COLOEADO. 



477 



under the operation of practicable systems of irrigation the greater part of 

 this entire region may be rendered available for agriculture. 



The western half of the Territory is of more varied character. The 

 face of the country, for the greater part, is very rugged and mountainous, but 

 diversified by the great system of "parks," stretching from south to north 

 along the mountain range, and affording within the elevated portion of the 

 Territory large areas of land that are admirably adapted to cattle grazing and, 

 probably, to some branches of agriculture. 



The mountain sides are traversed by innumerable canons, some of which 

 are sharp and deeply cut ravines, while others expand, especially in the lower 

 portions of the range, into broad, open valleys that abound in grass and tim- 

 ber. The streams, descending from the snowy summits of the mountains, 

 are numerous and beautiful. They unite on the eastern slope to form the 

 South Platte, the Arkansas, and the Rio Grande, while on the western side 

 of the "divide," they find their way to the Colorado River and thus to the 

 Pacific Ocean. 



The climate of the Territory is temperate and healthy, and is agreeably 

 varied by the different altitudes of mountains and plains. The atmosphere 

 is dry and pure. The summer climate of the mountains is cool and bracing. 

 Rain falls in frequent showers. In the winter the temperature is generally 

 very moderate, and although the higher points in the range accumulate large 

 bodies of snow, the less elevated portions, or at an altitude of 8,000 or 9,000 

 feet, are clear and pleasant, and the snow-fall is not sufficient to obstruct 

 travel on the most frequented mountain roads. The climate of the plains is 

 very even, without extreme heat in the summer or severe cold in winter. 

 Snow seldom lies upon the plains in any considerable depth or for long 

 periods of time, and cattle may remain out during the entire winter without 

 protection, finding abundant grazing for their support. 



The population of Colorado is very variously estimated, and is probably 

 not far from 50,000. Immigration, however, is rapidly increasing as the 

 facilities for access are constantly being multiplied. Until within a short 

 period of time the region could only be reached by a long, tedious, and, often- 

 times, hazardous journey across the plains; but since the completion of the 

 Union Pacific raikoad along its northern border it has been brought into 



