The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-12-30

are turned over to him and branded at
i this place. Here are his private stock
yards, with corals, chutes, and all the
| necessary conveniences for handling
| cattle. 1t is on the South Platte River,
and of course has fine watering facilities,
while from the bottom land adjacent
plenty of hay may be cut for the use of
horses employed in herding. He cuts
no hay for the cattle. They live the en-
tire year on the rich native grass on his
range, and with the exception ola severe
winter now and then, the percentage of
loss is not very great.
Mr.. Tiff is thorough cattle man,
and from his long experience has per-
tect knowledge ct the business. He has
bought and now owns some 20, 900 acres
OF his present range, and will undoubt-
eddy purchase more land as soon as it
comes in the market. He now owns
&c, 900 head Of cattle. and will have this
number alter bis sales for the present
year are completed. The number of
calves branded this year on his ranch
will be from $500 to 5000 head, and his
sales of three and four year old steers
and fat cows, the present fall, will prob
ably amount to the same number. He
told me he expected to realize the sum
of $33, 900 per head me-, ION his sales this
year. At this rate 4 1900 head would bring
$14.85O. To take care of this immense
herd he employees from twelve to thirty.
five men-very few usually. in the win
ter and the largest number during the
ground ups" in the spring. At the pres
ent time he has twenty-four men en-
ployed, and is cutting out of his herd the
four year old steers and fat cows which
he intends to ship. When engaged at
this work the same men are gathering
the cows with unbranded calves, which
they put in the corals near by, and after
the calvse are branded, they are turned
loose with the herd again. His herd is
rapidly being graded by the introduction
OF thoroughbred Durham bulls. In
addition to the cattle raised on this
ranch, he deals largely in Texas and In
dian cattle, and has advertised for 2O,000
head of Texas cattle to be delivered at
his ranch in July OF next year. MIR. Tiff
estimates his increase Of cattle from his
home head-outside of purchases and
sales to be about seventy per cent per
year, and about equally divided as to
gender. His shipping points are at Pine
Bluffs and Julesburg on the, Union Pa
cific, and at beers Tail on the Kansas
Pacific.
Lest any one should come to the con-
clusion that this business is all profit,
and that the expenses and losses do not
amount to much, let me further state
that Mr.. lifts policy is to keep his ex
penses as low as possible, having the
keeping and safety Of his cattle constant
ly in view. Last year, l think. the ex-
pen.e of herding, ETC., amounted to less
than $l5, 900, and will amount to still
less sum this year. But the losses from
thefts and deaths some years are fright
full, The winter Of 1912 was very Sc
we're. There were deep SHOWS over his
range that remained on the ground a
long time. and the storms were inces-
SAINT. In midst of the storms Mr.. lift
visited his ranch, and found his cattle
literallyDdying by b JUS .nds. On the is
land in the South Platte river he found
and drove off into the sand hills on the
south side after great exertion, some
2,7OO, and of this number less than half
have since been recovered. Their bleach
ing bones now whiten the plains in the
vicinity where they were frozen to death,
and those that were recovered were
found in two difft r mt states and four di..
ferent territories in the union. More than
f24, 900 were expended in trying to find
them. Nor was this all. Il was i'm
possible to tell for . number of years
how much the loss had been. His books
showed nearly 5000 unaccounted for.
No trace of them beyond skeleton could
be found. and at last--in the spring OF
1874 this number was charged to prof:
and loss account. and the books bal
anced for q new start. This large num-
Der would probably have averaged $50
per head could they have been sold the
fall previous, and at this rate they would
have amounted to 100000. l estimate
his capital invested in the cattle usiness
at $500 900, and yet, from its very nat
ure, he is liable to loose half of it the
coming season. Like other business
ventures. if man goes into it OF course
he takes the chances
GEORGE WASH!NcToN'S FIRST LOVE.
I'm tho hanEa of tho u,,lor, r;ro, ,