1808 REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS. 



CHAPTER IV.— POPULATION. 



The wave of emigration setting in towards the valley of the San Juan nearly two 

 decades ago, only to encounter impassable barriers in an unknown country, a wilder- 

 ness impenetrable, and hostile savages, and be rolled back at every point, has again 

 returned. From every direction settlers have come in immense numbers, more are still 

 on the way, and in every section of the San Juan a population is arising possessing 

 every indication of permanency. 



To personally examine the various parts of the country and to report specifically 

 upon the numbers and occupations of the dwellers therein, by whom had been made 

 numerous requests for military protection, was one of the objects of the reconnaissance. 



A brief summary or census of the principal points of settlement is therefore fur- 

 nished, accompanied by a map showing the area of the country covered while in the 

 field, the lines of communication with the roads in traveling order, and those portions 

 of the country which have been occupied by settlers for farming, either ranching or 

 grazing, and by prospectors for mining purposes, in which the sections that are thickly 

 populated are so indicated. 



As may be already inferred, the ends which settlers have in view are of two varied 

 and distinct natures, agricultural and pastoral pursuits and mining, the latter attract- 

 ing by far the larger majority. 



The farming and grazing population establish themselves on the lower parts of rivers 

 and streams, and are permanently thereon ; the mining-camps, wholly or almost en- 

 tirely, are located at the headwaters of streams or upon mountain peaks near by. Ow- 

 ing to the short working-season and the intense severity of the winter at that elevation, 

 the mining-population is of a semi-permanent nature, leaving about the latter part of 

 October, and returning in May or June, from the towns or the lower regions, where they 

 congregate for the winter. 



As an illustration of the brevity of the working-season may be mentioned the visits 

 to the Summit, a gold-mining district southwest of Del Norte. They were three in 

 number, and from different directions, during the reconnaissance : in June, from the 

 Lower Alamosa ; in August, from Pagosa, via the San Juan ; and in October, from Del 

 Norte. In August only was the way not impeded by snow, the total precipitation 

 there for the year ending November 1 being 24 feet. The population, which in June 

 was 125, had decreased in October to 23, while scarcely a dozen were to remain through 

 the winter. 



In preparing the printed table of densest populated districts attached to the map, 

 the population belonging to various mining-camps has been so accredited, since it 

 there properly belongs, and with other of a floating nature fully aggregates the num- 

 bers given. While there may be a percentage of error in the designated numbers in a 

 few instances, it is, on the whole, believed to be less than the total of all the region 

 visited from the existence of obstacles to an exact and actual count, 



The difficulties of arriving at a thorough and perfect census in such localities may 

 well be imagined, for while a town is drained of its winter population for the mining 

 regions, prospectors distribute themselves through localities almost uninhabited, or 

 waver from one section to another as its prospects change. There were, for instance, 

 from three to four hundred more persons in Lake City last spring than are so credited, 

 owing to their temporary stay ; immigration was very great to this locality, but, disap- 

 pointed in endeavors to find employment, they either returned or spread out into new 

 districts. 



THE CONEJOS SECTION 



lies in Conejos County, Colorado, upon the Conejos and San Antonio Rivers, is the seat 

 of the largest Mexican population west of the Rio Grande, and one of the most thickly 

 settled localities of that nationality in the State. It comprises a number of plazas, 

 or towns, and settlements, known collectively as Conejos, which have not as yet been 

 correctly and fully indicated upon any map. Individually they are located and dis- 

 tinguished as follows : 



Guadalupe (Guadaloupe), situated entirely on the south bank of the Rio Conejos, as 

 indicated upon the map, being about 14 miles from La Jara, its altitude being 7,860 

 feet; population, about 450; contains three good stores, one American and two Mexi- 

 can, a large church, residences of the priests, with fine gardens attached ; all the build- 

 ings of the place being of adobe, a native brick of extensive use. This contains the 

 post-office of the entire section, mails being tri- weekly from Del Norte. Major Hea*d, 

 lieutenant-governor of Colorado, resides here. A grand council between Ouray, claim- 

 ing supremacy over all the Utes, and Ignacio, war-chief of the three southern and 

 disaffected tribes, accompanied by their several chiefs, was held at his residence in 

 July last, as being on neutral territory, and because he is greatly respected by all the 

 tribes of Colorado Utes. 



A small plaza on the opposite bank from Guadalupe is known as Conejos. It con- 

 tains a good store and a small population. 



