APPENDIX SS. 1771 



were noted six ranches in all; the upper had bnt a patch cultivated, and were settlers 

 of the spring. They were building anew and larger cabin, and when passed had been 

 busily occupied in fighting the grass-fires about their borne, kindled by the vagrant 

 Indians, who had stopped to threaten them in case they did not leave and had left the 

 fire as memento of their friendship. The smoke was still ascending from the charred 

 ground ; the fire had extended to the forests on the hills, over which it raged for sev- 

 eral days and spread for a long distance. 



Of the next three ranches, all locations merely save one, there were but two build- 

 ings finished, the incomers living in regular tents, and improvised ones of wagon- 

 sheets; about 9 acres were cultivated, their stock consisting of 12 horses and 20 head 

 of cattle, in a rough corral near by, with 20 milch-cows grazing upon the hills. Below, 

 between this and the bridge, were four or five cabins with corrals and fencing of pine, 

 the river-bottom not here exceeding 400 yards on the eastern side, of which but about 

 6 acres were being tilled. The elevation is but little over 7,000 feet, and the vege- 

 tation was of a rank order close to the river-bank, where the settlers were cutting the 

 marshy grasses and heavy masses of sedge and stacking for winter use. 



Considerable quantities of arable land are found upon the western bank of the river, 

 but the great rush for the little space unoccupied in this neighborhood was toward 

 the eastern bank, and chiefly that from the bridge to the reservation line, about 4 

 miles to the south. 



Immediately below the road crossing of the river the bank is high and timbered, 

 the bottom opening out beyond. The first ranchman, located \\ miles below the bridge, 

 a recent comer (in August), was living in a tent. The river-bottom is here about 100 

 yards wide and grazing excellent. At the distance of 1,200 yards beyond was a cabin 

 with five wagons and tents about, accommodating three families who possessed 20 

 horses and 175 head of stock ; of the land claimed 1£ acres were being cultivated, their 

 locations being along the river near by. 



Within 900 yards beyond were three more cabins, the owners possessing a corral, fine 

 fencing of pine timber and stock; 5 acres were planted, the bottom being here 1,200 

 yards wide. A thousand yards below was a ranchman with cabin, corral, and outfit 

 complete, possessing 200 head of stock. Some 800 yards lower are two fine cabins, an 

 inclosure well fenced of 1,500 feet by 600, including a well-built corral and 210 head 

 of stock; altogether it was a first-class ranch, evidently a late emigrant, as 10 acres 

 only of staudard products had been planted. The bottom has here a width of 1,500 

 yards. 



About 1,100 yards beyond another location was being established, the dwelling being 

 a tent ; the foundation only of the cabin was completed, no land as yet under culti- 

 vation. 



Beyond and about the same distance is the last of the ranches on the river, that of 

 Mr. E. O. Bean, which was examined in detail in order to obtain some reliable data 

 touching the value of the Los Pinos land in the agricultural economy of the San Juan. 

 He has a farm, 25 horses, and 150 head of stock. Settling there in the spring of 1876, 

 he possessed in September, 1877, the most advanced and finest ranch on the river, if 

 not in the whole lower country, surpassed, if at all, by none save one in the Animas 

 Park. To this fact, to this palpable demonstration of the fertility of the soil, we 

 attribute the crowding of ranchmen to his immediate neighborhood, as emigrants to 

 the country are in general at their start undecided as to exact destination. It usu- 

 ally remains for some man of energy and grit to develop the possibilities of a new 

 region. 



About 160 acres were fenced in, and rather than be deemed unneighborly to the In- 

 dians, whose reservation lay below, and whose land was very rich, he went down the 

 river as far as he deemed proper, and then located. He went, in fact, so far that the 

 Indian agent, hearing the fact from his wards, paid Bean a visit and required him to 

 move his fence some little distance upstream. The reservation line now passes the 

 river-bank at his lower fence corner. His buildings are substantial, and 40 acres of 

 land were found under cultivation. There was a rich crop of wheat, corn, rye, and 

 oats, a trial patch of millet; and among the vegetables were noticed cabbages, beets, 

 onions, turnips, various kinds of melons, cucumbers, radishes, peppers, tomatoes, pease, 

 beans, and potatoes. Specimens of wheat, oats, millet, &c, including a turnip, were 

 brought to the East, scarcely as a curiosity, but rather as indubitable proof of the ex- 

 cessive richness of the soil of some of the" San Juan, equaling that of Kansas. The 

 turnip aforesaid, possessing but two months' growth, was 8 inches high, 28^ inches in 

 circumference, and weighed 84- pounds. 



The wheat yield was from 25 to 30 bushels per acre, while a small lot at the river- 

 bank was estimated to reach 50 to 60 bushels. The average was, however, 28 bushels 

 at least. Everything was unusually large and of almost immense size ; wild sugar- 

 cane and hops were growing high up among the rank vegetation at the river-bank, 

 indicative of the resources of the soil. 



In 1876, no frost had been felt until October, but the night previous to the visit 

 (September 8), which was very cold, a heavy storm raging in the mountains had sent 

 a blighting cold, which had left its mark on the vines of tomatoes, &c. 



