The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-01-23
NORTHERN CATTLE-RANGES.
How the Poor Brutes Driven from
Texas Suffer III the Blasts of
q Montana Winter.
The Coyotes and Prairie Wolves on the Trail
Of the Struggling Herds.
A PItIful and Painful Invasion.

oPSSioi W 4 HC OftttttJO 4 tUttos IL 10 oe
verest on the cattle. many of whic
are Texas pilgrims, shipped or drive
in during the late summer and fall
For the past fortnight the weather
both day and night, has scarcely eve
been warmer than 40 degrees below
zero, and more often has it been in thu
neighborhood of so below, accompa
MED by most piercing winds and biz
yards from the north. Since Dec. /
when the winter commenced in deaC
earnest, there has been no break
in the cold, which has seemed to grow
stronger and stronger every day, until
it eliminated last night in the dread
full temperature of so degrees below
zero. Mercury thermometers are all
frozen up, and are of no use. The en-
tire autumn to Dec. l was beautiful,
balmy weather-all that the cattlemen
| could wish for-and save promise of q
mild winter and a successful season for
the cattle. But since that date cattle
matte have put on a different aspect,
and unless there is break soon in the
Arctic weather there is apt to be great
suffering among the cattle. Especial
ly will this be felt among the pilgrims,
or rather last seasons importations, for
whom it requires at least one years
residence on the ranges before they
can become acclimated and hardened
to the cold plains of Montana. There
were shipped out of Montana, last sea-
son, about $1,000 cattle, including
dressed beeves, while fully 100000
were brought in for fattening purpo-
ses. Over $4,000 were imported by
rail. The majority came from Texas,
and were yearlings. By the end of
the second year, if living, they will be
hardy Montana steers, thoroughly ac-
and able to rustic for them
selves. But the first year all new cat
tie require some attention and more or |
less feeding. Hence it is that the
present cold snap is an unfortunate
thing, especially for the Texans. If
they weather this season successfully,
1othing excepta very severe winter will
cause any material loss among them.
reports from all over the territory
ay that the cattle are suffering great
y, both natives and pilgrims, and that
is feared run over the ranges will
how heavy losses. In the northwest,
ear Fort Benton, the snow is very
eep and the weather very cold, so
hat the cattle cannot find sufficient
punishment from the scant grazing,
nd are therefore suffering according
7. Near Missoula, west of the Rocky
fountains, and also in northern Idaho, ;
lie snow is said to be from five to six |
let deep, and the cattle are coming
from the prairies, driven in by the {
rotracted blizzard which is sweeping [
yer that section of country. In the l
'uthwest, near Bozeman, in Madison, q
eaver Head, and Gallatin counties. I
e same state of affairs exists, and the L
fferlng Las extended to the bands of O
eep as we'll as to the cattle herds a
the Musselshell district cattle mat S
RS have a rather gloomy appearance. n
Late in the fall many rowing bands II
Indians, - Piegans, Crows, and G.
their numerous maraud- p
3 expeditions against each other, II
Ealing horses from the whites, and IL
ming off stock whenever an oppor- "
nifty offered, maliciously set the tt
airie on fire and burnt off the grass fe
e Musselshell country was particu- re
ly unfortunate in this respect, as til
ectly through it lay the roadway te
Or which the Plegans came south to IN
d the Crows, and over which the la
ows travelled north to get at the pi
gaRs. In consequence of these fire. &c
INT expeditions great deal of fine WI
lzing country was burned over, and nj
" the cattlemen of that section feel ca
effects of that calamity. The last ne
at fire in the Sweet Grass hills
ned tract of country thirty. five
es in width and twice as long, con- so
ning number of haystacks put up v w;
the ranchmcn for winters use 1t w.
lmenced about Dec. 9 and burned on
days. during which time an i'm =,
use amount of good grazing was ~,
sumed. and many cattle in conse- T.
nee left on very short rations. .h,
vboys have been going over the f,t'
ned district and the country ada -
thereto gathering the cattle aud III LII
ing them to the foothills and shell 49,, III
ID places, where they will fare ~, ~,
IN better than on the open prairie a .lu
lie the extreme cold weather lasts. "J !.
IL along the Northern Pacific n~;nn
road in Montana and Idaho the cat s w.
are congregated near the track . ~,
ing for shelter, and not seeming va,
,lish the deep snow of the open I 1ot
rie, where billiards are sweeping oul
tremendous force. The poor M, un'
lures are actually frightened, and na;
t know what to do with themselves. ppIo ,
y get under the bridges, or in the a. Of
les on the sides of the track, or f ,,,'
er in knots and punches in the Nv Nv
,ws, near streams, and don't seem e..
ire to Craze. The native cattle APP ~
to fare badly also. but the greatest , ,no
ring is among the new cattle, vol
don t know what to do for water. oo''
acclimated stock will take great ~. ~
thfuls of snow when water is not H. H.
had. and in this way manage to ,,;h
: their thirst to some extent, but 'i-
pilgrims have not yet learned that
and are therefore suffering in con- 1t
ence. The streams and creeks are
frozen so hard that they are no Il
err useful for watering places. in Il
erday afternoon, as a freight train in.
he Northern Pacific railroad was T,
ing Saltwater Ca town in the west the
part of the Fellows stone vallev), com
engineer discovered the track L,
OF him completely blocked by seas