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"SEE AMERICA FIRST" SPIRIT IRRIGATION FARMING IS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY Building of Storage Reservoirs Is Placing This In dustry on a Reliable Basis. FOLLOWING THE SKY LINE , III THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS - v?r w 4m - - - s- t ? " - - - 1 . r ! New Santa Fo Trail Along the Fort , sas Valley, The "See America First" spirit fs taking a new grip on the western States, according to information re ceived from that section. They say Dut there that "if you must see Eu rope, why, see it; but see Aniesica first." In the Rocky mountain region just now the advocates of this patriotic principle are talking a great deal a-bout the south and are urging peo ple who live in the west to visit the sduthland and get in closer touch with its people. In Colorado, especially, Is this true. Colorado has had many southern people within her borders within the last year and a special effort is being put forward to Induce more to visit that state in the summer months. From Texas and Oklahoma last sum mer, it Is eaid, a large number of people journeyed to Colorado in their automobiles. They entered the state by way of the great Arkansas valley, which is said to be one of the largest Irrigated areas in the world, embrac Ing more than 500,000 acres. A new automobile highway has been INTERESTING FIGURES , 1 ' J. , 1 , f i 4A , ' ' 'A'&!ZK.' ' ' ' '""'I ''v, Ji' jS,lV Carbonate Hill, in the Leadvllle (Colorado) Mining District ' The total gold output in the United States from 1901 to 1910, inclusive, :was $876,215,800. Of this production Colorado contributed $237,875,300; Cali fornia, $184,141,000; Alaska, $144,275, 000; Nevada, $90,522,900; South Dako ta, $64,649,200. Although many surface deposits of bonanza ore have been exhausted, there are now more and better oppor tunities for profitable mining than ever before in Colorado. Mining costs have been greatly reduced by the ex tension of electric power lines to near ly every mining district of the state. Recent developments in the applica- BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY YIELDS RICH RETURNS (Annual Output In Colorado Alone la $14,000,000 Farmers Receive $5,000,000. From carefully compiled facts and figures the total investment in the seventeen beet sugar factories In Col orado is found to be $19,250,000. From tie same source of Information It Is learned that the annual output of these factories ia approximately $14, 000,000, and the sum paid by the fac tories to the farmers la more than $5,000,000 each year. These factories are operated by companies, but plans are under way ror the building of several factories on a co-operative basis. To the farmers the sugar factories offer a dependable market The price of beets la arranged before the crop is planted and is based upon amount f sugar they contain. Contracts with farmers are signed in advance of plant Ing. This year the price is $5 per ton lor beets -which, contain less than 14 per cent, sugar, and a corresponding Increase Is avowee roija mguer au&i Lyon Irrigating Canal In the Arkan Colorado. built along what was known as the old Santa Fe trail, but now called the New Santa Fe trail, which has been designated as part of the trans-continental highway. For miles and miles this highway is said to be as smooth as a city street. The route leads to Pueblo, designated as the Pittsburg of the west, owing to the vast steel works in operation there; thence to Colorado Springs and on to Denver. Colorado people are pushing the construction of automobile highways in the state and are looking to the1 southern states to do the same, so that during the winter automobile owners from that state can motor through the south. Colorado has 33,000 miles of roads, of which 20,000 are passable by auto mobile and 4,500 miles are improved roads. Good hotels and garages can be found in every town in the state where the population exceeds 1,000, according to information sent out from the state highway commission. From this same source it is learned that Colorado expended $1,750,000 on its roads in 1911. and will expend $2,400,000 in 1912. ON GOLD PRODUCTION Uon of the cyanide process make it possible to earn dividends by extract ing gold from ore that a few years ago was cast upon the waste dump. The construction of deep drainage tunnels has made ft possible to work mines at a greater depth. Cripple Creek remains the greatest gold camp in the state; but in other districts, especially ki the La Plata and the rest of the San Juan district, many new producers are developing. Colorado continues to produce sil ver and lead in large quantities, but in the last two years zinc has ranked next to gold in Importance. The beet sugar comrjanies have a large number of forty and eighty acre farms that can be rented either on shares or for cash. Expert advice is given, free of charge, relative to plant ing, Irrigating and cultivation. Both soil and climate in Colorado are exceptionally well adapted to the production of sugar beets. Water for. Irrigation provides the best insurance against droughts. The soluble salts of the soil have not been leeched out bv excessive rains, and durina: the growing season there is a maximum of; sunshine. Rents should ba rotated with other crops such as alfalfa, wheat and pota- coes. Aiiajia especially la necessary, as it acts as a fertilizer and is the basis of all general farming in Colo rado. Cattle raising and dairying are nat ural adjuncts to the beet sugar in dustry. Tha beet tops, pulp and mo lasses can be made to add to the earn ings of taVarm 'When used for the fattening of "stock or for the produc tion of milk. Beet growing, therefore, Is becom tnir iwnamizfd aa an important factor in the productive capacity of the farm father thai a a epeclalty la agrtoul- 1 Snowy Range, Where the Water Cornea From for Irrigation. 2 Ir rigating Canal In the Arkansas Valley, Colorado. 3 Wheat Fields in Colo rado. Rocky Mountains In the Background. For some time experts have recog nized that the so-called arid country in the Rocky mountain region must some day be made to yield a vast amount of agricultural products, but they also have realized that this could not be accomplished except by irrigation. The soil in that section la rich and the water supply is said to be ample once it is properly stored so as to assure the farmer of a continual sup ply during the growing season. This is being accomplished gradually. Colorado excels all other states in the amount of land under irrigation. The census of 1910 showed that 4,000,- 000 acres were under ditch, and it was reported that with the comple tion of irrigation projects under way and in contemplation, the acreage would be increased to 6,000,000 acres. This is approximately one-fourth of the arable area of the state. In the past the mistake was made often of over-estimating the capacity of an irrigation project. Time and experience has taught the builders to STATEMENT OF COMPARATIVE PLAYGROUNDS r E ..,. --J Pike's Peak, Colorado, Altitude, 14,109 j Feet, Which Can Be Seen tor many Miles Out on the Plalna. A Glimpse of Manitou at the Base. Switzerland Is called "the play ground of Europe." Colorado Is termed "the playground of America." . The mean elevation of the highest Alpine chain is only from 8,000 to 9,000 feet Colorado possesses more than 120 peaks of over 13,500 feet altitude, of which no fewer than Sl5 peaks range from 14,000 upward. These figures are sent out from Col orado by advocates of the See Amer ica First movement. Further information from this same source shows that the highest village in Europe is Avers Plata, in Switzer landaltitude, 7,500 feet. The high est Inhabited point is th& Hospice of KL Bernard in Switzerland--8,200 feet In Colorado the mining town of T.onrivnie with 12.000 inhabitants, is 10,200 feet above sea level. . Other mlnlne camDS are still higher, and some gold and silver camps are prk- mA at over 13.000 feet altitude. There are wagon roads over moun tain '-passes In Colorado ranging fror iQflnft feet iinward. Vhe highest being f-mnir1tf TWLSs 13.70u .feet ': fiwltierland haa a cog-railroad four avoid this error and the aim Is to put just enough land under ditch that can be adequately watered during the en tire irrigating season. This policy Is restoring confidence in Irrigation ana will eventually cause. the state to be completely settled with prosperous farmers. Colorado's annual agricultural out put is now something more than $100,000,000. This includes fruit rais ing, which, in normal years, aggre gates about $7,000,000. Reliable data shows that the yield of an irrigated farm in Colorado is more than twice the yield of land in a rain-belt country. It is estimated that the net returns from a well cul tivated irrigated farm is at least 25 per cent on the valuation of the farm. It is not unusual" for a Colorado f-m to pay for itself in two or three years where the farmer couples in telligence and frugality together. Ap proximately $60,000,000 has been ex pended in the construction of irriga tion projects in Colorado. The total value of Colorado farm lands Is placed at $360,000,000. Cog-Railroad Station on Top of Pike's Peak. and one-half miles long which ascends to an altitude of 4.072 feet. The COg- railroad from Manitou to the top of Pike's peak is eight and three-quarters miles lone and the ascent is S.iuu ieev reaohlna-'an altitude of 14.109 feet nhnve sea level. "See America First," is the slogan. See the west, the east, the norta ana the south then go to Europe if you aust ReaJIy the Only Way Out. "Young man, how do you expect to marry my daughter ii you are m ' "Whv. sir. in my opinion, it's square thing to ac ine .'a enraged to her, the worse Z.JK X'wV ' i"' S?7, ssfc. 7rrr ,t( ' 1 Sky Line Drive, Canon City, Colo., Showing upper Part of the Arkansas Valley, and a Portion of the Rocky Mountain Range. This Drive Is Built Along a "Hog-Back," or High Ridge, of the Foothills. 2 Crystal Park Auto Road, Overlook ing Colorado Springs In the Pike's Peak Realon. 3 Penetrating the Mountain Fastness es From Boulder, Colorado. Following the skyline in an auto mobile in the Rocky mountains of Colorado is a thrilling paitime. On some of these highways the traveler can "cruise" among the rim-rocks at altitudes which present ever chang ing vistas of snow-capped summits, dizzy abysses and endless plains. There are many such drives in Colo rado, but the Skyline drive, complete- ed recently at Canon city, is one or the finest in the state. The number of such mountain boule vards is increasing. Both state and county authorities are active in the building of good roads, and each year new areas of mountain wilder ness are being added to the territory which is accessible to the automobile tourist. v From almost any point along the eastern foothills, from Colorado Springs, Palmer Lake, Denver, Mor- 4 V V yji - ,s , 7 ' , ' . If a . ' v 4 t '" , "t. . j Ci -Jt-r. 'ft.v.i:. - ,-. ' " i AJS. Long's Peak From Deer Mountain Drive, In Estes Park, Colo. rison, Golden, Boulder, Longmoni, Loveland, and Fort Collins, me tour ist can quickly penetrate with an auto mobile the mountain fastnesses and view grand and picturesque scenery which is not surpassed in the world. In the Pike Peak's region in the vicinity of Colorado Springs and Mani tou, and in Estes Park la tne Longs Peak region, are some of the finest automobile roads in the world. The scenery in these sections Inspires the traveler with the "See America First" spirit, and if he be one who has vis ited the mountain resorts of the Old World, he is sure to declare that he has seen nothing to equal the grandeur of the Rocky mountains of his own native America. T t The trip from Denver to Estes Park and Teturn can be made easily in a day in an auto, but to exhaust the scenic possibilities of the roads through the park and its environs re quires weeks of time. But this is only a beginning. From Colorado Springs one can travel west ward into the very heart - of the Rockies. by way of Ute Pass to Cas cade, Green Mountain Falls,,' Hartzol. St 131 Buena Vista and Leadvllle, ter being the great mining world-wide fame. 10,190 feetj level: thence over Tenne and down through the canyons of the Eagle and era to Glenwood Springs. At Glenwood the travele a resort that is not excell roDe. The waters of the spr curative and the best of ho commodations can be had. " In fact,. all along this route the hotel accom modations are of the best From Glenwood Springs the way, leads into the Grand valley to Grand i Junction in the heart of the fruit section on the Western Slope. From Grand Junction, by way of Dragon and Vernal, the road is clear' to Salt Lake City, Utah. A southerly; route through Utah takes the travel er to Arizona and the Grand Canyon of the Colorado river. By turning north before reaching Glenwood Springs one can reach Meel' - -'. hnnt Snrlnscs and the vast 'a,. tlcally undeveloped empire of western ftolorado. The state highway commission is planning great circle routes through the scenic wonderland, and as they are completed new opportunities will be created for the automobile tour ist. Colorado has been aptly termed "The Playground of America," and as the wonderful Opportunities for motor ing in Colorado become more general ly known the truthfulness of this term will become a matter of com mon knowledge. - i sr eV - k1 . n 8 - IK . . - - - , ' ' content j i