, 1885-03-03
RANGE PIRATES.
A Traveller Tells What He Knows
About Wyoming.
Cattle Kings Accused of Freezing
Out Small Owners.
A Decidedly AudaciOus Article Re-
plefs With Grave Charges.

49, 49,
A correspondent of the Blackfoot
Idaho Register. who signs his communi-
cation as "Driftwood, gives some points
upon what he terms 1.-THE Piracy of
Ranges in Wyoming, as follows:
1t is a mistaken idea that we have any
where in the United States arid desert
wastes that will subsist vast herds of
stock that will not eventually be settled.
Here are the great arid plans Of the Snake
river. Three years ago this was unoccu-
pied; three years hence not a spare inch
will be left Let us turn our attention for
a moment to the great territory Of Wyo-
ming, and see how a country that but a
little while ago was almost universally
termed an arid and alkali field, is fixed,
About twenty years ago as | came along
up the North Platte, Sweetwater, on
through South Pass and down the Sandy
to Green river, hostile Indians, alkali and
and buffalo On every side, worn and tired
out, if anybody had told me then /
would live to see that country settled, or
that anything beyond sage brush and
g~reasewood would grow up there which
would entice n person to stop. 1 would
have thought him a little luney. Two
years ago l passed over the same
route. Note the changel The dried
and parched alkali plains of twenty years
before were clothed in a verdure Of bunch
and buffalo grass unequaled anywhere.
The North Platte passed along down on
its course, fed by a hundred tributaries
that could furnish homes for thousands.
Yet, beyond the cattle feeding on the
luxurious grasses, there was no evidence
Of civilization, except at intervals of
probably twenty or thirty miles a house,
the headquarters Of a cattleman or a com
pany would be found. On Deer creek l
stopped at a cattle kings ranch owned
by Mai. Wolcott. He was not at home
on my arrival. l found Il garden spot
ready for planting. The retainers of the
estate told me that nearly anything would
grow there if planted. Directly the
major came home and / discovered the
secret. These cattle kings" did not
want the country settled; they did every
thing to discourage it. l learned while
in that country that any person or a small
number of persons coming to take up
lands, would become discouraged by the
talk and treatment Of the cattlemen that
they would not dare to stop. The cow
boys and bosses were extremely hospitable
to a person travelling through, but show
a disposition to stop and locate a home,
and a sudden change is easily noticeable.
Mr.. George Sailor, living ON the Medi-
cine Bow river near its mouth, termed
himself a small stock raiser. He only
had about 1000 head of cattle. and in
consequence of his insignifcance he con-
templated selling out; the big cattle men
treated him so badly he could not endure
it longer. The big herders had control
OF the round ups, and they managed to
round up his stock away off ofhis range
and to bring their stock on his range to
round up. 1t took Sailor the remainder
Of the season to get his cattle back. He
did sell out.
A poor man located himself a home
stead in Albany county. The cattle
kings" Swan Brothers, ran a fence in
such a manner hat the h~omesteader
could not make his exit without going
through the mighty mans fence. This
he did. He was arrested and sued for
trespass, and was fined 5000 for damages,
and this for cutting a fence built upon
the public domain by men traspassing
themselves. This little incident and other
prosecutions so wrought upon the wretch
ed homesteader that he went crazy and
was sent to the lunatic asylum. This
transaction was so notorious that it was
brought to the attention Of the secretary
of the interior. Swan Brothers were
prosecuted for fencing the public domain,
hence the order for the removal of all
fences built on the public domain.
In my rambles | got onto the waters
of Powder river. While in camp a lot
Of cowboys came along, and one of them
asked: Wat hare you fellow doing 'ere2'
They were so intensely English l did not
know what they were talking about. 1
told them l was going to settle. Can't
do that, you know said he, this is
Frewcn Brothers cattle range" My camp