The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-04-25
VS.. WYOMING.


the unfitness of the Nebraska plains for
the purpose of raising and wintering
cattle There have been seasons In the
past when the losses in live stock were
ruinously heavy, but this time they are
simply appalling. It was fondly hoped
that the disastrous snow storms which
characterized past winters were EEK
ceptional and would not probably occur
again in a generation. But the severi-
ty of the February storms, and the
persistency with which the deep snow
lay ON the ground for weeks, prove
that such events may be expected any
year, and consequently the risk is too
great to justify the continuation of the
business there. Some herdsmen may
stick to their ranges, but it is believed
that wisdom will prompt the remain
der to pull up stakes and Ego west"
In speaking of these losses we are
not telling our readers of a fact I'M
known to them. Our intention is to
prove how extensive they are,
and point out the cause. Within the
past week or two stock owners visited
their ranches and were therefore ena-
blei to learn of their direct losses by
the storm spoken of. Within the same
period, too, the sad fact was discover
ed that thousands of cattle which
w%eathered the storm are dying from its
effects. In proof we cite an article
from the Omaha Herald, which was
written by its correspondent who is ed
itorially endorsed by that paper. 1t
cannot be thought for a moment that
the Herald would misrepresent this
great interest OF Nebraska. What 1t
says may therefore be taken as truth In
its mildest form. Perhaps it has
slightly understated the disasters. At
any rate it has not overrated them and
they are CHASTITY enough. Says the cor
respondent:
l must tell you something now about
the stock. While the train halted at
North Platte l was fortunate to meet
with u number of the leading herdsmen
of Nebraska. Tie accounts given of
the great mortality among the cattle IN
this portion of the state are true. From
Mcpherson to this North Platte) sta
ton the way has been literally strewn
with dead Many beeves
seemed to have fallen in bitches or set
tied into soft ground from which they
were too weak to extricate themselves
and died. The shoals of the river re-
vealed scores of ~carcasses, the animals
having fallen from exhaustion while
attempting to ford the stream. Ada
cent to some of the ranches,
were in heaps as if they had been hauled
together for the better convenience Of
removing the hides. The loss, of course
cannot at present be accurately stated,
as the herds have not yet been rounded
up. The gentlemen referred to state
from their best information now at
hand, that their losses will be as follows:
Messrs. Barton and Dillon, of North
Platte, estimate their loss to date at
two thousand head. Their herd last
fall numbered nine thousand in round
numbers. They have already taken
seven hundred hides. MIR. T. Murphy,
Of Medicine creek range, reports his
loss at fully 80 per cent. His herd
numbered 1900. Mr.. NJ. Keith, anoth-
er extensive herder whose headquar-
tiers are at North Platte. has lost very
heavily n IS sill 10 sing. informa-
e eWn h o,os ma ~ ~ Jus mn !" luz pa al
hope of saving anything but hides.
It ia fair to assums hat other herds
in the mel ebborbood suffered lust as
much. What a frightful total. then
must be presented when the "round
ups,, are madel
Along the line of the Union Pacific
road from North Platte tn a no;nt this
side of SIDNEY the sad spectacle ia pre.
sented of hundreds of new carcasses
strewn along the wav within sight of
The p-assenpers Most of the remains
are seen in small bitches of water
from thence the boo animals were
probably too weak to emerge. This
confirms the statement of the CORES
pondent.
Take It all in all and the total loses
tn the Nebraska berdsmen will not fall
far short of ifty per cent. There NAV
be a few instances where they will be
less. The average, however, will proba-
bly approximate our figure. What, then,
do these facts teach? They show that
no man, or men, or corporation, can
stand such losses; they show that the
region is untitled for grazing
without vast and expensive pens and