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<br />I <br /> <br />C~:1790 <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />With the destruction caused by that flood and the exces- <br /> <br /> <br />sive meandering of the stream bed that resulted, it was deemed <br /> <br /> <br />necessary to provide protection against other occurrences. Local <br /> <br />subscriptions from business men, railroads, and the town provided <br /> <br /> <br />funds with which the channel was reconstructed and brought to its <br /> <br /> <br />present capacity of about 2.5,000 second-feet. This work was begun <br /> <br /> <br />in 1906. Concrete retaining wails built at that time have since <br /> <br /> <br />deteriorated to become a hazard and the protection now afforded <br /> <br /> <br />is hardly adequate against normal flood flows. High water in <br /> <br /> <br />1938 destroyed about 250 feet of this wall and weakened other <br /> <br /> <br />sections. <br /> <br />."-.- <br /> <br />Coal and coke production became thriving industries <br />with the coming of the railroads about 1876, and increased to the <br />extent of accounting for one-third of the coal output of Colorado <br /> <br /> <br />in 1920. Since that time production of coal has dropped sharply <br /> <br /> <br />until now, it is understood, a severe problem faces local officials <br /> <br /> <br />in providing a means of livelihood for miners who are permanently <br /> <br /> <br />settled in the area. <br /> <br /> <br />At present Trinidad is served by the A.T.& S.F., C. & S., <br /> <br /> <br />D. & R.G.W., and C.& W. railwaya, the latter being an industrial <br /> <br /> <br />enterprise serving mining and other operations between Trinidad <br /> <br /> <br />and Tercio, about 30 miles up the Purgatoire River. <br />About 20,000 aCres are now irrigated from the Purgatoire <br />by works constructed to serve about 40,000 acres. Limited water <br /> <br />L <br /> <br />12 <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />