Smyrna times., 1882-03-22
Cattle Raising in the West.

Cattle Raising in the West.
The western country is destined to be-
come the most wonderful region in the
World. There seems to be no bounds to
Its wealth which is the more astonishingly
bountiful the more the country is devel-
Oped and its resources examined. Just
now cattle raising and shipping is drawing
the attention of capitalist to the far West.
The prairie lands are found to be exceed
ingly valuable for this business. at which
immense fortunes are being rapidly ac-
cumulated by nen who commenced life as
herders and had but few dollars with
which to purchase land and stock. An
Omaha correspondent says the the untitled
praries Of Nebraska have proved even
more profitable than those which are un-
der cultivation, though the one depends
in measure upon the other. Nearly all
that portion of the State west of the Tooth
meridian is covered with buffalo, bunch
and ether grasses, which cure AS they grow
''A'N ~SiAHt'iiA q NNtlltl4 VI luIlllIOi
out the year This natural hay affords
winter pasture, upon which cattle and
sheep feed and tatten. Thousands Ofboth
are annually marketed direct from the
plains, most of the former never having
tasted either hay or grain.
In Nebraska the Tooth meridian Is near
~ 31o miles west of Omaha. More than
one third OF the State is embraced within
| the grazing region. \ few facts which
follow will illustrate the profitablcness of
stock growing on these plains.
Mcssrs. Barton & Dillon have a ranch
in Lincoln county, 800 miles west OF
Omaha, and own a herd of something like
10000 head. The juaior member of the
firm is Sidney Dillon, President of the
Union Pacific Railway Company, who
| found it profitable to invest in the business
Mr.. Barton is one Of the pioneers in stock
raising of the Nebraska prairies, and has
built up handsome fortune in the last
! ten Years. He went to Lincoln county
when there was an unlimited range
Since that date hundreds of small growers
have settled in the county and restricted
the range. He says that within ten year.
the large herds will be removed farther
west and the whole region where his cat
tie now pasture will be occupied by
smaller growers with 100 to 800 head each
with the pasture land all fenced.
/ Ona firm iuct y1sast Of tI,o Ototo I;,,, -
$4,000 for Hereford bulls a few year:
since, and their immense herd of $4,000
cattle already show the improvement il
the grade. William A. Paxton. has
herd Of $4,000 near Ogallaia, $40 mile.
west of Omaha, and who. as President o
the Council Bluffs Stock Yards, says tha
the quality of beef shipped last year from
Nebraska was 20 per cent. better thar
that Of any preceding year. There were
100000 cattle received ut his yards.
Mr. Paxton began life as a poor boy
and herded cattle OH the plains long be
fore he began to deal in them himself
He invested few hundred dollars som,
years ago, and now owns $1,000 cattle
which are worth every cent Gf 1900, 900, t.
say nothing of his ranch improvement
and privileges. Beside his herd and ranch
he owns several business block in Omah;
and is stakeholder in important anC
profitable corporations in the city. Hi
wealth is variously estimated at from
5000, 900 to SSOO,O0O, and it is rapidly in
creasing. Every cent is TO be credited t.
the stock business.
+. Trussler, of sydney, put 5000 hea'
of cattle on the range in 1860 which cos
from IS to $40 per head, and although tn
following winter was the most severe eve
experienced in the State, he shippe,
sixty-fve carloads last season.
When it is known that the cost of real
ing steer to three years of age does no
exceed Sc, and that the average marke
price at that age is 1888, it is easy to Sc
what profitable business this is. Thes
figures are based upon the cost of raisin
cattle ON grass alone Within few year
Western growers have been feeding
large number in the eastern cOuntie
They reach market in March or Apri
instead Of August, and weigh enoug
more to make their shipment profitable
although it may cost them S. per mont
to feed them on grain. The inCreas
= brings to cents per pound.
= -