APPENDIX SS. 1783 



from the lofty walls of the Piedra to the great mesa heights on the Animas's western 

 hank, through which course the Los Pinos, the Florida, and the Las Animas. From 

 the lofty mountains ahove, they are, apparently, parallel waters, coursing down over 

 a great level, hut are not so in reality. While ignorant of the geological causes effect- 

 ing such local variation in the eroded valleys, it is yet palpahle to the most ordinary 

 observer that the groove in the great table-land, through which flows the Los Pinos, 

 is loftier than the others, is more gently outspreading, and is less broken by the 

 encroachments of the original barriers, whence results, for the same limited area, a 

 region better suited to agriculture. 



Within the Animas Park above, upon the Lower Animas beyond, the sandstone bar- 

 riers and the contiguous sections of the San Juan and La Plata, previously referred to, 

 appear districts of future agricultural wealth. 



The Upper La Plata, elevated and high, within a tableland parallel to that of the 

 great basin, coursing over loftier and more recent sedimentary rocks, does not become 

 of value until it has descended to the lower and proper cereal elevation ; while beyond 

 and below it, as if at the base of a great wall, is the valley of the Mancos, not exten- 

 sive in area, but fruitful in its products, and already occupied. 



THE UPPER SAN JUAN". 



Ascending the rivers flowing down from the "Dome of the Continent," we find 

 clusters of mining camps clinging to the mountain sides, or established in the narrow 

 synclinal valley of an upper stream, always locally called the "gulch." Occasionally 

 in more favored situations of a park-like nature, at points of import, towns appear. So 

 situated upon the Animas River in Baker's Park are Silverton, and above it, next in 

 size, Howardsville, while the Lake Fork of the Gunnison claims Lake City, the young 

 metropolis of the San Juan. 



Silverton's altitude is about 9,300 feet above the sea, and Howardsville, some 44- miles 

 t.ho e, about 350 higher. They are, therefore, valueless in an agricultural point of view, 

 and upon the lower regions must remain dependent for the produce of the soil. 



At "Lake City" the altitude is about 8,600 feet, which may well be considered 

 above the agricultural limit. A few enthusiasts have nevertheless endeavored to 

 demonstrate, it was said, its capacity as a vegetable-producing region, and had reaped 

 after considerable trouble a small harvest of cabbages and turnips. The cost thereof 

 was not ascertained, nor whether it bore any relative proportion to their actual value, 

 as did the agricultural experiments of a celebrated jurist in the East, who prides him- 

 self upon a farm in Pennsylvania where wheat has been raised at an outlay of $25 per 

 bushel. 



A meteorological record was kept during 1876-77 at Crooke's Works, about a mile 

 to the south, and 50 feet above the central part of the town. In January, 1877, the 

 coldest night was 10° below zero, the warmest day 40° above ; total depth of snow, 2 

 inches. In February following, the coldest night was 1° above, the warmest day 42° 

 above; snow-fall during month, 5-J inches. These were the figures furnished. It 

 should be remembered, however, that in March and April occurs in this mountainous 

 country the greatest precipitation of snow. From Lake City, as from other mining 

 towns, those who can depart for the winter to less elevated localities in search of a 

 milder temperature. Its prosperity is undoubted, but it is solely as the center of a 

 magnificent mining region of undoubted richness. 



Along the Rio Grande, the entire name being Rio Grande del Norte, or the Great 

 River of the North, whose course was followed throughout in this region, the altitude 

 is in general also too great for agriculture of any note. It is lined with ranches, 

 chiefly for grazing purposes or those of a wayside inn. Antelope Park is the largest 

 section, with a general elevation of 9,000 feet 43 miles above Del Norte. 



From the mouth of the South Fork of the Rio Grande, altitude 8,000 feet, 16 miles 

 above and west of Del Norte, the plateau or mesa formation, so prominent at " Wagon 

 Wheel Gap," has disappeared, low hills are seen sloping to the river, and a true valley 

 of 800 yards succeeds, possessing at points a width with incoming streams of 4,500 to 

 6,000 yards, narrowing again at Del Norte. The elevation is here 7,750 feet, and be- 

 sides the Rio Grande land, many points are cultivated on the lower parts of Los Pinos 

 and San Francisco Creeks, the former's mouth being above and the latter's below the 

 town. 



From the South Fork to Del Norte some 23 ranches were noted en route, with the 

 usual scattered herds of stock grazing about. Passing down on the right bank, some 

 on the opposite side may have escaped observation, a number lying on the left bank 

 along the road to Ionea, a town opi>osite Del Norte, and a short distance from the 

 river. There were, moreover, 8 seen along the Los Pinos ; upon later examination, 

 they were found to extend up the creek for 11 miles at varying intervals, in the lower 

 section being one-fourth of a mile apart, of which scarcely more than one-fourth of the 

 land located upon was under cultivation. In the immediate vicinity and below Del 

 Norte, 40 ranches were counted lying within three-fourths of a mile toward the south- 



