Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-09-07
The Cattle-King Of the Plains.

From, the New York World.
The experience of Mr.. Tiff, the s:Cat.
ticking of the Palms, whose great
ranch in Northern Colorado includes
hundreds of square miles of bottom
and upland ranges, is typical of the
whole. During the severe winter of
1912 there were deep SHOWS that
remained q long time, and the storms
were incessant. In the midst of them
Mr.. Tiff visited his ranch and found
his cattle dying and scattered by thous.
ands. In spite Of all he could do, less
than half of them were recovered, and
those had strayed at springtime into
two different States and four different
Territories. More than $4,000 were
expended in efforts to find them. At
last, in tho spring of 1874, 5000 undis-
covered head were charged to profit
and loss. Could these have been sold
the previous fall they would have
brought at least $l8 4 head, a total of
$4,000. Yet the Cattle King, and
many cattle princes besides him, make
money from cattle raising on the
plains, for they learn much by expert
ence, and the demand is great enough
to warrant all their risks. r.Iliff has
now more than 26, 900 head of cattle of
all ages, sizes, and conditions. Nearly
5000 calves were branded on his
ranch last year, and he sold about the
same number of fOur-year-Old steers
and fat cows, at the average selling
price of $32 q head net, 1000 heal
brought him $128,O00. He employees
from twelve to thirty.five men to take
care of his immense herds in summer.
By the introduction of thoroughbred
Durham bulls the herds are rapidly
graded up, and he estimates tho in
crease outside of purchases and sales,
to be about 20 per cent. per year. Be.
sides the cattle raised on his ranch, he
deals largely in Texas and Indian cat.
tie, and last season advertised for co.
600 head of Texas cattle to be deliver
ed during the driving season of 1876.
If he does not receive this number
from Texas, he expects to supply the
deficiency with Oregon and Montana
cattle, which are beginning to come
East. The Laramie Plains, higher up
among the mountains, are q paradise
for stock, especially sheep, and away
over the mountains toward the Pacific,
there are stock ranches that throw
even lifts in the shade. In the Hum
bolt Valley, some $50 miles east from
San Francisco, one cattle firm, Dunphy
& Hildreth, have 10000 acres fenced
in. It is miles across from their
eastern to their western fence. The
fences, made Of redwood posts and Or.
egon pine boards, cost about 5000 a
mile, and there are twenty miles of
them. The firm own 10000 head of
cattle, which are mostly shipped to
San Francisco. The stock is all of
good quality, and some of the best
blooded animals in the country are
annually purchased to improve the
grades. The snow here seldom falls
deep, does not stay long, and the grass
makes it's appearance early in the
spring. Grass, Though, does not seem
essential to the well-being of some of
the latest cattle on the continent.
Further down the Humboldt Valley,
where nothing else but sage.brush,
grease-wood, and alkali dust is to be
seen, the Central Pacific trains have
to slacken speed to avoid manning the
heavy herds, for which the green
bush is alleged to furnish
abundant provender.