History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 32

Author: Hall, Frank, 1836-1917. cn; Rocky Mountain Historical Company
Publication date: 1889-95
Publisher: Chicago, Blakely print. Co.
Number of Pages: 791

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One of the important events of 1884 was the building of the Roan Creek toll road, a project conceived by Mr. Henry R. Rhone. The plan was to build a road some thirty miles in lengthi, from a point ten miles east of the town of Grand Junction, on the north side of Grand river, through Hogback Canon to Garfield county, and thus open communication with Glenwood Springs. It was known to be a very difficult and expensive undertaking, and therefore, the people being poor, it met with little encouragement. But Mr. Rhone persevered, organized a company, borrowed a little money, began grading, and then laid siege to the directory of the Chamber of Commerce in Denver for further aid, but was not successful. He finally succeeded in raising $1,000 in Denver, which bridged present difficulties, but. needing many thousands more than could be secured from sales of toll road scrip, he went to Salt Lake, but received no assistance there. Finally, through Mr. Darwin P. Kingsley, afterward auditor of state, the requisite funds were procured, and in due course this important thoroughfare was completed.

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During this year, also, the primitive school house at Grand Junction was sup- planted by a fine two-story brick structure, built at a cost of $8,237.97. Realizing the potency of effective cooperation for the attraction of immigrants and capital, which they so much needed to carry on the work thus fortuitously begun, the princi- pal citizens, in December, 1894, met and organized a Board of Trade that was, in fact, simply a bureau of immigration, for the collection and distribution of statistical and descriptive literature, comprehending the advantages of that section and the opportunities offered to settlers. Mr. D. Crandall was made president, W. E. Shaf- fer, secretary, and W. T. Carpenter, treasurer. This action produced the effect anticipated. The world began to hear of Grand Junction and Mesa county in terms that brought many accessions to the population. Among the earlier residents were many who believed the soil and climate of all the valleys to be peculiarly favor- able to fruit culture, consequently large quantities of small trees and vines had been imported from the east and west, planted, watered and carefully nurtured. The result has fully justified their views. Among the first experimenters were Messrs. C. W. Steele and E. Blain & Sons of Hopedale, J. P. Harlow at the mouth of Rapid creek, Mr. Ralph, Robert A. Orr, A. B. Johnson, Morton Florida, George Hawx- hurst, James Seminoe, Messrs. Shropshire, Penniston and Coffman at Whitewater, who, with others, began planting in 1883, continuing each year until they had ac- quired considerable orchards. Very few came into thrifty bearing until 1886. To advance the cause by the free interchange of experiences, and for effective cooper- ation, on the 15th of December, 1884, the fruit growers met and instituted the Mesa County llorticultural society, when R. A. Orr was made president; A. K. Hamp- ton of Plateau valley, C. W. Steele of Grand Junction, A. D. Mahany of Fruita and Mr. Washburn of Kannah Creek, vice-presidents; A. L. Peabody, treasurer; Mrs. A. L. Peabody, corresponding secretary, and R. W. Temple, recording secretary. Through this and auxiliary efforts many of the splendid achievements subsequently attained were consummated. Each exhibited intense pride in the development of his particular branch of the great scheme, and in due time, as we shall discover, brought Mesa county into universal notice as the finest horticultural section of the West, that is to say, between the Missouri river and California. In the meantime the farmers had been equally active in demonstrating that everything except corn could be raised in great quantities. Thus closed the year 1884.

In 1885 some of the philanthropic spirits conceived the idea of establishing a school for the moral and mental training of young children from the U'te Indian tribes stationed in Utah. The citizens donated one hundred and sixty aeres of land to the object, situate some two miles east of Grand Junction. A. W. Gullett of Gunnison and J. W. Bueklin took the lead in the movement. Appealing to Con- gress through our representative in that body, an appropriation of $23,000 for a building was secured. It was begun soon afterward and completed April Ist. 1886. Dr. J. J. Roberts was made superintendent. In August he was succeeded by Pro- fessor W. I. Davis, formerly superintendent of a similar school in the Indian Terri- tory, and Dr. Robertson became physician to the school. In October Rev. Thomas Griffith of the M. E. church (South) was appointed principal and Miss Mamie Hen- derson, teacher. It was opened in November, 1886, with a considerable number of dusky pupils, and from that time to the present has, as far as practicable, fulfilled its mission. It is unnecessary to dwell upon the benefits derivable from schools of this nature, for we all comprehend that, if the remnants of the savage races are ever to be humanized and adapted to civilization, it must be done by taking the young out of the camps and away from the wild roving life, and fashion them for citizenship by education.

In 1885 the state legislature appropriated from the internal improvement fund $25,000 for the construction of an iron bridge across the two rivers at Grand Junction. The citizens contributed $15,000 additional and the contract was

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awarded to the Groton Iron Bridge company of New York for $32,893 and by them completed. Theretofore passage of these streams was by ferry, the first estab- lished by Weil & Fitzpatrick at a point opposite Mr. M. J. Merriam's ranch.

The first white child born within the present limits of Mesa county was Hattie Dunlap, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. G. Dunlap of Plateau valley, March 7th, 1882. The next, according to the published chronicles, was Harrison E. Gavin, son of John T. Gavin, of the Grand valley, in September of the same year. The first house erected in the county was a log cabin by C. A. Brett on his ranch one mile below Grand Junction, in the fall of 1881. The Brunswick hotel appears to have been the first brick building erected at the capital city, built by John Hal- derby in the summer of 1882 and it still remains the principal, indeed the only, hos- telry of importance. It may be observed in passing that it should be super- seded by a structure more in keeping with the magnitude and increasing importance of the city.

The fruitage of all crops in 1886 definitely shaped the destiny of the Grand val- ley and its tributary precincts. It was shown that these intelligent and pains- taking people had built and planted more wisely than they at the outset com- prehended. The experimental venture had blossomed into magnificent certainties, and, in viewing the crops gathered, it became distinctly manifest that the desolate reservation of 1881 was to become the main dependence of the state for the best products of horticulture. All the cereals had yielded abundantly from the limited areas sown; the little sprouts of peach, apple, plum, prune, apricot and other trees had come into bearing without serious mishap or attack from any deleterious source, growing with extraordinary rapidity. The few vineyards set out were equally lux- uriant and productive. The Manufacturers' Exchange of Denver opened an exposi- tion in September that year and invited the state to participate in the exhibit. Mesa county sent W. E. Pabor and C. W. Steele with a collection of fruits, grains and vegetables, and their excellence and variety attracted much attention. In 1891 Mesa county alone could have filled the entire building with selected samples of the finest fruits ever brought to this market, and thereby created a vast sensation.

A glance at any well-executed map of the state will show that the county occu- pies a central position, so to speak, on the extreme western border of Colorado. Its principal town is only thirty-six miles east of the Utah line. The altitude of Grand valley is 4,500 feet above the sea level. It is surrounded by cliffs and mountain ranges, and its valley, instead of being an open plain like that of the Uncompahgre, is interspersed with elevated mesas or high table-lands which, utterly worthless except for grazing without irrigation, become very productive by the proper appli- cation of water. Most of the farming thus far has been scattered along the margins of the different water-courses, but in a short time, as soon as canals can be carried over the uplands, they will be no less fruitful than the lower sections. The climate from April to November is almost tropical, very hot, usually quite dry, and with few winds. The nights are less cool than on the eastern slopes, or upon the plains east of the Sierra Madres. The region is quite lavishly endowed with large streams; the Gunnison and the Grand, into which all the others find their way, are two of the largest rivers in Colorado. The first, coming down from the southeast, and the Grand, from the northeast, and meeting at Grand Junction, form one great river equal to the Arkansas at Pueblo. It is these influences with their affluents which are to play a mighty part in the future of that county. In the southern part is the Uncompahgre plateau, drained on the south and west by the Dolores river, and from the north and east by the Grand and Gunnison. Along the northwestern division are the Grand Mesa, drained by the two rivers named and Plateau creek, and Battlement mountain, which with the Book Cliffs nearest the capital city, are drained by the Grand. All these cliffs and plateaus converge in the Grand valley. The Grand river is the largest in the state. The Gunnison is almost as

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great in volume, while the Dolores, in the southwest, is a river of considerable magnitude, ranking third in the series. All along their branches, putting down from springs and snows, the margins, though frequently narrow, are extremely fertile, upon which anything adapted to the climate may be grown in great luxuri- ance. The more prominent of these valleys are Parachute and Roan, the Cactus, Bluestone. and Plateau on the Grand, east and west, and Kannah ereek and Whitewater valleys on the Gunnison.

The Grand valley has an estimated area of 150,000 acres of good tillable land, beginning at the mouth of Hogback Canon, fifteen miles above the junction of the two rivers, and extending forty miles along the river. In width it is from five to fifteen miles. The Plateau valley extends along the creek of that name, three hundred yards to three-fourths of a mile in width, and fifty to sixty miles in length. It is largely occupied by farmers and fruit growers. George Hawxhurst and family were the first settlers in that region, locating there September 10th, 1881.

The Unaweep valley is crescent shaped and extends the entire distance between the Gunnison, opposite Whitewater, and the Dolores rivers. It is formed by a break in the Uncompahgre plateau. These lands, also, are extremely productive. The first white settler here was Mr. J. O. Gill, in December, 1881. The next was John M. Nolan, who came January 7th, 1882. These were followed by T. H. Loba, Allen D. Campbell, Chas. Berg and Capt. Anderson. Kannah ereek and Whitewater, affluents of the Gunnison, both traverse fertile and well tilled valleys, superior lands for horticulture.

In all my observations of Mesa county, taken in September, 1891, when the prospect on every side was at its best, I saw nothing comparable to the bright little valley of Whitewater. To one bred in northern Colorado from early man- hood, witnessing but few of the efforts there made toward fruit culture, it was a beautiful vision, a surprising revelation of loveliness and plenty such as I had never expected to witness in any part of the Rocky Mountains. The orchards of Messrs. J. R. Penniston, W. H. Coffman, R. W. Shropshire and others were in full fruitage; apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, quinces, etc., in almost endless variety, each tree bent by the weight of its lovely burden, formed a new and entrancing experience, a wonderful testimonial to the fertility of the soil and its supreme adaptability to the purposes to which the farmers had given deepest attention. All lived in fine houses, were apparently satisfied and pros- perous, with immeasurable confidence in the wisdom which had guided them to make homes in this little Elysium. In all the fruits of this region, indeed of every section where this industry has been rightly carried on, there is a richness of coloring and a peculiar delicacy of flavor that may be attributed partly to the nature of the ground, but more particularly to the constant sunshine. There is a marked improvement in all respects over any similar products imported from Cali- fornia, and this is especially true of the peaches, apples, quinees, grapes and melons. As I traversed these fields with the several owners and beheld the magnificence on every side, the spirited rivalry between competitors as to which should produce the best results, each having exerted himself to the utmost to reach perfection, it certainly seemed as if their fines had been east in pleasant places, and that perseverance in well doing would surely bring them fame and fortune. Mr. Shropshire sent some of his choicest apples of the season of 1800 to the Chicago Exposition of that year. where they took first premium over those of the most favored states represented there. 1 was fortunate enough to stand under the tree from which they were taken and to receive from his hand one of the most beautiful of those then ripening .*

* I am indebted for much of the pleasure of this excursion to Mr. and Mrs. M. 1 .. Allison, of Grand Junction, and for the privilege of examining several other orchards and vineyards adjoining the capital of the county, to the courtesy of Mr. Benton Canon.

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It is indisputable, I think, that no better apples, peaches or grapes have been pro- duced west of the Mississippi than were found here. They are not only perfect in form and color, but possess all the other desirable qualities of size and flavor. The best varieties to be procured in the American Union have been planted and largely improved by the transplanting in this genial climate. They are now so well established on all the creeks and valleys where horticulture has been made a special feature, the harvests have been so plentiful since the trees and vines matured, the markets are so near and the prices obtained so profitable, one needs but a tract of twenty to forty acres to insure a moderate fortune in a few years. The chief markets are among the neighboring mining towns and camps, which con- sume all they are at present capable of producing. Mr. Penniston informed me that all of his select peaches sold readily for ten cents a pound.

The hamlet of Whitewater is situated on the creek of that name, a tributary of the Gunnison, some twelve miles southeast of Grand Junction, and the settle- ments on Kannah creek of a similar character are on the same line a few miles below. Bluestone and Cactus valleys extend along the east side of Grand river for twenty miles, and are from one to two miles in width, well settled. The Roan creek valley extends from Hogback Canon, a distance of twenty-five miles along Roan creek, and is about two miles wide. These are fine agricultural sections, with considerable areas of grazing lands.

Fruita is situated some twelve miles northwest of Grand Junction, on the Rio Grande Western railway. It was founded by the Fruita Town and Land company, T. C. Henry, president, and W. E. Pabor, secretary. Pabor came to Colorado in 1870 as secretary of the Union Colony, which founded Greeley; was afterward intimately identified with the founding of Colorado Springs; a prominent journalist, with a decided leaning toward agriculture and horticulture, and is a somewhat famous poet withal. The town site of Fruita was originally a part of the ranch claim preempted by Messrs. Steele, Ross, Sutton and Downer. An attempt had been previously made to establish a town there called "Fairview," but it was not perfected. Messrs. Henry, Pabor and their associates purchased the claim in the fall of 1884. The town was surveyed by A. J. McCune and the plat filed July 23rd, 1884. Surrounding the place are fruit orchards in five and ten acre tracts. Sub- sequently the town company was officered by J. P. Bronk, president; J. W. Burrows, vice-president and treasurer: F. J. V. Skiff, secretary, and W. E. Pabor, superin- tendent. The residence blocks have been bordered by ornamental shade trees and the village is very attractive. The phenomenal peach orchard of the state is located here, owned by Rose Bros. & Hughes, a tract of 80 acres, containing 12,000 trees, all in bearing to the fullest extent of their capacity. Up to the 22nd of August, 1891, the owners had shipped 38 tons of peaches, and still had an enormous crop in reserve for further shipments. This illustrates as fully, perhaps, as anything that can be advanced, the fecundity of all the peach orchards of Mesa county, for there is little difference except in the areas planted. All are alike prolific in yields. The trees bear all they can sustain, and many have been broken by the weight. It is difficult to repress one's enthusiasm after witnessing such marvelous displays of the bounty of nature as were everywhere observable about Grand Junction and its tributary valleys. There was such lavish abundance on every hand, so many evidences of local pride and gratification over the success of the new phase of industry established there. By new phase, let it be understood that while other quarters, as Canon City. Montrose, the Animas valley, Rocky Ford, on the Arkansas, and in several northern counties of the state, as Arapahoe and Boulder, great progress in horticulture has grown out of the past fifteen years, in no other section has the cultivation of peaches, apricots, nectarines, prunes, raisin grapes, etc., reached so extensive and perfect a development as here. It is doubted if any other quarter of equal extent excepting Delta will ever be able

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to produce them on so large a scale and in such variety. I visited a number of orchards adjoining the town of Grand Junction, notably those of Mr. T. R. Thatcher and Hon. C. F. Caswell, all of which gave the common testimony of excellence and abundance. In the one small vineyard examined, that of Mr. Baumgardner, opposite Mr. Thatcher's, the same results were manifest. All the better varieties of grapes, including the wine and the raisin, flourish grandly in this soil and climate. I do not imagine that California has any advantage in this respect except in immensity of acreage. Black walnuts, English walnuts, hard shell almonds, with olives and figs, can be grown here quite as well as in thejr native climes. Indeed, there seems to be no limitation to the capabilities of that country except in the lines of tropical fruits.

Of agricultural products, the staples are wheat, oats, barley, alfalfa, potatoes, both Irish and sweet, the latter especially fine. No section of the Union produces better sweet potatoes. While cultivation of the cereals can be enlarged to almost any extent, markets are distant and competition so strong that farmers have aban- doned the idea of raising grain for export. Since the limited number engaged in horticulture as a specialty have met with such extraordinary fortune, farming has become a secondary pursuit, and each year the grain fields have been super- seded by orchards and vineyards, upon the understanding that, with the best and largest crops raised, the market can not be overstocked.

The first orchards were planted in the spring of 1882. As their growth justified, additions were made each succeeding season. In 1886 the earlier trees began to bear profusely. Mr. C. W. Steele, statistical reporter for the bureau of statistics in Washington, in his report for 1891, says: "Long seasons and warm summers, with immunity from insect pests, tend to make this one of the best localities in the United States for the growth of the finer fruits, as well as the more hardy. Apples and pears grow to a phenomenal size and of surpassing flavor." Of the other advantages he notes, "an abundance of water for irrigation; a low altitude in the Rocky Mountain system; freedom from hailstorms and tornadoes; and, owing to the dryness of the atmosphere, no late destructive frosts in the spring, no insects such as are common to the Mississippi valley. The general character of the soil is adobe, with about one-half of the area of the valley lands river alluvial and a reddish sandy loam."

. The principal fruit growers about Grand Junction are Messrs. C. W. Steele, R. A. Orr, W. A. Kennedy, A. M. Olds, T. R. Thatcher, J. F. Spencer, C. F. C'as- well, Benton Canon, H. R. Rhone, the Smith Bros., and the Orchard Mesa Fruit-Land company; at Fruita, the Keifer Bros., Rose Bros. & Hughes, Car- penter & Gage, J. H. Berry and Mr. A. B. Johnson.

There are two fine public school buiklings in Grand Junction, one of them the most imposing edifice in the town, but there are no county buildings as yet. except a jail. There is a good system of waterworks, the supply taken from Grand river and distributed through the streets in pipes, with hydrants at the corners for the use of the fire companies. The cost of the system was about $100,000. There is a very efficient volunteer fire organization, composed of young racers and athletes.

The main streets are lined with brick and stone buildings, and there are many pretty residences. One line of horse cars runs from the railway depot to the center of the town. The Grand Junction Town and Improvement company is operated by M. L. Allison, president and general manager: C. B. Rich, assistant manager. The original officers were Geo. A. Crawford, president; Thomas B. Crawford, sec- retary and treasurer, and the following directors: D. C. Dodge. W. A. Bell. W. M. Hastings, of the D. & R. G. R. R. Co., J. W. Bucklin and Allison White. At the beginning the company issued stock shares to the amount of $100,000, of which the D. & R. G. R. R. Co. owned one-half. But when that company fell into the

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hands of W. S. Jackson as receiver, the title to the land was attacked; therefore the town company purchased the shares held by the railroad company, perfected its title and proceeded to carry out the purposes of the organization. Prior to this, however, the capital stock had been increased to $500,000, one-fifth of which was reserved for internal improvements, the erection of hotels, residences, mills, facto- ries, business houses, waterworks, gas and electric plants, etc. The proceeds of lot sales have been devoted to such improvements. The town is 116 miles from Ouray, 96 from Ridgway, 100 from Gunnison, 312 from Pueblo, 447 from Denver via the Denver & Rio Grande railroad, and 36 from the Territory of Utah. It bears every evidence of thrift, substantial means and rapid expansion. Within five years it should have a population of 25,000 to 30,000, according to the promise of the present epoch.

The Press .- The "News" was founded by Edwin Price, October 28th, 1882, and was the first newspaper in the town. In May, 1883, Darwin P. Kingsley, who afterward became auditor of state, purchased an interest and edited this journal until 1886, when he resold to Mr. Price. The Grand Junction "Democrat" fol- lowed in 1883, Chas. W. Haskell and C. F. Coleman, proprietors. This venture proved unfortunate and suspended, when Mr. Haskell started the Mesa County "Democrat." The "Inter-State" was founded by A. K. Cutting, G. W. Frame and D. A. Nunnelly. It was subsequently purchased by a joint stock company and consolidated with the "Democrat," W. E. Pabor, editor. Later on the Grand Junction "Star" was founded upon these two plants, and Col. J. L. Bartow, formerly editor-in-chief of the Leadville "Democrat," became editor. The "Star," at Fruita, was established by W. E. Pabor.

Banks .- The Bank of Grand Junction, started by S. G. Crandall, in 1882, passed into voluntary liquidation some three years afterward. The Mesa County Bank was founded in 1883 by W. T. Carpenter. July Ist, 1888, it was incorporated as the Mesa County State Bank, W. T. Carpenter, president, and Orsin Adams, Jr., cashier. In December, 1889, Mr. Carpenter sold to Benton Canon, who became president, Mr. Adams continuing as cashier. These two, with W. P. Ela, James H. Smith, George P. Smith, W. J. Quinn and W. A. Marsh constitute its directory. Its capital is $50,000.

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History of the State of Colorado, Volume IV, Part 32

Author: Hall, Frank, 1836-1917. cn; Rocky Mountain Historical Company Publication date: 1889-95 Publisher: Chicago, Blakely print. Co. Number of Pages: 791

Author: Hall, Frank, 1836-1917. cn; Rocky Mountain Historical Company
Publication date: 1889-95
Publisher: Chicago, Blakely print. Co.
Number of Pages: 791