her husband ; weight about 160 pounds. Mrs. Slade was not alto- gether a lovely character, often interfering in her husband's business, and many of the difficulties he
had with people originated with her. I have on the same authority something of Slade's early life. He was born in Southern Illinois and at the age of thirteen displayed an ungovernable temper and killed a man by striking him with a stone. This man had interfered with some boys with whom young Slade was playing. The father of the lad succeeded in getting him out of the country and sending him to Texas, where he grew to manhood and was married. His wife always possessed great influence over him, even when he was drunk. Soon after arriving in Wyoming he killed a man named Andrew Farrar. The two were drinking together at some point east of Green river and got into an animated conversation during which something was said about shooting. Slade remarking that no man must dare him to shoot; Farrar, who was fast reach- ing a maudlin condition remarked, 'I dare you to shoot me.' Instantly Slade drew his revolver and fired, inflicting a dangerous wound on the person of Farrar. Horrified at what he had done, he ex- pressed the greatest sorrow to the wounded man and those around him and instantly dispatched a messen- ger on a fast horse to Fort Bridger to secure a sur- geon. The doctor came promptly, but his services were without avail, and Farrar died. As superin- tendent for the stage company, Slade had many ad- ventures. He conducted business in a manner satis- factory to the stage company and was noted for his promptness in all transactions relating to the passen- ger and express business. I find many old timers who were acquainted with Slade while he was in charge of a division of the Overland stage. All agree that he was a good man for the very difficult positions he held, but that he was a dangerous char- acter when under the influence of liquor. He had trouble with many people, and among others Jules Reni, a French Canadian, who had a ranch on the South Platte where Julesburg is located at the pres- ent time, this town being named after this Canad- ian. Reni and Slade often met and as often had misunderstandings. Finally they had a quarrel and Reni fired with a shotgun thirteen buckshot into Slade's person. Reni appeared well satisfied and said to some person standing near, 'When he is dead, you can put him in one of those dry goods boxes and bury him.' This remark was heard by Slade, and with an oath he replied, 'I shall live long enough to wear one of your ears on my watch guard. You needn't trouble yourself about my burial.' While the shooting excitement was still on, the Overland stage came along, and it chanced that the superintendent of the road was aboard.
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HISTORY OF
LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
This officer ordered the arrest of the would-be mur- derer, and those present took him into custody and proceeded to hang him. After he had been strangled until he was black in the face, he was allowed to go, on promising to leave the country, which he did for the time. Slade suffered from his wounds for several weeks and finally made a journey to St. Louis to procure surgical assistance. Seven of the buckshots were cut out and the balance remained in his person to remind him of vengeance. When he re- turned to the road he took occasion to send word to his antagonist that he was determined to kill him on sight, but he would not go out of his way to meet him. Reni, or Jules as he was always called, re- ceived Slade's message and at once returned to the division of the Overland where Slade was employed and on his way told several persons that he was a going to kill Slade. The latter was at Pacific Springs and heard of the threat, and he at once started for Julesburg. When he arrived at Fort Laramie he visited the officers and laid the subject before them and promised to take their advice. The officers understood all about the threats of both parties and frankly told Slade that in their judg- ment, Jules would kill him unless prompt measures were taken, and that he would have no peace on his division unless Jules was captured and killed. Slade now dispatched forces to Bordeaux's ranch, where he learned Jules had spent the night before. The instructions given the men were to make Jules a prisoner, securely tie him and await arrival of Slade, who was to follow on the next east bound coach. The men sent after Jules did not find him at Bordeaux's, so they went on to Chansau's ranch, the next station, where they found their man. They captured him without opposition, securely bound his hands and feet and placed him in the corral in the rear of the station. Slade came in the next coach, as agreed, and was rejoiced to find his enemy a captive. He went at once to the corral and on first sight leveled a pistol and fired. The ball struck Jules in the mouth but did not kill him; a second shot passed through his head and produced instant death. Slade then returned to Fort Laramie and went through the farce of giving himself up to justice and demanded an investigation. The com- mander, of course discharged him, inasmuch as he had advised the killing. The story of this shooting has been told in many ways? I have met persons who claimed that Slade ordered Jules placed in a standing position and fired repeated shots, and be- tween each went to the station and invited the crowd to take a drink, and just before firing would
say, 'Now, Jules, I am going to hit you in such a place,' and being an expert shot he kept his word every time. Finally he cut off Jules' ears and put them in his vest pocket, after which he killed him outright. This story is told by some persons now living in this state, but I am satisfied they have been misinformed and that my account is substantially correct. The stage company investigated the affair at the time and while they did not approve of Slade's conduct, they permitted him to continue in his posi- tion as superintendent of his division.
"Slade's whole connection with the Overland was the embodiment of ruffianism, and how he held his position with the stage company is hard to con- jecture. It may be that his reputation was some protection to the company, and that he had some ability to get stages through on time, but for all this he was a dangerous character when drunk, and in this condition he was very often found. He was guilty of many acts of violence toward men who were much better in every way than himself. After the stages were removed to the southern line, he on one occasion entered the sutler's store at Fort Hal- lock and amused himself by shooting holes through the canned goods on the shelf. At another time he took possession of the sutler's quarters and terror- ized everybody connected with the establishment. While he lived at Virginia Dale, his official duty frequently called him to Laporte. On one of these trips he 'shot up' the town. He entered the only store in the place with his companion, smashed the mirrors, opened the faucets of the vinegar and molasses barrels to see what sort of a mixture these two articles would make when sugar and flour were added. When Slade sobered up he came around and settled for the damage done, paying $800 for his fun. Charles W. Ramer had just come to this country then, and, from a safe distance at the rear of the store, saw the whole affair through a window. That was his introduction to life in the far west. For Slade's escapade at the sutler's store at Fort Halleck, the commander had him arrested and re- fused a release unless the stage company would first dismiss him from their employ. This was done and Slade found his way to Montana, where he had many adventures, and finally located at Virginia City in 1864, where his frequent drunken brawls and high- handed acts of violence made him the subject of in- vestigation by the vigilantes, who sentenced him to be hanged. When informed of his fate by the exe- cutive officers of the committee, he fell on his knees and begged for his life. When he saw that it was useless to implore, he exclaimed, My God ! My God !
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HISTORY OF LARIMER COUNTY, COLORADO
Must I die?' A rope was thrown over the cross beam of the gateway of the corral and Slade was placed upon a dry goods box, the rope drawn tight and the box pushed from under him, and all was over. Mrs. Slade had been sent for, but arrived too late to see her husband alive. She threw her- self upon the dead body, closing the inanimate form in her arms, and gave vent to heart rending cries, followed by bitter curses upon those who hanged her husband. Finally, turning to those about her, she exclaimed in agony of grief, 'Why, oh, why did not some of you, the friend of Slade, shoot him down and not suffer him to die on the scaffold? I would have done it had I been here. He should never have died by the rope of the hangman. No dog's death should have come to such a man. '
The late William C. Stover, who was in Virginia City at the time, witnessed the execution of Slade. Like most of his class, who held human life cheap, Slade was a coward at heart, as his conduct at the time of his death proved.
Slade's Dare-Devil Deeds
Elsewhere in this volume is told the story of the desperado Slade, who served for a time as division superintendent of the Overland stage, with head- quarters at Virginia Dale. The incidents here re- lated were recounted by well-known citizens of Larimer county, who were personally cognizant of them and, in one instance, a victim of Slade's drunken fury, which give the stories a local coloring.
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