The Short Ditch Extension

The Short Ditch begins in what was once described as Midway, a point in the valley of the North Fork of the Gunnison south of Paonia and north of Hotchkiss.  From here it follows the base of the ridges and slopes to its terminus south of Hotchkiss. It is defined as a mutual ditch and was originally owned and operated by The Short Ditch Company. The segment of this ditch subject to potential adverse effects is the Short Ditch Extension and is owned by the Short Ditch Extension Company.

Cultural resources documentation of the property was initiated in response to a project related to the Bureau of Reclamation's Salinity Control Program. Proposed work included piping, adding a siphon, and altering the alignment by removing sections of the ditch. Because the ditch has not been documented in full, it has been evaluated as needs data and is to be treated as an eligible resource for Section 106 purposes. This ditch may have had a significant contribution to the local community as an early water project in the vicinity of Paonia and Hotchkiss. Records indicate 2,565-acres of farmland are currently irrigated by this structure.

As a result of those inventories, the Bureau of Reclamation determined that the proposed project will have an adverse effect on the ditch. This Story Map mitigates the project's adverse effects.

Construction on the ditch began in 1889, taking water from a headgate on the North Fork of the Gunnison River, and terminating on Cottonwood Creek. The initial filing was made by Frank B. Short. It was described as follows:

The name of said ditch is the SHORT DITCH. Said ditch is in Delta, County, Colorado, and takes its water from the left bank of the North Fork of the Gunnison River, at a point whence the 1/4 corner between sections 14 and 15, T. 14 S., R. 92 W., 6th P.M. The course of the said ditch flows to a point where said ditch reaches the right bank of Cottonwood creek, the same being the terminus of the main line of said ditch. Said ditch is 6 feet wide on the bottom, 6 feet on top, 1 foot deep and has a fall of 10 feet per mile. Said ditch has a carrying capacity of 28 cubic feet per second of time and 28 cubic feet of water per second is hereby claimed and appropriated of the water of the North Fork of the Gunnison river through said SHORT DITCH for irrigation and domestic purposes. The work of construction of said ditch begun November 18, 1889.

The Colorado Secretary of State indicates Articles of Incorporation for The Short Ditch Company were filed with their office on July 25, 1900. Documents associated with that filing state that “J.A. Burdick, F. B. Short, G.H. Hammond, J. D. Head, and S.P. Smith, have associated ourselves together under the name of the Short Ditch Company, for the purposes of becoming a body corporate and politic under and by virtue of the Laws of the State of Colorado.” The ditch company was formed for the purposes of acquiring or constructing ditches, laterals, or canals and operating the same for the purposes of irrigating the lands owned by members of the said company or the individual members thereof, or of such that shall become members hereafter.

Records with the State of Colorado Small Business Office were searched for relevant historical data related to the business filing. In 1900, Articles of Incorporation were filed (Colorado Secretary of State Document No. 19871030955).

Known all men by these present, that we, J.A. Burdick, F.B. Short, G.H. Hammond, J.D. Head, and S.P. Smith, have associated ourselves together under the name of the Short Ditch Company, for the purpose of becoming a body corporate and politic under and by virtue of the Laws of the state of Colorado, and in accordance with the provisions of said laws of said State, we do hereby make execute and acknowledge and said State, we do hereby make, execute and acknowledge this certificate in writing of our intention so to do and as required by law [illegible]. The Corporate name of our said Company shall be “The Short Ditch Company.”

The object for which said corporation is formed is for the purpose of acquiring or constructing ditches, laterals or canals and operating the same for the purposes of irrigating of lands owned by members of the said company of the individual members there of or of such as shall become members hereafter, and for supplying said members with water for domestic purposes and to do all things that can be lawfully done under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Colorado to carry out said objects.

In 1945, The Short Ditch Extension Company was formed and filed articles of incorporation with the State of Colorado for the purpose of acquiring or constructing ditches, laterals, or canals and operating them for the purposes of irrigating of lands owned by members of the said company. It was noted that "no person shall have the right to [illegible] greater number of shares of stock in the Short Ditch Extension Company than he holds in the Short Ditch Company proper" (Short Ditch Extension Company Articles of Incorporation, Colorado Secretary of State Document No. 19871109202).

Short Ditch Company Articles of Incorporation:  Colorado Secretary of State Document No. 19871030955 .

Short Ditch Extension Company Articles of Incorporation:  Colorado Secretary of State Document No. 19871109202. 

Colorado Division of Water Resources:  Short Ditch WDID: 4001196 

Frank Short was listed on the 1900 US Federal Census for Precinct 5 in Delta County. The record indicates he was married to Stella (née Sanborn) Short in 1888. Their household included four children: Stella, Florance, Mildred, and Lillian. Frank’s occupation was listed as Farmer. He is also listed on the 1910 Federal Census for the same precinct.  General Land Office records show one filing for Frank B. Short in Delta County. It was a cash sale entry filed in 1890 within T. 14S., R. 92W., Sections 15 and 16 on 160 acres (Accession No. COCOAA 008364; Document No. 846). His brother, James H. Short filed on 120 acres in the same area (T. 14S., R. 92W. Section 15). 

The 1920 Federal Census lists him living in Midway, in Delta County with his wife and youngest daughter, Lillian. Cemetery records indicate Frank died in 1947 and is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Hotchkiss, Colorado. His wife, Stella, died in 1964. She is the daughter of Ira Q. Sanborn, Sr., who is credited with discovering coal in the area.

Others associated with Short Ditch Company include James A. Burdick, George H. Hammond, John D. Head, and S.P. Smith

James was born in 1840 in Illinois. He was counted on the 1900 US Federal Census. At that time he was married to Mary B. Burdick and was working as a farmer. His son, Fred M., daughter-in-law Louisa, and grandson, James N., lived with them as well. His neighbors included John Head and George H. Hammond. In 1907, a newspaper report indicated the Burdick’s had sold their home in Hotchkiss and were considering moving to Delta (The Daily Sentinel 1907:3). According to cemetery records, he died in 1923 and is buried in Paonia, Delta County, Colorado.

His obituary reads:

Word was circulated Sunday morning announcing the death of one of Delta County’s most revered pioneers, James Burdick of Hotchkiss. Mr. Burdick, who has been living with his son, Fred, a few miles east of Hotchkiss, has been in feeble health for a number of years, crossing the last range at the advanced age of 83. This grand old man, noted for his liberality and true western spirit, first came to the North Fork Valley in 1881, but on account of the bitter hostility of the Indians, was compelled to leave for a time. He returned the following year and took up land under the preemption act.

The Georgetown Courier states, “Mr. Burdick came to Colorado in 1859 for Elgin, Illinois, locating first at Central City, then at Georgetown, and remained here until 1877. Five sons were born there. During the early ‘60s he was one of Chivington’s scouts and participated in the Sand Creek fight with Indians” (Georgetown Courier 1924:1).

George H. Hammond was born in Nebraska in 1862. He was counted on the 1910 US Federal Census and was working as a farmer at the time. He was living with his wife, Ellen, daughter, Edna, and three sons, Norman, Lester, and Halleck. Hammond died in 1938 and is buried in Delta (Delta County), Colorado. According to his obituary, “Mr. Hammond came to Delta in 1895 and for several years taught school in different parts of the county. For several years after his marriage he made his home on Wheatland mesa. In 1938 they bought a home in North Delta” (The Daily Sentinel 1938:12).

John Head was born in 1860 in Georgia. He was counted on the 1900 US Federal Census. He was single and working as a farmer. His mother, Margery Head, lived with him also. In 1920 census records indicate he was single and living in Hotchkiss (Delta County), Colorado. John Head died in 1925. While an obituary could not be located, a news brief mentioned he was lying seriously ill at his home with no hopes of recovery (The Delta Independent 1925:4).

Stephen Smith was recorded in the 1900 census of Precinct 2 (Hotchkiss) in Delta County, Colorado. He was born around 1868 in Colorado; however, his mother was born in Canada. His household at that time consisted of his wife, Abbie Smith, three cousins, Myrtie McIntyre, age 12, Mary McIntyre, age 8, Emma McIntyre, age 6, and a farm laborer, Edward Green. Smith worked as a farmer. The cousin’s father was born in Canada and their mother in Colorado. No additional information could be found.

The ditch was enlarged to the south from the terminus of the Short Ditch in 1899. Records on file indicate the Short Ditch Ext Feeder (Case No. 4808) is a historical structure only and no longer exists. Originally referred to as Long’s Lateral, the statement of claim to water rights record was filed by David Long and R.W. Curtis. Five headgates were described, tapping into Cottonwood Creek, Brock Gulch 1 and 2, Whipple Gulch, and Long Gulch. The said Long’s Lateral runs in a general southwesterly direction, intersecting the above mentioned creek and gulches at the several headgates referred to, reference being made to the attached plat. The said ditch was about 3 miles in length, had a mean width of five (5) feet, a main depth of 1 ½ feet and a grade of 10 feet per mile. The total carrying capacity of said ditch is 12 cubic feet of water per second of time. Work was commenced on said ditch, as contemplated in this statement of claim to water rights, on the 26th day of July, AD., 1899. Based on current water record files, this extension was incorporated into the Short Ditch; however, it is not clear when.

David Long was listed on the 1900 US Census for Precinct 2 in Delta County. He was born in New York, was married to Mary Long in 1886 and was working as a Hotel Keeper. His household consisted of daughter, Gertrude, a boarder, Rudolph Lassius, who was an immigrant from Norway and worked as a publisher, and Zenith Martin, a boarder from Iowa who was unemployed at the time. A newspaper account states that he was the proprietor of the Hotchkiss Hotel. In 1909, numerous newspaper listings show that he sold his property. The 1910 federal census indicates he had moved to Amarillo, Texas, where he died in 1923. David’s son, Dr. Roscoe D. Long, who was born in New York, was listed among those who first explored in the area for settlement, but does not appear to have resided there. In 1915, Dr. Long applied for a passport to work in hospitals in England, France, and Turkey.

Robert W. Curtis is counted on the 1900 US Census for Precinct 5 in Delta County. He was born in New York, was married to Etta in 1882 and was working as a farmer. His household included Chris Ober, a boarder from Iowa. He and his wife were living in Cedaredge 1920 and 1930.

An increase in the carrying capacity was decreed in 1901. It reads as follows:

The Short Ditch is claimed by Frank Short, John C. Mitchell, John E. Barrow, William J. Barrow, Edward P. Barrow, John G. Wilbur, John M. Davenport, W.A. Davenport, J. A. Burdick, John Head, Mary E. Parrot, Olive Lockhart, Rudolph Feutz, George H. Hammond, John McKnight, W. E. Roady, Mary L. Long, S.P. Smith, Walker and Prentice, G.W. Balch, and James. H. Short whose post office address is Hotchkiss, Colorado. The said ditch runs in a general westerly direction a distance of 3 miles and has a carrying capacity of 11.76 cubic feet of water per second of time. There is lying along and under said ditch and irrigated by water therefrom 419 acres of land.

A supplemental filing was made on August 14, 1920 by J.L. Bishop, Secretary. The Short Ditch was appropriated 1889 and a decree for 10.5 cubic feet of water per second of time was awarded at an adjudication of this court. Since the granting of the said decree there has been appropriated through and by means of the said ditch, additional water as follows: April 1, 1899, 2.2 cfs; April 1, 1901, 6.5 cfs; April 1, 1902, 4.5 cfs; April 1, 1903, 2.5 cfs. Of which amount 2.2 cfs of time was used with due diligence.

The Daily Sentinel (1907) Mr. and Mrs. James A. Burdick. 20 Mar, page 3. Electronic source, www.newspapers.com, accessed Feb 16, 2024.

The Daily Sentinel (1938) Delta News Items. 19 Oct, page 12. Electronic source, www.newspapers.com, accessed Feb 16, 2024.

The Daily Sentinel (1947) Frank B. Short, One of Paonia's First Settlers, Is Dead. 4 May, page 14. Electronic source, www.newspapers.com, accessed Feb 16, 2024.

Delta Independent (1923) James Burdick Succumbs at home of Son Sunday. 10 Aug, page 10. Electronic source, www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org, accessed Feb 16, 2024.

Delta Independent (1925) Hotchkiss. 20 Feb, page 4. Electronic source, www.newspapers.com, accessed Feb 16, 2024.

Georgetown Courier (1924) We learn from Edwin M. Burdick. 19 July, page 1. Electronic source, www.coloradohistoricnewspapers.org, accessed Feb 16, 2024.