178 



GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. 



channel of the Uncompahgre at a point 9 miles above Montrose and 

 is divertecl lower down for projects on both the east and the west 

 side of the valley. 



At the end of 1920 water from the Gunnison tunnel was used in 

 irrigating 65,000 acres of land which, before the completion of the 

 tunnel, was a barren desert waste. The principal crops are alfalfa, 

 oats, wheat, potatoes, apples, and sugar beets, listed in decreasing 

 order of the acreage cultivated. Small fruits, onions, sugar beets, 

 apples, garden products, and potatoes, in the order named, gave the 

 largest returns per acre. 



After passing the Gunnison tunnel, which, unfortunately, is not 

 visible, the train descends the sloping side of the broad valley in a 

 barren ravine, but at a siding called Fairview, half a mile beyond 

 milepost 346, irrigated farms are spread out on both sides of the 

 railroad. The crops that are growing here will, of course, depend 

 upon the time of year in which the journey is made. If the trav- 

 eler passes this place in midsimimer he will see fine fields of oats and 

 wheat, some corn, and plenty of potatoes, sugar beets, onions, and 

 alfalfa. He will also see a few orchards, but this particular area is 

 not largely devoted to fruit raising. The valley has been trans- 

 formed, as shown in Plate LXXV, A, B, from a wilderness to a 

 region of prosperous farms, and the secret of the change is only 

 water. 



In the journey down the long tangent to the middle of the valley 

 the most striking features of the landscape are the rugged peaks of 

 the San Juan Mountains, which are visible to the south (left) . These 

 mountains are the most rugged in the State. Most of the peaks are 

 over 13,000 feet high, and many of them rise above 14,000 feet. The 

 highest point in the range is Uncompahgre Peak, which has an alti- 

 tude of 14,419 feet. The sawtooth top of this range is well shown 

 in the profile visible from the train. 



After passing through miles of the finest farms in the West the 

 train reaches Ouray Junction, which is the point where this line 

 joins the one from Ouray, Telluride, and Durango. 

 Here the railroad turns at a right angle and pro- 

 ceeds a mile northward to the station in the growing 

 young city of Montrose. This city is the distribut- 

 ing center and shipping point for a large district 

 that is under high cultivation. Cereals, fruits, and vegetables, to- 



Montrose. 



Elevation 5,811 feet. 

 Population 3,581. 

 Denver 352 miles. 



overwhelming quantities were encoun- 

 tered in this section, and tunnel exca- 

 vation was both difficult and dan- 

 gerous." 



This description sIioays how rocks 

 may be broken and jumbled together 

 in a faiilt zone wliere they have moved 

 liundreds or perhaps tliousands of feet. 



