sas Pacific also reached Denver from Kansas City during this year. During this and the succeeding year, successful settlements were made at Greeley, Longmont and Colorado Springs. Soon after, many successful colonies were planted in the San Juan region.

Samuel H. Elbert succeeded Edward M. McCook as governor in 1873, but McCook was re-appointed in 1874. A bitter factional fight was waged among the members of the Republican party on account of the frequent change of Territorial governors. It was finally settled by the appointment of John L.

Routt as governor,
March 29, 1875.

Through the efforts of Jerome B. Chaffee, delegate to Congress, a third enabling act was passed in 1875 providing for the admission of Colorado as a State.

COLORADO AS A STATE. 27. The admission of new States into the Union is provided for

by the Constitution of the United States, but the conditions and mode of admission are left to be prescribed by Congress.1

The act enabling Colorado to become a State was approved by President Grant, March 3, 1875. On Monday, October 25, 1875, an election was held for delegates to form a State Constitution. The constitutional convention assembled Monday, December 20th, in the city of Denver.

1 See THORPE'S Course in Civil Government, page 61.

It

completed its work in eighty-six days.' There were thirtynine members in the convention. To their honor be it said, partisan political feeling was for the time quieted. The convention wrought earnestly, honestly and patriotically for the future of Colorado.

The convention issued an address to the people, which deserves to rank as a State paper of high order. The Constitution was submitted to a vote of the people July 1, 1876. The majority in its favor was 11,381, which was duly certified to the President by Governor John L. Routt. President Grant issued his proclamation declaring Colorado a State of the Union, August 1, 1876.3 Thus was Colorado, "The Centennial State," ushered into the sisterhood of States during the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the Republic.

RESOURCES OF COLORADO.

28. "The plains east of the mountains constitute about one-third of the total area, the remainder, in the middle, being mountains and parks, and the western, high mesa lands. The greater portion of the mesas can be cultivated if sufficient water can be brought over them for purposes of irrigation. The park and mountain region is, in general, too elevated for agriculture, but may be extensively utilThe first was

1 This was the third attempt at State government. defeated by a vote of the people; the second by the veto of President Johnson.

2 The Constitution of Colorado is among the longest of the State Constitutions. One excuse for the number of articles of the Constitution is, that Colorado has many separate and distinct sets of interests. Only a careful study of the instrument can reveal its excellence.

3 The first State election was held in October, 1876; John L. Routt was elected governor. In November, Thomas M. Patterson was elected representative to Congress. The first General Assembly convened at Denver, Wednesday, November 1, 1876. On November 14th the General Assembly elected Jerome B. Chaffee and Henry M. Teller United States senators.

ized for pasture ground for cattle, horses and sheep. The plains east of the mountains, which are all arable lands, can be made productive, and in a great many portions are producing large crops of cereals under systematic irrigation. Considerable portions of river and creek bottoms and uplands can be cultivated without irrigation. Sixteen thousand square miles of the State are covered by forests. The mineral lands located along the mountain slopes cover a large extent, although the aggregate of productive areas may not embrace many square miles. Four-fifths of the State has an elevation of 4000 to 10,000 feet. The lowest elevation on the eastern border is 3703 feet, and on the western 4435 feet. Along the foot-hills the average is 6500 feet. In the principal parks it ranges from 8000 to 9500 feet. The summit of the main range averages about 11,000 feet. Seventy-two peaks rise to heights ranging between 13,500 and 14,500 feet above the level of the sea. The highest mountain is Mount Blanca, which has an elevation of 14,483 feet."1

Because of the peculiar climatic conditions, the native grasses will nourish live-stock every month in the year. The live-stock industry is a source of great wealth; Colorado is peculiarly adapted to sheep-raising. The oil-fields of Colorado are among the most productive of any State in the Union; there are also mountains of iron, granite, marble and building stone, the value of which is unsurpassed. Zinc, lead and copper are plentiful.

Colorado leads the other States in the production of the precious metals-gold and silver; but the production of silver has been greatly reduced since the repeal of the silver-purchasing clause by Congress. Every quality of coal abounds in the State; in this respect Colorado is a second Pennsylvania. Owing to the fertility of the soil and the perfected system of irrigation, Colorado is

1 From an article prepared by Prof. P. H. Van Diest for HALL'S History of Colorado.