Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1881-03-17
DEATH AND DESOLATION.
Scenes Upon the Southwestern Plalns--
Great Cattle Graveyards in the Ark
ansas Valley--Flfty Per Cent. of
stock Lost During the Season.


Stock Lost During the Season.
A correspondent of the Chicago Times sem
out through the Southwest to investigate
the effects of the season upon the stock in
terest there, reports as follows from Las
Animas, Colorado: That region Of country
from Dodge City to Las Animas crossed by
the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fee railroad
distance of 175 miles, is great cattle
graveyard. The road runs along the north
bank of the Arkansas from Dodge to Granada
the first station in Colorado, where it crosses
to the north side. 1t is in sight of the river
nearly all the time, and from the car win
doWs can be seen thousands of dead cattle.
Many are lying close to the track, but back
as far as the eye can reach the plains and
elevations are streWd with carcasses, thus
belying the stories told by not a few, that the
only cattle that have died are those which
have been killed by the cars. To be sure,
many have gone that way, but only small
portion Of the whole. AS have heretofore
explained, the cattle belonging on the north
ern ranges have drifted in upon the Arkan-
sas, where they have been stopped by
thousands, and perished from the combined
effects Of cold, hunger and thirst. Thousands
were i'll sight as we passed, and, as many OF
the herds were close to the track, | was en-
abled to see their condition. They were
scattered about, trying to pick up a little
nourishment from the ground, which is now
bare in places, but with Indifferent success.
Some are in better condition than others,
but great majority of those encountered
along the route are nothing but living skele
tons that sway and stagger with weakness
II.
the hoops of barrel and some of the dead
ones that have been skinned show scarcely
meat enough to make plate Of soup from.
The men who are employing their time
travelling about gathering upthe hides would
save money driving the living cattle into the
vats, and picking out the bones afterward.
They are so thin and weak that they can
scarcely stand, and when they lie down they
can scarcely muster strength enough to get
up again. When it is remembered that these
cattle will have to pass through trying
season of two months yet before they can
get enough to eat, it will be seen that their
chances of surviving are slim indeed. The
cattle | saw are those from the north; and,
from what | have learned since my last let
ter, | am confident my estimate of the num-
Der that have drifted in, namely, 0,0O0 is
rather below than above the estimate | do
not believe that more than 10000 or $4,000
have crossed the river. A few have gone
back into the range, where food is plentier,
but by far the largest proportion still
hug the river, and of this number the NOR
tality cannot be less than SO per cent. and it
is as apt to be rs per cent. Fully 80 per
cent. have died already, and when the heel
fly" comes to worry what are left the death
list will be increased enormously.
In summing up feel justified in putting
The winters and springs losses to the herds
Of cattle in Westrn Kansas and the south /
eastern quarter of Colorado at 125O00 head,
though it may not exceed 100000. If the !
is less, the owners may consider
themselves in great luck. This loss repre-
n dollars and cents between 81, 100000 and
52, 100000, besides which the cattle men will |
ose years time. It sets them back year
aking the average through. Sheep have
suffered more severely than cattle through |
his region of country. The sheep interests
Ire extensive, and it is estimated that the
yooly inhabitants of southeastern Colorado |
viii aggregate not less than 100000 or 600,- |
100, and in New Mexico at least 100000 |
The winter has been very severe all over the
sheep grazing country, particularly north OF
Las Vegas, New Mexico and the sheep have
lied by the hundred thousand. Shepherd
Expect to loose from three-eights to so per
,ent. of their stock in the Territory north of
las Vegas, or very nearly 100000 in all.
Two dollars a head is low average value
o put on sheep in this region, but at that
igure the total loss to this interest alone
would foot up to round S1,0O0,000.