The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-11-08

In 1s74. s & s1s pounds
" 1s7S s rs S o.
/" 1877: sas;ss
This, certainly, is a good exhibit for a portion of what
was once regarded as the Great American Desert. These
cattle have literally raised themselves for the market. They
have been out upon the ranges during the whole of the
winters without shelter and without feed from the stack, and
have been prepared for slaughter almost without cost, save the
expense of gathering them in and shipping them.
Winter grazing in Wyoming, so long doubted, has come to
be an established fact, and the careful observer must be con-
WINGED that not very far in the future, our Territory will
become one of the principal stock-raiing sections of the con-
tncnt. From here must come a large supply of the beef for
the belt OF States to the east of us, including the Northern,
the Middle, and the New England States. The business of
tattening cattle for the market, upon corn and hay, under shell
ter during the cold season, cannot compare with that of raising
them upon the nutritious grasses of the prairies and hills,
without shelter during the winter months.
The Australian provinces are, to a considerable extent,
devoted to the raising of stock; but their distant location
renders it impracticable for them to compete with us in the
markets of the world. So of the cattle-growing regions of
South America. Great Britain, and the continental nations,
being densely settled and divided into small farms, except the
large landed estates in the former, are not adapted to this
industry. Here, the almost limitless praires are without these
objections.
The Heterogeneous to business pursuits, and the Interrupt
ton of commercial traffic, resulting from the apparent conflict
between capital and labor, during the last season, have at
tracted attention to the question of reduction of the expenses
of hving; a subject which affects every class of the community,
and the producing and manufacturing interests. Those who
shall be instrumental in furnishing cheap beef to the people, at
remuncrative prices, will render them an important service,
Ir lHs must become an essential element IN the economy OF
life.
The shipment of dressed beef to Europe, the facilities for
which have been largely extended, as well as upon the hoof,
has grown to be a business of considerable magnitude, and is
rapidly increasing. From the first of January last to the first
of October, there were shipped to Europe SS,OS2, O36 worth Of
fresh meat, while during the corresponding period of last year,
only 81, $4,000 worth were shipped.
The exports of live cattle to Europe thus far this year,
amount to 81, $50, 900, against a very small sum last year.
OF mutton, too, %S113,000; while none last year. OF live
sheep, S1 ITO; last year, none. During the same period, that
is, from January LIST to October, the shipments of butter
were Il, 25o,69o pounds, while last year they were only 5,919,-
900 pounds: and of cheese, ~s9,65O,35O pounds, against only
SO, 7O0,530 pounds last year. The export of grain, this year,
exceeds that of last by more than thirty-ive per cent. We
have raised upwards of %, 900, 900 bushels, over and above the
amount of former years.
War is destructive, not only Of human life, but of the means
of sustaining life. Large armies fill their ranks mostly from the
producing classes. The war now existing between Russia and
Turkey is already a heavy drain upon the resources of both,
and if prolonged through another year, must greatly impair,
if it does not exhaust, their producing capacities beyond the
demands Of the people at home. The awful scourge of fam
inc is compelling England to ship large quantities of flour to
supply the wants of the p~erishing subjects of her East Indian
Empire.
These causes, together with the large and increasing export
of cereals, and of meat, butter and cheese, must encourage
and impart renewed confidence to agricultural and pastoral
pursuits.
The consideration of this subject seems to Justify the pre-
dichon that, in the not very distant future, the farmers of the
western, central and eastern States will devote their attention
mainly to the raising of grain, pork and working oxen, and
the production of butter and cheese; while the prairies west
of the Missouri must furnish the beef. And is not thsa wise
provision of nature, in accordance with climate and soil?
Whatever Legislation is necessary to foster and protect this
industrial pursuit in which so many of our people are engaged,
and which is the main source of our prosperity and wealth,
should receive your favorable consideration. In connection
with this subject, it seems proper to call your attention TO the
a~dvisabiity of
BRINGING OUR LANDS INTO MARKET. '
Stock men find it necessary to have large tracts of land i'll
compact bodies, and desirable to acquire title thereto, which,
under the present system, they are unable to do. The odd
sections for twenty miles wide on either side of the Union
Pacific Railroad, have been set off to that road, while the
alternate sections are retained by the government, where they
have not been taken up by homestead or preemption.
respectfully recommend that you memorabilia the proper De-
partmcnt and Congress with u view to making these lands
open to purchase at very low rates. In this case It's to be hoped
that the railroad lands could be obtainable on equally as favor
able terms. If Congress would authorize the sale of these
lands at ten or fifteen cents an acre, large quantities would find
purchasers, and a large revenue would be yielded to the