Population. Colorado's total population in 1900 was 539,700 and according to the census of 1910, it was 799,024. Eighty-three per cent. are American born and 17 per cent. foreign born. Colorado has only 1.6 per cent. negroes, a less percentage than other states, and a less percentage of Orientals than any of the Pacific states. As to Indians, Colorado has fewer than either New York or Pennsylvania.
Railroads. Colorado has better railroad accommodations than any other Rocky Mountain state, only one county, Baca, being without railroad communication. There already are over 5,000 miles of railroad within its boundaries, and more are being constructed. The principal railroads are the Denver and Rio Grande, Colorado and Southern, Union Pacific, Burlington, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, Colorado Midland, the Denver, Northwestern and Pacific and the Missouri Pacific roads.
Education. Colorado ranks among the foremost in education. There are more than 2,000 school-buildings, with 5,000 teachers and an attendance of 168,000 pupils. The annual expenditure for school purposes is five and one-half million dollars. The state institutions of higher education are the State University at Boulder, State School of Mines at Golden, State Agricultural College at Fort Collins and the State Normal School at Greeley.
History. Colorado was acquired in three tracts: a portion of the north and east by the Louisiana-purchase of 1803; a portion of the west and north by the Mexican cession of 1848; the remainder by a purchase from Texas in 1850. Coronado, in 1541, is supposed to have been the first white man to set foot within the present limits of Colorado. In 1776 Escalante traversed the western and southern portions. The first organized American exploration was made under government authority in 1806 by Lieutenant Zebulon N. Pike. The next expedition was undertaken in 1819 by Major Stephen S. Long. In 1842 John C. Fremont began a series of five explorations in search of practicable rail-routes.
The first important discovery of gold was made in 1858. At this time trappers and scouts were about the only white inhabitants of Colorado, and there were only a few forts, stockade and trading-posts; such a trading-post was established in 1840 on the present site of Pueblo. When the first gold-hunters came to Colorado the parks were inhabited by the Ute Indians; the plains by the Cheyennes, Arapahoes, Kiowas and Comanches. The Indians have since been placed upon reservations.
In 1876 Colorado was admitted into the Union as the Centennial State. The prehistoric remains, consisting of numerous cave-dwellings and ruins found in southern Colorado, have been set apart as a governmental reservation.
Colorado (kŏl′ō-rä′dṓ) (meaning red), a river 900 miles long and navigable for 600 miles. It is formed by the junction of the Grand and Green Rivers. Its main branches are the San Juan, Flax, Bill Williams and Rio Gila. It flows southwest through southern Utah and northwestern Arizona; next separates Arizona from Nevada and California; then enters Mexico and empties into the northern end of the Gulf of California. The Colorado itself and most of its branches flow at the bottom of deep cañons, slowly cut out by water during the lapse of eons. Below the mouth of the Flax, for nearly 400 miles, the cañon walls rise from 4,000 to 7,000 feet, forming the Grand Cañon of the Colorado, one of the great wonders of the world. In 1906 the river created Salton Sea in southern California.
Colorado River of Texas is over 900 miles long, and averages 250 feet in width. In winter steamboats go up the river as far as Austin. Throughout most of its length it flows through a region of rich soil, and is a beautiful, clear stream. It empties into the Gulf of Mexico, at Matagorda Bay.
Colorado Springs, county seat of El Paso County, is an attractive city, 65 miles south of Denver. Its altitude is 6,000 feet, and it is situated on a plain near Pike's Peak, and is known the world over as a health and pleasure resort. The city possesses a handsome opera-house, five clubs, several fine school-buildings, the State Blind and Mute School, sanitariums, hospitals and fine churches. It was settled in 1870, but the Cripple Creek gold discovery in 1891 nearly doubled its population. Colorado Springs is served by six railroads, and has all the adjuncts of a modern city. Population, 29,078.
Colosseum (kŏl′ŏs-sē′ŭm), the largest of the Roman amphitheatres. Amphitheatres were oval-shaped buildings, used by the Romans for combats of gladiators and for wild beast fights. In the theatre, where plays were performed, the seats faced the stage in a half-circle; in the amphitheatre the seats entirely surrounded the place of performance; hence the name, from amphi, meaning all around. The Colosseum, besides being the largest of these buildings, is the best preserved, and is one of the most interesting ruins in the world. It was begun by Vespasian, and finished by Titus in 80 A. D. It covers about five acres of ground, and was able to seat 87,000 persons. It is 612 feet in length, and 515 feet wide. When Titus dedicated it, 5,000 wild beasts were slain and the games lasted for a hundred days. On the outside it is 160 feet high, built in three rows of columns and surrounded by a row of pilasters. Between the columns are arches, forming open
