APPENDIX SS. 1753 



THE SAls T JUA;N t EEGIOK". 



CHAPTER I.— THE COUNTRY AND ITS NATURE. 



Section I. — Its name, area, and early settlement. 



The noted region known as the San Juan country, bidding fair to become in time 

 one of the richest silver-producing sections in the world, is that portion of Colorado 

 lying in the southwestern part of the State, to which of late emigration has rapidly 

 increased, and the attention of capital been attracted by its tine agricultural valleys 

 and the great mineral wealth of its mountains, so that in remote localities several 

 towns and numerous settlements have sprung into existence, while much of the coun- 

 try has been occupied with a view to farming and pastoral pursuits. 



The appellation of San Juan is derived from the river of the same name, into which 

 pom' all the streams and waters of the lower country. 



Long before the advent of the white man upon the continent its banks teemed with 

 an unknown population, of whose habits and mode of life history speaks not and tra- 

 dition is silent, with naught to aid the intelligent investigator save fragmentary pot- 

 tery and the ruins of their dwellings. After long lapses of time their former lands are 

 being occupied by the progressive Anglo-Saxon in his inexorable movement westward. 



Within the last quarter of a century the country had been penetrated in part by 

 explorers, and reports of the wonderful wealth in its mountains had attracted thither, 

 at the risk of death from hostile red men, numbers of prospectors. A tide of immi- 

 gration set in, and nearly two decades have passed since the same kind of adventur- 

 ous spirits as at present may be found there were flocking to the country. Disap- 

 pointments, continual attacks of hostile Indians, and other causes combined to stay 

 the tide, and with its reflux the lands were left to the tribes that possessed them by 

 virtue of original habitation. 



An immense wilderness, unoccupied by whites, the country remained comparatively 

 unnoticed or forgotten until 1870, when it was again penetrated by a small party of 

 prospectors, with the resulting discovery, near the present town of Silverton, of the 

 "Little Giant," a gold lode famous for the value of its ore and notorious in subse- 

 quent litigation. Their wonderful discovery, bruited abroad, was the cause of another 

 influx, solely of hardy prospectors, resulting in the establishment of a permanent 

 population. 



In the treaty of March 2, 1868, setting aside for the Utes all (save a fragment) of 

 Colorado west of the 107th meridian, the San Juan land had become a definite portion 

 of the Indian reserve. Despite treaty obligations, which solemnly declared that their 

 land should not be penetrated for any purpose; whatever, small incursions of pros- 

 pectors into the Indian reserve occurred at intervals, but without success. Wherever 

 appearing and locating, they were met by the Indians, whose numbers and hostility 

 were too powerful to be overcome by the settlers within their country. 



The discovery of the Little Giant and its wonderful wealth, spreading like wildfire, 

 was followed by so large an immigration, backed by political influence, that the in- 

 truders could not bo expelled. 



It was the old, old story of the government preserving an Indian treaty inviolate, 

 a solemn guarantee strictly kept, till the land becomes worth its breaking. 



In brief, the white man demanded the valuable territory of the weaker one, and 

 force compelled him to yield. What is generally known as the Brunot convention, from 

 the name of the United States Commissioner, ensued. Articles of agreement for the 

 cession of tin; San Juan were entered into September 13, 1873, by the Confederated 

 Utes, and the necessary ratification made by Congress April 29, 1874. 



The portion opened to settlement in accordance with the Brunot convention of 1S74 

 and the territory proper of the San Juan is bounded on the east by the 107th meridian, 

 and limited upon the south, west, and north by the line of the present reserve, rectan- 

 gular in shape, save the break in the north of the Unconipahgre Park, which is Indian 

 land. It comprises in part the county of Conejos, nearly all of Hinsdale, Ouray, and 

 La Plata, and entirely San Juan, with a total area slightly exceeding 6,000 square 

 miles. 



