, 1885-02-19
A MONTANA WINTER
IS BAD FOR NATIVE CATTLE AND
WORSE FOR TEXANS.
How tho Bruts- suffer Whom the Mercury
l. 40 Degrees Below zero-catus
ON the rsack-Droses An the
Streets.


pInes city Mon Cor, Chicago Tinea.l
Reports from all over the territory say
that the cattle are suffering greatly. both
natives and pilgrims. and that It is feared n
run over the ranges will show ~heayydosses.
In the northwest, near Fort B1nton. tho
snow Is very deep and the weather very
cold, 50 that the cattle cannot find sufficient
nourishment from the scant grazing. and ars
therefore suffering accordingly. Near Mis-
soula, west OF the Rocky mountains, and also
in northern Idaho. the snow Is said to be
from five to SIX feet deep, and the cattle are
coming In from the p~rniriss, driven Ia by
tho protracfed blizzard which Is sweeping
over that section OF country. In tho south
west, near Bozsman, In Madison, Beaver
Head, and Gailatin counties, the same state
OF affairs exists, and the suffering has ex-
tended TO the bands OF sheep as well as to
the cattle herds In the Musseishen district
cattle matters have a rather gloomy APP
pearance.
Late in the fall many rowing bands OF In
dians-Piegans, Crows and Blackfeet-ln
their numerous marnuding expeditions
against each other, stealing horses from the
whites, and running of stock whenever an
opportunity offered, maliciously set the oral
RE on fire and burnt off the grass. The Nus
selshell country was particula rly unfortu-
nate In this respect, as directly through Il
lay the roadway over which the Piegans
came south to raid the Crows, and over
which the Crows travelled north to get back
at the Piegans. In consequence Of these fire.
quent expeditions a great deal OF fine
grazing country was burned over. and
now the cattlemen of that section feel the
effects OF that calamity. The last great
nrs in the Sweet Grass hills burned a tract
Of country thirty-ive miles in width and
twice as long, consuming a number OF hay
stacks put up by the ranchmen for winters
use. Cowboys nav been going over the
burned district and the country adjacent
thereto gathering the cattle and driving
them to the foothills and sheltered places,
where they will fare much better than on
the open prairie while the extreme coli
weather lasts.
All along the Northern Pacific railroad in
Montana and Idaho the cattle are congre-
gated near the track looking for shelter, and
not seeming to relish the deep snow of the
open prairie, where billiards are sweeping
with such tremendous force. The poor
creatures are actually frightened, and don't
know what to do with themselves. They
get under the bridges, or in the bitches on
the sides Of the track, or gather in knots and
punches m the willows near streams. aud
don't seem to care 10 grave. The native cattle
appear to fare badly also, but the greatest suf-
fering Is among the new cattle, who know not
what to do for water. The acclimated stock
will take great mouthfuls of snow when
water IS not to be had, and in this way man
age to allay their thirst to some extent, but
the pilgrims have not yet learned that art,
and are therefore suffering In consequences.
The streams and creeks are frozen so hard
that they ara no longer useful for watering
places. As a freight train on tho Northern
Pacifc railroad was nearing saltwater "a
town In the western part Of the Yellow
stone valley the engineer discovered the
track ahead Of him completely blocked by
cattle. Before the train could be stopped Il
rdshol pell-meil into the very midst Of the
animals, and plowed them from the rails
right and left. A heavy snow-plow was In
front of the engine, and it crushed fur,
killing thin outright Fourteen Others
were damaged more or less by the time the
train cams TO a standstill, and yet the rest
would not move. Tho train men then got
down and drove the animals of, Tearing
the track with great trouble. They seemed
perfectly wild with cold and fear, and saw
eral Of them attacked the train mon, caus-
ing the hitter to hy to the nearest protection.
Neal Miles City a curious spectacle Is TO
be seen The whole valley ON all sides Of
the town is filed with cattle that have come
In from the range to escape the cold Among
tho short, stubby rose-bushes that grow
along the banks OF the YeIlovstone and
Tongue river Is a sea Of heads, belonging to
the astonished animals that are seeking
what protection the scant shrubbery affords
Even in the streets OF the town great droyes
OF cattle meanier back and forth, as the tall
houses on either side have tho appearance, II
not the reality, OF conveying warmth. The
weather in tho city must be at least 10 or Is
degrees warmer than out on the prniries,
and no doubt the cattle feel the difference.
and viii hang around until It modsratss
sufficient to allow a return to tho regular
grazing grounds But there Is a great deal
OF suffering among them for food. for there
is not enough in the town nor in the valley
surrounding it to make even one square meal
for the immense drove Of animals now con-
gregated hereabouts.
A number Of cattle, among which were
some pilgrims, went out on the ice Of the
Yellowstone river opposite town to drink at
one Of the water-holes cut In the Ice for the
purpose Of supplying the town Tho old rust
lers went at the thing in the right way, and
quenched their thirst without any difficulty;
but the newcomers, the Texans, to whom Il
was a new experience, were not so fortunate
on their side, and forty-hve of them fell into
tho aperture, one after another, and were
swept under the Ice and drowned. Scores Of
others that fell in but managed TO get out In
some way. were so badly moistened with the
cold water that they frozs to death shortly
nftsrward. Numberless bodies arc lying
along the river bank, farther up stream,
frozen stiff. having evidently come to their
deaths In this way. Cattlemen are taking
the matter In hand, and cowboys have boon
detailed to patrol along the river opposite
these dangerous places, in order TO prevent
like accidents
The cold weather appears to ave brought
myriads Of coyotes and prairie wolves from
somewhere, as the whole territory Is literally
alive with them. These scnvengers formerly
followed in the wake Of the mighty buffalo
herds that once filed the plains OF Montana.
but now that they have returned it must DO
that no more buffalo are to be found, and the
cattle are 10 supply their place. These
miserable brutss are committing great raw
ages on domestic cattle. particularly the
calves. Tho latter are weak, tender, and
stunted with cold, and can not keep up with
their stronger parents The coyotes watch
these calves, and II one bscomes tired and
lays down In the mow to rest he Is sure to be
set upon by a scors OF ravenous wolves and
torn to pieces. Tho county authorities find
they are compelled at last to give their at
tention to the growing evil, and they ara
therefore offering free stryohninsso all who
viii use 1t in tho determination OF these
psstz As theirs is a bounty offered for every
wolf killed. also a ready market within tho
territory for the skins, many OF the cowboys
are entering into the business OF wolf-puison-
in addition to their regular nny as hsrderx