Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1881-01-05


year, if there is sufficient moisture
in the ground, the seed sprouts,
and then tho tender plants are
partly or wholly blasted 10y the hot
southwest winds.
AS the immense immigration took
up all public lands fit for agricul-
ture, and approached the eastern
edge of the Arid Belt, the land
grant railroads circulated false and
deceptive pamphlets designed to
create the impression that change
had taken place in the climate of
the western plains. It is true that
the excessive rains that fell on the
plains during the fall, winter and
spring of 1877 and 1878 supplied
sufficient moisture to mature a
good wheat crop. Kansas still
boasts of that crop. To the rain
fall of this wet season the agents of
the Immigrant railroads have cease
lessly called the attention of would
be emigrants. By the distribution
Of their misleading pamphlets, and
by an adroit use of the newspapers
controlled by one of the owners of
the railroads, emigrants have been
induced to enter the Arid Belt by
tens Of thousands
AS these men, seeking for homes,
entered the grazing region, the
herds eff cattle they encountered
were driven westward before them.
The pioneers in the great industry
Of cattle growing, in which mill
ions of dollars are invested, and
which furnishes employment to
thousands Of men, were forced to
abandon the range, or else close
herd their cattle on what were prob
ably the best summer grazing
grounds in the west.
The generally accepted state
ments, published in newspapers
and magazines, of the enormous
I profits Of cattle and sheep growing
on the western plains, are almost
all grossly exaggerated. 1t is true
that money invested in the bust
ness, when ably managed, may
earn large returns. 1t is also true
that the blunders of mismanage-
ment, aud the accidents of the fire.
quent and severe winter storms,
often consume the capital invested.
During 1879, the reports of the
| inspectors show that 1854 cattle
were shipped from Colorado to
Kansas City and Omaha. About
5000 more were shipped to stock
feeders in Kansas and Nebraska,
but were unloaded west of the
| points of inspection; $1,000 head
were driven out of the State, and
1856 were slaughtered for home
consumption--a total of 120,730.
OF this number 104, $50 were steers
fit for market or for feeding in the
corn belt, and worth s24 per head /;
10000 were stock cattle valued at
SIG per head. The total amount
paid to the cattle growers of Col
orado for stock sent out of the
State was S2,769,76O.
The long-continued drought of
1880 greatly interfered with the
business, as it was impossible for
all the cattle that were feeding on
the barren range to grow into con-
dition fit for market. The market
ing has been retarded to such an
extent that correct report of this
years business cannot be given.
1t is probable, however, that the
exports are almost, If not quite,
equal to those of 1870. Each sue
ceeding crop of calves is larger
than the preceding one, on account
of the practiced policy of the cat
tie growers not TO sell the female
increase Of their herds, 1t follows.
therefore, that the steers sent away
ought to annually increase in num-
Der. If the number marketed is
not in excess OF last years bust
ness, it is because the drought has
maze IL necessary to hold the cat
tie over. They will arrive at the
stock yards Of Kansas City and
Omaha next year.
The stock growers of Colorado
rand Nebraska loudly call on Con-
gress to enact law making the
Tooth meridian the western limit Of
the lands subject to the homestead
and entry laws. They claim, and
with apparent reason, that expert
ence in the Arid Belt has conclu-
sively proved that the land west