The Mineral argus. [volume] (Maiden, Mont.) 1883-1886, 1885-04-16
SHEEP AND CATTLE MEN.
some Facts Regarding the 1"srresss Of
Bosh.--D"gtmG Cattle.
L.J.W. q. ASSOCIATIONS.

second ailliudi HlcctiHS "" o''as'
the ath inst. at the home Of the secre-
tary, David Hilger, on Dog Creek.
Nearly all the wool growers in the dis
trict were present. The officers OF the
Association were all unanimously re-
elected.
1t would have been well if some Of
those living about our towns or county
seats, who think sheep men and COW
bows on our frontiers are all "gump- |
heads" had been present to witness
the able and orderly manner in which
this meeting was conducted, which was
according to the strictest parliamentary
rules, with this difference: that each
member was allowed ten minutes to
give his views and experience-as his
name was called-on the various ques-
tions before the meeting, as they came
up i'm their order for discussion; and
the writer must say that he never met
a body Of practical men that were, one
and all, SO able to give their views,
opinions and experiences SO clearly,
distinctly and inteili ligently on the sew
eral subjects that came before them.
Of course they were all talking about
matters that they ware familiar with
and had made study of, and yet on
some subjects there was great diver
sity of opinion, particularly on the
management of sheep during the
llambng season; no two following ex-
actly the same practice, much depend
inr on location. conveniences, Charac-
ter and condition of sheep, and
great deal on the men themselves.
One man will 90 among any kind OF
domestic animals and they will hardly
move out Of his way, while they will
run at the approach of another. One
thing. however, that the writer gathered
from the general discussion, that
mothers and lambs can hardly have
too much care and attention OF the
proper kind.
Another matter that was discussed ut
length WIS the subject Of wages. One
owner stated that eight years ago his
wool. in bad condition, netted him 29
cents. and he paid his herders $40,
now he pays his herders the same while
his wool, of much better quality and
put up in much better condition, nets
him only 10 cents; that nearly every
thing else had come down in the same
proportion. and that $50 now was
more than $40 then. A second said
good herders could hardly be paid toe
much, while a third claimed that old
experienced herders often become
careless. and that he had lost more
sheep by them than he had by "pllg
lin" her,lers. On the whole the gen
.ral sentiment OF TIE meeting was
that at the present price OF wool $5'
was all they could afford to pay. bu
as they did not like to reduce thu
wages of good men they would pay So
for the present. The writG-an out
: sidcr-never heard body Of men ex
press SD much sympathy fer thei
h employees, it sounded more like meet
J ing of sheep herjers than one OF woo
growers.
Although the time was spent yer.
industriously, few hours n the ma
de of one day was not enough to dis
cuss all the matters connected WIT
this important industry.
{" There is an ''irrepressltle conflict
v' going on quietly between sheep an
cattle men that should have been dis
- cussed. Cattle men claim that herder
y dog their cattle and keep them iron
the few watering places there is o.
N some parts of the rarse during tn
: summer months. The writer has see
% two sheep dogs run band OF rang
cattle, at top speed, over four mlle'
This enrages cattle men and some ia
NAV induce them to Use their "httl
.. pistols ON the trespassing cannes; 4
II is. they put ont poson for wolve'
and as sheep dogs also injure their ca
ol: tic they are not SO psrtlcuar wher
ep. r. they put it; then sheep men loose the
Ct dogs and this creates bal feeling. ON
wool grower on Box Elder lost a SheI
herd dog. not long ago. by poison. tn;
would have been cheap 1t $Ioo. In
writer thinks the sheep men are
-" blame for this state of things then
y, selves: they ought to know tlat the
M have no exclusive right on the publ
domain, or to dog stock lwly fro'
public water or further ron the
rr. range than is really Necessary; the
!. stockmen should and would he mo
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