The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-05-25
DEATH AMoNe snEEp.
a Scarcity frroyepd or Destroys thousand
OF the. yainabla Animals.

| Ia q. OF tile. Valuable Anlmals.
/ Piti5prgh Gsherciat Gazette. IN
| Mr.. L. P. siason, Of Ohio county, w.
I Va, an extensive cattle and sheep raiser
i tind also wool buyer for many years, in
DISCUSSING the prospects for the sale Of
wool this season, said .srhe mortality
among sheep lest season was something
fearful. In my own county hundreds Of
sheep literally starved to death. The
winter began early, alter one OF
the most barren liaryests in local
history. The intense heat of the sum:
mer OF 1884, tempered. by very few
showers and local rains, served not only
to,etfect the crops Of corn and oats, but
literally TO burn the grass on the ground.
The hay crop was exceptionally light.
The winter Of 1896 was a phenomenal
one, bothsih character and the matter OF
duration. At no time was it profitable to
allow stock to run at large, which the
dearth OF food made almost imperative
As. early as February. the exactions of
weather had exhausted the scanty stores
OF the summer and fall. In March nearly
every farmer had no provender for his
sheep, and they in many instances we're
forced to turn them ont to die, which they
did by scores all over tile county aud the
adjoining county Of Washington, in Penn
sylyania. s''' ''g
The rigors OF winter were felt over there
even more heavily than in this locality,
as the sheep are more plentiful than here,
and the supplies Of food corresponaingty
smaller. know OF one instance In Wash.
ington county where the loss Of sheep
wasequal TO 20 r25 percent OF the whole
flock, and this absolutely from starvation.
AT the town! Of West Alexander II is said
that thirty or forty carloads Of western
grain were bought.and sold within avery
short time. This is one OF the best eyt-
dences OF the severity OF the winter and
the aearth OF grain, when lis known that
West Alexander ID in the midst of one OF
the very best agricultural communities in
the country, and its farms are among the
most prolific in the Union. Thonsandsof
sheep died in Washington county alone.n
"Will the death OF so many sheep in
this middle country effect the price OF
wool this season? n ~ X 5E'5f
"lthink not. Wool wasvery abundant
In 1884 and much OF the old crop Ia still in
existence. | am. told by ocI,ineTchants
who have made astndS Of the situation
that wool will open up as weak il not
weaker than it did in the spring OF 1884.
There has not been much strengthening
yet, because the season has been so beck
wardthat washing could not be done, and
as q consequence no, or very little, wool
in this section yet marketable. Z / think
that 1884 prices will mark the beginning
OF this years business. The range will
be from % to % and IS. the last figure for
grade Of wool not abundant .hereabouts."
Are sheep as abundant in this locality,
or say in Western Pennsylvania, West
Virgins and Eastern 0hi3, az they form
erly were?' Z
soh, no. THO matter Of sheep hus-
osndry hsa fallen or very materially
withln che last five or ten years. Wool
aGes ANa pay .sne same prices that II torn.
efiyaG There Is no incentive to farmers
r raise II. With what Australian, Atri-
can and other foreign competition, and the
development Of competition In Southern
States. there Is little encouragement lori
farmer here who must raise sheep, feed
them and com pete for prices for them and
their products In climate that IS In all
essentials against their intereata Farmers
have largely turned their attention to the
culture Of other animals and are allowing
the sheep 10 &C" .y'3..
"What does It costito raise spound Of
wool2ne a. 81
"Icould not say without reference TO
statistics, but to make money on-.l mean
notlasge money, but merely 70 'clear, our;
selves++-wes ishould have at least forty
cents. "a farmer loses money by selling
wool at twenty-five or thirty cents. l
think wool will be worth much more
money nextyear than this" :Et