Durance, Durant

[Fr. durant.] A sort of heavy, stout cloth, resembling buckskin leather, formerly used for men's wearing apparel; as, "a good suit of durance." - J. Webster. Du'rance, a river of France, rising in the Alps, and joining the Rhone between Avignon and Tarascon after a course of 170 miles. Du'rand, or DURAND STATION, in Illinois , a post-village of Winnebago co., abt. 16 m. S.W. of Beloit. Durand, or DURANT, in low a , a post-town of Cedar co., about 19 miles N.N.W. of Davenport. Durand, in Wisconsin , a city, cap. of Pepin co., on Chippewa river, 16 miles N.E. of Pepin. Pop . (1895) 1,372. Duran'go, a central dept. or state of the Mexican Confederation, lying between Lat. 23° 37′ and 27° 45' Ν., and Lon. 102° 30′ and 107° 17′ W. Area , about 48,489 sq. m. Surface, mountainous and rocky, being traversed by the Sierra Madre. Rivers . Rio-de-las-Nases, Rio Conchas, and Rio Parras. Soil , mostly barren and used for pasturing, except along the streams, where it is extremely rich and fertile. Min . Gold, silver, iron. D. suffers greatly from the incursions of several Indian tribes, especially the Comanches (q.v.). Cap . Durango. Pop . (1895) 196,852. -A town, cap. of the above dept., on a branch of the Tecapan River, 7,295 feet above the level of the sea. Lat. 24° 25' N., Lon. 103° 34′ 37′′ W. D. contains several churches and convents, a mint, and numerous woollen and cotton manufactures. It has tramways and tele phones, and much improved of recent years. Pop. about 27,000 in 1897. Duran'go, in Colorado , a city, capital of La Plata co., situated in the middle of the picturesque valley of the Animas river, above 450 m. S.W. of Deuver. Founded (Sept. 1880) in a rich mining district, D. became at once the commercial and smelting center of the entire San Juan region. Pop . (1897) about 3,000.