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<br />be obtained for making improvements for the common good--
<br />such aa the building of a church, a town hall, a school
<br />house, and for the establishment of a library, - - - -
<br />Whatever professions and occupations'enter into the
<br />formation of an intelligent, educational, and t~ifty
<br />cOll\lnunity, should be embraced by this, colony, and it' should
<br />be the object to exhibit what is best in modern civilization.
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<br />"In particular, should moral and religious sentiments
<br />prevail; for without these qualities man is nothing."
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<br />Vlhat was called the Union colony was organized on December 24, 1869,
<br />at a meeting in Cooper Union; in New York Oity. The announcement of the
<br />projected colony had been made in the papers, and a crowd of interested
<br />people was on hand. 'The meeting was addressed by Meeker and by Horace
<br />Greeley, and ths organization was perfected. The Locating Committea con-
<br />sisting of N. C. Meeker, R. A. Cameron of Indiana, and a Mr. Fisk of '
<br />Tolado, was authorized ,to go wast and select a site. The committee, caine,
<br />to Colorado in February 1870. They tried to get into the San Luis Valley,
<br />but they were blocked out by deep snows. They examined the sites at
<br />Colorado Springs, at Platteville and Evans in the Platte, Valley, and the
<br />Poudre Valley. They selected the Poudre Valley site largely because a
<br />large tract was available on which there were no settlers. A few 'came
<br />out in April to begin construction, and most of the men of the colony
<br />arrived early in May. !Jot, one man in the group knew anything about
<br />irrigation, but many of them had developed an unusual capacity to learn.
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<br />Among the men who became pro~inent 'in irrigation beside Meeker, were
<br />General R. A. Cameron, Max Clark, B. S. LaGrange, Solon and Henry Martin,
<br />David Boyd, and E. S. Net'tleton. The wisdom and for,esight of these men
<br />'ifas not always apparent. Mr. Meeker in his Cooper Union speech, at 'the
<br />time the Union Colony was formed, said, "The cost of irrigation is per-
<br />haps equal to fencing, and is a work that is to be extended from year to
<br />year." Horace Greeley, at the same meeting, spoke in the same ,vein. "A
<br />little water gces a great deal farther than people generally suppose.
<br />In Cal1fornia they use much more than is necessary."
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<br />, In the budget t20,OOO was set aside to build four ditches tha.;t were to
<br />irrigate appr.:xl.mately llO,ODO acres of land. Greeley Number Three ,ditch,
<br />coming out, of the south side of the Poudre about 6 miles west of Greeley
<br />was the first ditch completed. . Its purpose was to supply water to the
<br />gardens and orchards in, the town. It was intended to irrigate'S, 000
<br />acres, but it failed to carry sufficient water to irrigate ,200 acres. It'
<br />was enlarged in 1871, 72, and 73 before it carried an adequate supply of
<br />water. The estimate of the cost was *6,333, but the final cost was not
<br />less than ~2S,OOO.
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<br />Greeley Number Two was a !!luch bigger undertaking. Its heed gate
<br />came out of the north bank of the,Poudre about 6 miles southeast' of Fort
<br />Gollins. It was to irrigate all the farming land north of, Greeley. The
<br />failure of this di:tch to deliver as or,iginally planned, was almost fatal
<br />to the colony. ,About 2,000 acres of cropa'were put in, in anticipation
<br />of the completion ,of .the ditcl\, but the water 'Was so inadequate that '.
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