THE IKRIGATION AGE. 



11 



THE SUNNY SAN LUIS VALLEY. 



A Descriptive Outline of a Valley That Is at the Same Time One of the Most Beautiful and Fertile 

 Regions in the United States The Towns, Streams and Mountain Ranges 

 which Make Up Its Grandeur By W. A. Anderson. 



Situated in the southern part of the Common- 

 wealth of Colorado, about the middle of the state from 

 east to west, and extending south into the state of New 

 Mexico is the "Sunny San Luis Valley," which has 

 become famous during the past three or four years as a 

 stock raising center. Entrance is had to the valley by 

 the Denver & Kio Grande railway from Pueblo and the 

 east and bv the same line from New Mexico and the 



forming its boundaries on the other three sides. The 

 character of the soil bears out the theory, varying 

 from a heavy adobe (which is only in a limited area) 

 through a dark heavy alluvium to a lighter sandy or 

 gravelly loam. This soil varies from a depth of eigh- 

 teen inches to three feet throughout the valley and 

 under all is a heavy adobe. The soil is undoubtedly 

 ' the sediment and silt deposited by the numerous 



Sheep Passing Through Monte Vista, Colorado, on Way to Pea Fields for Winter Fattening. 



south. This is the only railroad which touches any 

 portion of this fertile section. In coming from Pueblo 

 the route leads through La Veta pass, one of the grand- 

 est and greatest passes in the Eocky Mountains. There 

 is no doubt but that the valley is one of the most 

 picturesque as well as one of the most fertile in the 

 United States. To the north, east and west are moun- 

 tain ranges, tributary to the Rocky Mountain system. 

 The region was at one time Mexican land and towns, 

 ranges and streams still bear the names given them by 

 these nature-loving people. The land became the prop- 

 erty of the United States by the cession following the 

 War of 1812, but descendants of many of the firs't 

 settlers who wrested the land from the Indians are 

 still residing in the valley. There are many of them 

 who are prosperous, thrifty farmers, but the majority 



glaciers, rivers and creeks which fed the old lake. 



The mountain range to the north is the Cochatopa, 

 to the west is the San Juan, which forms the Conti- 

 nental divide, and to the east is the Sangre de Christo. 

 The latter is Spanish or Mexican for "Blood of Christ." 

 When the peaks of the range are snow covered the 

 sun setting behind the Continental divide across the 

 valley paints them a dark red blood red. It is truly 

 an awe-inspiring sight and it is easy to comprehend why 

 a reverent, God-fearing people came to christen the 

 range "Sangre de Christo." In the Continental divide 

 to the west the Rio Grande del Norte (the great river 

 of the north) has its source. It is difficult to believe 

 that this is the stream which the geography of our 

 school days taught us is the largest river in North 

 America next to the Mississippi river, and which ulti- 



. An Irrigation Ditch Near 



seem to inherit the indolent traits of their Indian and 

 Spanish forbears. They are a clannish people as a 

 rule, either because of ostracism by their white neigh- 

 bors or by preference. Their homes are of adobe and 

 are grouped together, generally on the outskirts of the 

 towns. 



The geological theory of the formation of the 

 valley is that it was at one time a great lake which 

 gained freedom for itself by washing out its southern 

 bank, thus leaving its bed with the mountain ranges 



Monte Vista, Colorado. 



mately becomes the dividing line between the United 

 States and old Mexico. At this time of the year it is 

 an easy-going stream with no great depth at any one 

 point, but in the spring of the year, when the snow 

 is melting on the mountains it becomes a raging tor- 

 rent which makes it necessary for settlers along its 

 banks to keep careful watch that stock and buildings 

 are not swept away. Three other streams, the Conejos, 

 Alamosa and La Jara rivers, were strong enough to 

 force their way across the lake bed and finally join 



