Volume 2, Issue 5 NEWS FROM OUR COMMUNITIES BRISTOL GRANADA HOLLY HARTMAN RURAL AREAS

MARCH 2001 AMACHE PRESERVATION SOCIETY    The Amache Preservation Society (APS) was asked to write an article on the subject of Camp Amache.    First of all, the Amache Preservation Society is made up of high school students from Granada. We were named the Amache Preservation Society after applying for and receiving a Colorado Council of the Arts Grant.    At first the APS wanted to do research on Camp Amache and build a model. When we were building the model, we received help from our math teacher, Mrs. Schnabel. In the process of building the model, we had to figure out exactly where everything was at the camp. We decided to place signs at the appropriate spots.    After a significant amount of research on the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, we wanted to share our research. In doing this, we started giving presentations to the public in the surrounding areas.    In order to make these presentations more interesting, we sought the help of many ex-Amacheans. We started by writing them, and they wrote back telling about many of their experiences at the camp. Since then we have given our presentations to many different groups: Colorado clubs, schools, and colleges, as well as many Kansas schools and clubs.

TOWN OF GRANADA RABIES CLINIC    The Town of Granada will be holding their rabies clinic on Wednesday March 21st from 6-8 pm at the fire department. They request you enter at the southeast door of the building.    The cost for the Rabies shot is $5.00 and city dog tags for males and spayed females is $1.00, but un-spayed females will be $25.00.

CAMP AMACHE TRAP SHOOT    The Camp Amache Trap Shoot Committee will host a trap shoot at Camp Amache, Granada, CO on April 1st.    There will be a non-competition practice shoot at 11 am at a cost of $2.00 per round, with no pay-out. If you want or need to come out and get some practice in, this is the time to do it.    The regular shoot will begin at 1 pm at a cost of $5.00 per round with cash prizes paid to the winners.    There will be fun shoots along with regular ones for you to participate in.    They will have shells available for purchase, if you do not have any or if you run out.    To get to the trap shoot area, follow the state highway sign for Camp Amache, turn south on road 23.5 at the wooden Amache sign. Go over the cattle guard and take the first road to the left (east) and follow it around until you see all the activity. Signs will be posted at the cattle guard.

LARGE CROWD AIRS CONCERNS
OVER PRAIRIE DOG ISSUE

   Over two hundred people attended the Ranching with Prairie Dogs Forum held in La Junta on March 6th. Bent-Prowers Cattle and Horse Growers Association hosted this forum. Concerned landowners, ranchers and farmers from areas ranging from Pueblo West to Holly and Arlington to Campo were in attendance to hear the views and ask questions of those interested in protecting prairie dog habitat. The main topic of concern to the audience involved the accuracy of scientific data concerning prairie dog population. This worry was emphasized after three different panelists presented differing numbers on present populations.
   “We need to have a good solid inventory to know what our base line is. What we are actually working with. I'd say at this point and time right now to date we just don't have it.” Admits Lee Carlson with the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
   Advocates for listing the prairie dog on the endangered species list are concerned with the decline in numbers between historical populations and what exists now. The attendees, feeling concerned that there is no accurate count of today's population, question the scientific strength of historical numbers sighted by the National Wildlife Federation. Without an accurate population count, these ranchers and farmers wonder if a recovery plan for the prairie dog is even necessary.
   Under the premise that recovery is necessary, the Colorado Division of Wildlife has organized a committee to implement an incentive program for landowners willing to provide habitat for prairie dogs. This committee is made up of representatives from the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Colorado Farm Bureau, National Wildlife Federation, Boulder County Naturalists Association, Colorado Department of Agriculture, and the Colorado Cattlemen's Association. This fund has $100,000 available from GoCo to pay out to landowners during year 2001 and $500,000 designated for 2002. The pilot incentive fund will be tested in four area counties: Baca, Bent, Pueblo, and Weld.
   Bill Gray, President of the Bent-Prowers Cattle and Horse Growers, questioned the formula of the actual incentive rate, commenting that the dollar figure was too low to be a viable option for ranchers. Tim Davis, with the Colorado Division of Wildlife, stated “If it's not going to work, we need to go back and look at it and make something that will work. Again, we are trying to be proactive with this. We are trying to do what we can as a State Agency to help you work within this system.”
   Concern was expressed that should one's neighbor enroll in this incentive program, it would be difficult to control the borders and prohibit the prairie dog town from expanding to neighboring pastures. Panelists appeared open to discussion as to remedies of the damaging effects of prairie dog expansion on adjacent landowners and agreed to express these concerns with the program's oversight committee.
   Relocation from urban areas was also discussed. Tom Blickensdorfer, a panelist involved in passing a statute limiting transportation of rodents from one county to another reaffirmed “You've got to find some way to engage the citizens of a community and their elected officials. I'm not about to let one county just cram any kind of species down somebody's throat without involving the community and their elected officials.”
   Kerry Hartshorn, vice-president of the Bent-Prowers Cattle and Horse Growers, was pleased with the turn out for the forum. “I felt like the audience walked away with an understanding of the seriousness of this issue. The need for a sound, scientific habitat study was emphasized. Landowners have a reluctance of releasing any information about prairie dog habitat on their own property. They fear any information given out now could be potentially used against them if a listing were to ever occur. One of the ideas put forth from the audience suggested that the Colorado Cattlemen Association initiate such a study that would protect the landowners confidentiality and I would expect this idea to be discussed at a Bent-Prowers meeting in the very near future”.

LIVESTOCK ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

   Prowers County is now approved for the Livestock Assistance Program (LAP).
   Eligibility for LAP benefits for an individual producer is based on whether a natural disaster caused the producer in an approved county to suffer a 40% or greater loss of grazing for 3 or more consecutive months during calendar year 2000.
   Eligible livestock are beef and dairy cattle, buffalo or beefalo when maintained on the same basis as beef cattle, sheep, goats, swine, and equine animals used commercially for human food or kept for the production of food or fiber on the owners farm. The livestock became eligible for LAP benefits only if they are owned or leased for at least 3 months before the payment period.
   LAP assistance is based upon the value of feed calculated on a corn equivalency basis required for eligible livestock during at least a 3 consecutive month period where a minimum of 40% feed loss occurred. A producer must have sufficient grazing available for eligible livestock in order to receive the maximum payment.
   Contact the local FSA office for further information on completing a LAP application.

OLD TOWN COOLIDGE, KANSAS

   As the historic old town of Coolidge, Kans, is just two miles over the state line, its past has much of interest to those in Prowers county.
   The town was known for years as Sargent and being on the Santa Fe railroad in antedated Old Granada. It was begun in 1871 when the railroad was extended west to that point.
   During the time it was the division point for the railroad, it was a “boom” town. It had some of the biggest and best business houses this side of Pueblo during that period. The Silver Star was one of the largest hotels in the entire valley, and its fifty or sixty rooms were filled as long as the town remained the division point. There were several good business houses, a bank, restaurants, nice residences, and of course there were saloons, gambling joints, dance halls and even a roller skating rink. George Opp, manufacturer of barbering supplies at Pueblo, ran a barber shop there at the time, assisted by a brother, Abe.
   Peck's Opera house was begun early in the eighties, and the architect's plans called for an expenditure of over $100,000. The building was destroyed by fire, however, before it was completed. It was to have been the finest in this entire region.
   After Old Granada began declining in 1875 when the railroad was extended to Old Las Animas, many of the settlers and business men moved back to Coolidge where conditions were rising toward an all-time high. Nolan and Foley moved their general store and Murphy Ward, Harry Crittendon, the Chanstroms, the Simpsons, Leonard White and numerous others of Old Granada's best citizens also went to Coolidge at that time.
   Others who made the eastward trek were Ralph Donohue, Jack Hardesty, Dick Pumroy, Dave Hess and John Campbell.
   In the fall of 1886, when we were living at that town, the famed XY outfit was moving west from its old location at Hartland, KS, to the abandoned site of Old Granada, which the owners had bought. On their way through Coolidge, the XY cowboys stopped long enough to put on the customary “show”. After getting pretty well oiled up, they began running horse races down the streets. They kept it up throughout the afternoon and into the night, finally quitting when their horses were exhausted and their cartridge belts empty. The next day they continued on their way to the new location. Some of them were: W.H. (Billy) McCurry, Jim Morris, “Laughing Joe” Bell, Fred Walker, John Luke, “Old Dutch John,” Kid Baxter, Joe McClung, Dick Stubbs, Frank Tate (range boss), J.R. Potter (superintendent).
   Coolidge in those days was blessed with artesian wells. Even in the sand hills south of town, one had only to sink a hole twenty to a hundred feet in the ground, line it with pipe, and instantly a steady flow of water would begin. In the last few years, probably due to the drought, this phenomenon no longer exists. If it did, farming could be made a profitable business in that district.
   Footnote: 1871 to 1903 was the period during which Coolidge was the freight division point.
   Bat Masterson, the Dodge City killer and Lamar's first marshal, operated one of the saloons there in the seventies.
   (Prowers County-Past to Present, as told by George A.H. Baxter. Taken from the Daily Sparks newspaper 1939, given to this newsletter by Oscar Noble).

BIRTHDAYS/ANNIVERSARIES

MARCH, 2001 11  Joyce Otto 12  Norma Lowe 13  Clyde Kennedy 14  Jeff Dorenkamp       Darren Watson 15  Samuel Rink       Shannon Venturi 17  Beulah Malone 18  Ty & Becky Harmon       Gayla & Billy Dowen 19  Janet Watson 24  Andee Dowd       Bill Lowe 25  Mickey Watson 28  Jennie Marston 29  Patricia Dunn 31  Ty Harmon	APRIL, 2001 2    Ann Vagher       Hope Sanchez       Emily Schenck 5    Emily Wilson 8    Carol Musick 9    Alfred & Misty Adame 11  Shari Wagner 12  Cynthia Reinert       Fred & Helen Pottorf 14  Jon Tyree 15  Vince Hartshorn 17  Tom Grasmick       Brian LaPrarie 18  Rick Grasmick       Jerry Smith 19  Glenn Otto 21  Marilee Morrow       Frank DuVall

Birth Announcement:
   Alaina Dawn Lewis arrived on Jan 24, 2001 to her parents, Jeremy Lewis & Jennifer Smith and grandparents; Terry & Toni Smith and Mike & Lisa Lewis.
   Jenna Brooke Jameson arrived on Jan 31, 2001 to her parents, John & Billie Joe and grandparents; Mark & Patty Rees and Cotton & Sandra Jameson.
   Destiny Renee Vega arrived on Jan 25, 2001 to her parents, Rumaldo & Connie Vega and grandparents; Ester & Ramon Morales and Juan & Rita Bersoza.
   Andrea Nicole Cooper arrived on Feb 12, 2001 to her parents, Mandi Lyons & Shayne Cooper and grandparents; Elouise Lyons, Velma Casanova, Mark Cooper and Albert Adame.
   Cheyenne Nicole Grubb arrived on Feb 15, 2001 to her parents, Tanya Kroschel & Roy Grubb and grandparents; Linda & Harold Grubb and Linda & Dale Kroschel.
   Angel Carrera arrived on Feb 12, 2001 to his parents, Servando & Graciela Carrera and grandparents; Francisco, Ester, Juan & Socorro.
   Jayden Shane Silva arrived on Feb 16, 2001 to his parents, Peter & Tasha Silva and grandparents; Pete & Phyllis Silva and Deana & Terry Rose.

Community Losses:

Loretta M. Schlager on Feb 11, 2001 James F. (Jack) Gruenewald on Feb 16, 2001 Sarah Neill on Feb 20, 2001 James Robert 'J.R.' Paxon II on Feb 24, 2001 Juanita Oman on Feb 28, 2001

Frank A. Campos on Feb 12, 2001 Edna J. Reinert on Feb 20, 2001 Ellen M. Burrows on Feb 21, 2001 Evan Patrick Mauch on Feb 27, 2001 Florentino 'Tino' Ramos on Feb 28, 2001

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CSN STAFF SHANNON VENTURI- 734-5244 SHAWNA HARTSHORN- 734-5326 GLENDA TYREE- 734-5253 JENNIE MARSTON- 739-4623    Hartman Contact JERENE DEBONO- 734-5612 RITA MARQUEZ- 734-5497

Disclaimer: we have the right to refuse any news or event item deemed un-printable for the community stuff newsletter. DON'T FORGET SPRING IS COMING THAT MEANS DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME SPRING FORWARD AT 2 AM APRIL 1st

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