Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-10-20
LETTER FROM COLORADO.
Special Correspondence.

They any out here th"t"a man can make
lots of money in the sheep business, but
he. jus, got to have sanl." This is un-
correct statement of the case.
The business is profitable when managed
with care, judgment and industry, but i,
entails life of solitude to great extent
and one full OF visailudes. A man should
have proper appreciation Of these things
and an understanding of the businesn be-
fore going into it, They tell off "high-
toned" Engli.hman who came here few
Years ago with $4,000 and wen. away
owing $50 900. He was always blasting
this bloody country, you know, and lived
high. In the language Of an old-timer
"blamed If he cared what he paid for any
thing. Offer him a horse worth $40 and
charge him $3.50 and he'd give you a check.
He didn't care what he paid for his sheep.
Had 800 Of them, and you used t. zee
thirty or forty Englishmen loafng Oh him.
You bet he didn't have the trouble of sell
ing them sheep. Sheriff did il for him"
OF course huch man could not succeed
in raising sheep. But ia an Offset to this,
and to illustrate the real character of the
business, here is another instance given me
by an old ierder. Said he: II wanted n
man 10 herd sheep, and | met one coming
out of Pueblo who said lie would like 10
work for me. Look here, said 1, Il wont
pay you any wages, but III give you $50
lambs which you must herd rs part of the
flock He agreed to that and worked for
me three years and half, until he had to
go away and be married, and then bought
him out. The wool had paid all expenses
and he had $2,250 coming to him in casli." !"
1t is needless to say that there is no
royal road to success and wealth in the
sheep business, or any other calling, in
Colorado, ANY more han there is in every
part of the world. There is no hope for
IL without economy and industry and strict
personal attention, and even with all these
the fates sometimes decree failure. But ns
Il rule man who knows what he is about
may invest from $4,000 to $25, 900 in sheep
and realize return OF twenty-five per cent
per annun. Comparing this with the pro
fits OF cattle raising it will be found tn at
the latter promise larger, though more
tardy returns, but the advantages on the
side Of sheep are smaller requirements in
the way of capital and the ready returns
of cash from the yearly crop OF wool
Some old-limers assert that they can run
flock OF 5000 sheep, year in and year
out, at an average cost OF fifty cents per
head. For such M they-nnd there are
many of theni-the above estimate Oi pro-
fit would need to be materially changed.
Your old-timer has lived twenty Year,,
perhaps, in this part OF the country. lie
il deeply attached to the soil and knows
no other home. He has spent years in he
mountains prospecting, and while he mny
like soft bed and n light roof, and II
good dinner ~ well us his neighhor, there
have been epochs in his life when any one
of them would be no ne @rer his reach than
the joys of Mohammednn paradise, and
"he co,inleth none of these things dear"
when his mind is set on the accomplish
men, OF any object. When this man takes
up the busines. of sheep-raising he is in
dend earnest. He knows nothing, thinks
of nothing, but sheep; lives among them,
sludies and masters every detail uf their
management, and institutes a rigid ecOIo.
my. He will have good sheep, good cor
rails, and probably good sheds, but lie will
care little for the comforts OF his cabin.
One of the most successfu sheep men in
this region began by living I'M cave neai
Colorado Springs. To loneliness the old
timer has long ago become stranger.
The ideal shepherd may be encountered
here in every conceivable variety, full OF
entertaining and 'veracious narratives OF
his adventures and experiences. Success
ful old timers enjoying the results of past
labors and clad III the sober gnrb OF civil.
cation, lay down the law over their social
cigars; while youthful beginners, with
doubtful prospects, sport hats with AN
enormous breadth Of brim, and seem 10
delight in garments Of dubious cut and
texture and extreme antiquity. One Of
two gentlemen from the East visiting Col
orad0 Springs aud calling on lady of his
acquaintance there, npologized for the ab.
sence of his companion whose clothes suit
able for the occasion had been delayed by
the express, "Only hear thnti" she ex-
claimed, delighted at this unuSul respect
for civilized habits. "Why have been
meeting The sons Of dukes and earls with
iheir Imntn looms tucked in the boots" But
il may he safely assumed that these dukes
aud earls would not presume TO thus ap'
pear in their own country, and there is an
unnecessary display uf barbarian IN doing
il here, especially IN Colorado Springs
which IL about M civilized as any other
caunty town. There are rome features Of
the curious irruption into Colorado Of sci.
ons Of the nobility and aristocracy which
are interesting and extremely amusing
bur, without attemptinga homily on the
subject, il may be remarked that sheep
have no regard for noble birth, and that
Piccaiilly seems to furnish an inadequat.
preparation for a successful ranchInan.
Life on the ranch is monotony itself
After breakfast AT daylight the bleating
flock is started over the runge and the
herder with his dog and u canleen over his
shonlder follows after them. All day long
they feed on the short grass, gong once TO