| Show uhe THE SAN JUAN COUNTRY ITS appearance ArPE appe ARANCE AND RESOURCES enard R an isget islet i SET SIET LERS ROUTES TO TRAVEL ETC august 17 1885 IBM editor deseret news having lately returned from a trip to the san juan country embracing that region of country situated in the southeast south bouth east corner of colorado northwest corner of new mexico and northeast corner of arizona and in order to answer a great many questions that are daily asked of me concerning that country I 1 now address a few lines to you SAN SAX JUAN coh COV corry corty TY Is in utah and has hag ha a full set a all ail I 1 bg by the peoples party between t the e colorado kiver river on the west and the san juan river on the cast there is a large tract of country embracing the elk eik mountains blue I 1 mountains and li asalle asalie mountains all these mountains and their foothills and me elevated plat plains ns are one grand cattle ran range et where animals can roam and find imir their own food the entire year round the blue mountains are already claimed and stocked b by carlisle brothers lbrothers they are running runn running ng some nead the lasalle mountains mountain s are arc also claimed and stocked blocked by different parties but the elk mountains have not yet been stocked and are capable of feeding ten to fifteen thousand bead the year round we purchased the indian title to them th froan from theote Indians who have claimed them for generations past we invite our who in the north are cramped for room for their stock to come and help stock up that country it is also well adapted to sheep rals rats jeannot f cannot better describe this vast region 9 I 1 0 n of country embr embracing acin g hu hundreds of miles than to say it Is 0 one ne grand stock country and not carrying carrein half th the stock estock it is capable of there are also many places where farms and orchards can be locate dand I 1 ia R that beautiful climate pleasant homes can soon be made BLUFF CITY WARD on the san juan river is a fine location bishop jens neilson presides there ile he is a fine old gentleman a father indeed to his people and much beloved by the saints of his ward they are a first class lot of latter day saints fully devoted to their mission this place needs twenty families to strengthen atland enable its citizens to hold the situation politically as well as us financially here all the fruits grain and vegetables tha tare grown in the north call caly can be raised in abundance ancl some borne kinds that cannot be tie gr gro 0 in the higher altitudes of the north here too is a fine opening for the establishment of a woolen factory fab tab tory to work up the wooi wool which is a great product of the navajo indians who are our neighbor neigh bom bow oaB just across the river some of them own as many as us to head of sheep and goats the wool can be purchased atthe attha at the rate of cafor 5 white and ac for sor black wool per pound here also aiso the tanning bu business biness ainess can be established with P profit onit as agthe the hides tildes and goat goit goatskins skins rd ire plentiful and ind cheap and a shrub called mountain rush ruah grows in abundance all over the country which forms a strong substance fuli full of 01 the tannin principle now who will command come and help develop these industries and thus ope open up the way for thedoor the poor to uund find abor and keep our wealth at home rather than sending it off to aid in sustaining people far a away tilly who are continually using all their power bowen power powen to crush out the mor mons directly north of bluff city iles liea a beautiful tract of land some 30 miles ion lon long iong and from three to five wide called the ireat great great WHITE MESA the soil is a rich sandy loam the upper tipper portion covered with cedar and pinion pine excellent for fencing and fuel fuei elThe fu eithe the entire tract abounds with rich autritt nutritious grasses where cattle and horses can n oarn roam the year round no snow ga falls fails 1 at to speak of this mesa reaches to the blue mountains on the north where we discovered two good sized mountain lin aln streams called johnson and recapture Ite capture creeks at or near their j junction unc where we propose taking them out by measurement we ive found 1500 inches binche s of water and this in the last days of june whon when much of the irrigation season is over in that country in the judgment of the company who were with me we concluded there was sufficient water to irrigate ate or acres of land about two and a half miles of pretty heavy work will be required to get this water upon the summit or upper endom end of the mesa we judged it would cost from to after once on the summit it will follow a plough for miles for the whole mesa has a gentle slope to the south for fon 30 miles till it drops off into the san juan river about half halt way from the foot of the mountain to the river on this mesa Is found one of the most beautiful places for a city that I 1 i ever saw having a grana grand view of a la large e district of country embracing in the te h clairy enry eury mountains west of the ro colorado r ado river kiver in utah fully IW loo miles og off then to the southwest in full view are the Ca labasa range far away in arizona to the southeast tile the coucke luck range also in arizona is in ta plain sight at the eastern slope or end of this range Is seen a very noted peak called the cathedral we wo traveled for foe days in sight of this noted landmark land laud mirk sweeping the horizon with the eye still farther f arther arthen to the east we behold the snow capped mountains of southwestern colorado f fully ully miles di distant stint they are called parrot Dolo dolores man cos rico etc the celebrated acte mountain where the ute indians made the late trouble troubie lewith with the cowboys cowboy sis s also in fuli full f ua I 1 view from f roin this point about CO miles east a lone mountain in the midst of the ute uto reservation directly north we have a grand view of the blue blus mountains with their snow capped C axed beaks teaks peaks and green slopes covered cove e re with wit rich vegetation to their very tops northwest and about 40 miles mile off we get a fine view of the ell eil eil ell mountains with two very prominent peaks on the ibe south p part art of tile the mountain called the bears isears ears or wooden shoes this mountain as well as the blue is covered with a ne fine growth ro w tl of pine timber called the longleaf fat pt pine e fine pasture is found all among this forest grass instead ot of brush covering coverly the ground when we cige cile came to this place we involuntarily called a halt and took oft off 2 our hats bats and gazed upon this beautiful sight and one and all agreed that this was wa s the finest site for a city we ever beheld this white mesa is bounded b on the east bg by a deep gulch in the bottom of which k flows aws the recapture creek on its Us way to the san juan river some seasons reasons it dries up and does not reach the river on the west of the alesa yesa we find another deep gulch called cottonwood wash where great floods of water at times go rushing down into the san juan river these dry washes are found all over the country heading from froin the mountains ti to either the colorado orado river on the west or to the san juan on the east and between these washes are found these mesas exten extending diug dlug the same length as do the washes upon these mesas fine soil soll for farming fruit raising and grazin grazing is always found where running water cannot be obtained reservoirs can be built and any amount of water stored and thus can these now desert wastes be made into beautiful farms or orchards chaMs vineyards and gardens for the joy and comfort of man and if we do not go to and occupy these lands lauds others soon will for population is crowding out in that direction THREE gokee HUNDRED FAMILIES can find room on this 0 one ne mesa moesa where inside of five years they can make comfortable homes men juen with some means are needed who can sustain themselves for at least one year while we are engaged in getting out the water inthe in the judgment of the company who were with me on oan oar exploration trip it was estimated that 50 men employed on the canal this winter would bring the water upon thesna uhe the summit on the san juan eiver elver from irom bluff city to burnham Burn ham bam in new now mexico s distance of 90 miles many fine traits tracts of bottom land are found awal pluck and energy of our plo pio n aers to takeout take out the I 1 he water and bind make iten thim Item brink bring forth products for the sustenance of both man and beast AT we behave have a nice little settlement and a ward organization bishop L caan ham who is presiding is a nines fines man and entirely devoted to the interest 0 ot his bis people here are needed allty families to strengthen the hands ot of these noble plo pioneers ners and assist them in ia getting out the water higher up the river when it can ran be brought upon a nine fine elevated mesa where some three thousand acres of most choice land Is located and a fine situation for la ja city here also is found choice soil and climate for producing fruit bishop basho 10 burnham has a fine flue fine start st art for an au orchard and vineyard th this whis s P ace is situated about 60 miles from durango a nice town on the thed D R G railroad a good market for fruit vegetables and dai daj dairy and poultry products farmington a fine little town about fourteen mil nil niles up the river also affords market for the people of burnham fourteen miles from neove burnham urn on the road to durango on the la plata river we have a small smail settlement I 1 saw here the finest wheat oats barley corn and vegetables growing that I 1 found anywhere on in my trip here acain azain as aln ain is found rom room for thirty thirty or forty families where they can soon make homes sor tor nature has done much for this country AT mancos MANGOS on the river mancos we have quite a settlement and branch organized or anizel with albert S farnsworth farns Farus worth pres ai dinc dine here also is found a nine fine country for farming and stock raising dairying etc eto tc it is situated near the foot of the do loreah mountains the exact altitude I 1 cannot state stute but I 1 was informed that snow falls from one to two feet during the winter but does not remain long iong here Is an abundance of fine timber and cedar and pinion pine the farms are maleby clearing away the forest burning it up or making makins fences fences to enclose their claims we purchased a saw and grist mill here ana aud and desire to invite attention to this place as being a fine location to settle in now while the place is new for it is capable of rapid growth fifty tiny families can find homes here or rather places where in the they f can make pleasant and comfortable tab e homes about 30 30 miles west from here on t the be road to bluff city lies iles the beautiful 4 MONTEZUMA VALLEY about no 30 miles ion lon long iong g by some 15 wide food good soil and a mo most delightful climate aee iee ej would be the finest location iq 14 Q al |
