Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-02-15
Colorado.

THE following letter. addressed to Ma
rion Flaharty, E,q. il given US for pub
LEGATION. Notwithstanding Mr. Anderson
eulogies of Colorado, he in another lette
announces not only his desire but his in
tention to return to Montana so soon a
possible, "carrying his sheep behint
him." ED1roR.J
The climate of Southern Colorado, Eas
of the Rocky Mountaic Range, is mild
warm and dry. We have few storms
Summer or Winter, and though the
storms we do have are of short duration
ut never rains but it pours. 1t is sci
dom that as great fall Of spow as four
inches is seen here and when there is
such fall it has generally disappeared
inside of three days. We had several
snow storms SO far this winter, the hard
est one only leaving four inches of snow
on the ground which soon disappeared and
iidnoi prevent sheep from grazing as usual
SO far this month there has been but one
storm, when about two inches of snow
fell, the weather during the remainder
of the month having been as pleasant as
October weather in Montana
The grass here is fine tender buffalo
grass, quite thin on the ground, and the
Mexican and Merino sheep are the only
animals that can thrive on it. There is
not enough of it for Cotswold or other
large breeds Of sheep. Cattle like it, but
can't get enough to live on and do we'll
There are more poor cattle in Colorado
this Fall than Montana had after the
hardest Winter she has ever experienced.
There Is so little grass here that il takes
at least three acres to keep one sheep the
ye r 'rouLd. AS it requires nine to ten
acres Of such land for cattle, they can
never be kept here in large numbers. but
will he forced to some country where
there is more grass, necessarily leaving
the land entirely free for sheep raising.
Ranges having frontage of two or
three miles on some stream and running
la k four or five miles, capable Of sup
porting three or four hundred sheep SIX
mouths in the yrar-ctn be rented for
ten TO fifteen dollars per month-l.ss than
the frontage amounts to.
Experienced hands-men who have
herded heep nearly all their lives-can
he obta;n"d here for fifteen to twenty
dollars month. During the month of
May Qambing time) and the early part of
June (while shtaring) we need at least
eight extra hands, which can be obfaln ed
on short notice for twelve 10 fifteen dol.
lars per mOnth-less than half what they
could be procured for ir Montana, hi
tact, have my doubts whether they
could be procured at any price-especially
experienced hands.
Taxes here are also low. being onlyl
thirteen mills on the dollar and the as
stssed valuation of sheep being consider
ably less than in Montana, our taxes are i
only about one third what they would be
In Gal!atin county. /
We also have the advantage of direct
railroad communication with the Eastern
states. which not only reduces our living
expenses, but enables US to compete with
the thicker settled States in the Chicago
and st. Louis mutton markets, and 10 Law
our wool down in the Eastern cities much
cheaper end quicker when handled part
of the way by wagons.
The only disease with which we have
TO contend in this COUNTRY is the scsb.
which lie prevented and cured by dipping
annually IN strong decoction OF tobacco
In which is mixed small amount OF sui
phur. More sheep DIE of starvation and
old age than from all the other causes
combined.
MATT. w. ANDERSON. |,
FUEBLo. COLO.. Dec 90. 1879. |