Colorado

(kol-o-rah'do,) a W. State of the American Union, b. N. by Wyoming Ter. and the State of Nebraska, E. by Kansas, S. by New Mexico, and W. by Utah; bet. 370 and 41° N. Lat., and 1020 and 109° W. Lon; length, E. to W., about 375 m.; breadth, N. to S., 275 m. Area, 104,500 sq. m., or 67,723,250 acres. The surface is generally of a mountainous character, the Snowy Range of the Rocky Mountains intersecting the centre of the territory, culminating in peaks over 14,000 ft. above the sea. E. and N.W. high plateaux are found, while towards the centre are large and fertile valleys or basins, here called Parks, encircled by the various ramifications of the Rocky Mountain chain. The 3 principal are the North, South, and Middle " Parks " - 80 termed from their geographical situation. The principal rivers are the Arkansas, Grande del Norte, S.fork of the Nebraska, Grand (an offshoot of the Colorado), Cost ill a, and Yampa. The valley of San Luis in the S. forms a rich amphitheatre, heavily timbered, and mountain-surrounded. C. is particularly rich in valuable minerals; silver is found in great quantities, a ociated with gold-bearing strata, on the W. slope of the " Rockies. " Gold, too, is largely found on the E. side. Gypsum, bituminous coal, salt, iron, copper, limestone underlie a great portion of the surface, and need but time and labor for their development. The river-bottoms and the valleys are well calculated for the raising of farm and dairy produce. The cereals succeed well, and the hardier varieties of fruits yield a ready cultivation. Chief Towns. Denver, the cap., Golden, (former cap.,) Pueblo, George town, Leadville, Colorado Springs, Central City, Black Hawk, Idaho Springs, & c. The settlement of C. was accelerated by the California gold discoveries in 1848. Organized as a territory in 1861, admitted as a State in 1876, hence called the " Centennial " State. Colorado, in Texas, a S.E. co.; area, abt. 1,070 sq. m. C. Columbus. Pop. 8,326. Colorado, or RIO COLORADO, a great river of the U. States, having its source in the Rocky Mountains, and bifurcating in Colorado Ter. into two branches, the Green and Grand rivers, which, uniting in abt. N. Lat. 32° 10', W. Lon. 114° 20′, flows a S.W., W., and S. course, and empties into the head of the Gulf of California, in abt. N. Lat. 35° 30', and W. Lon. 112° 55′. Total length, estimated at abt. 1,200 m., a great part of which pa es through a series of caf ions, one of which, the Great Canon of the Colorado, has been partially explored. - A river of Texas, rising in the San Saba Mtns. in N. Lat. 320, W. Lon. 109° 30′, and flowing E. and S.E. embouches into Matagorda Bay, after a course estimated at over 900 m. It is navigable to Austin by steamers of light draught.-A river of the Argentine Republic, S. America, rising in the Andes under the names of Mendoza and Desaguadero, and emptying into the S. Atlantic, in S. Lat. 39° 51', W. Lon. 62° 4'. It is sometimes known as the Cobu Leubo, or Cobu Leufu. [s. 207]