Salt Lake Telegram | 1931-11-13 | Page 8 | Colorado's No Man's Land Technically Not under U. S. Ownership

7 0 i p. p t Cr Colorado's Colorados 0 I ora dO 05 N No 0 M Mans Man's I I V Land T Technically Not tIU 5 Hinder n d er U U. U S S. 0 Ownership he Ip C y ir Foreign Nation M Might Raise Rais r j- j Fla Flag Claim T Territory Occupy Region Editors Editor's note Colorado has ano ano a ano no mans man's land Persons born there may not be citizens of the United States and among the things that could happen Is 18 that a foreign foreign foreign for for- eign nation could raise its flag and claim the land Jand Heres Here's the story atory I DENVER Nov 13 UP The UP-The The The United States government never has acquired title to 1500 square miles of land in Colorado and technically the area is the real no mans man's land not actually a part of ot the United States The region includes Include the towns of of's s 's Sulphur u 1 h u r Springs Spring Kremmling Granby Tabernash Fraser Eraser Dillon Breckenridge and Grand Lake and embraces the headwaters of the Colorado Colorado Colorado Colo Colo- rado river one of the most mast important livestock and head hend lettuce areas of oft t the state sute I I COULD ORGANIZE NATION Among things that could happen are that a foreign nation could raise its flag over the territory involved claim dalm it and float its navy on Grand lake Jake or that the residents of ot the re region region region re- re gion who can hardly be United States citizens if it they were not born bom bomin in tn the United States and do not live Uve there could organize and declare themselves an Independent nation Hoover could send out an n exploring expedition to find the theland theland theland land raise the fl flag of of the United States and claim It in the name of the republic The records of the general land office show how the United States States- States never never acquired the land in question and could not give patents in the territory territory terri terri- tory involved In 1806 1808 the United States made the Louisiana purchase from Napoleon for The western boundAry boundary boundary boun boun- dary of ot the purchase follows up the Arkansas river to the continental divide di- di divide vide in Colorado then turns eastward eastward eastward east east- ward and northward encircling what is commonly known in Colorado as Middle park in an immense ox ax bow It Joins the Texas annexation on Rabbit Ear range LE LEAVES VES ELLIPTICAL AREA The Texas annexation was made in 18 1845 P Part of t the e republic of ot Texas as extended through tree the heart or Colorado Colorado Colo Colo- rado redo Into southern Wyoming in the form of ot a panhandle The eastern boundary of ot that panhandle followed roughly the Gore and Rabbit Ear ranges and touched the Louisiana purchase at two points That left an elliptical area which comprises the no nomans mans man's land I Neither can it be claimed that the area was acquired from the Ute Indians Indians Indians In In- who were the mountain Indians Indians Indians In In- of ot Colorado for none of the treaties with the tribe mentions the area and apparently the Indians the did not claim it It Walter Spencer registrar of the general land office confirmed the facts about the status of the terri terri- tory Wh ts t's t to be bedone done about It Nothing What is there to do TITLES EXPLAINED D Aside from the Louisiana purchase Texas annexation and by treaties with Indians western America was obtained from Spain and Mexico ari and J by rights of discovery in Oregon Columbus Cp- Cp lumbus umbus took possession of the western hemisphere for tor Spain the the Spanish flag and claiming the land Rights Rights' of discovery Involve a formal flag raising ceremony but there is 18 no record that any officer or agent of ot the United states ever made a s claim to ro Middle park panic The United States has has- exercised jurisdiction in the territory for a long longtime longtime time ime and title may have been conferred conferred con- con erred by reason renson of ot that United States troops passed over the region on frequent expeditions against the Utes but no fort or base ever was established and hence there was no formal occupation of the territory 1 1