The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-12-23
A RUINED BUSINESS.
TIE BIG CATTLE RANCHES OF ROCKY
MOTNrAIN VALLEYS.

TIE BIG CATTLE RANCHES OF ROCKY
MOUNrAIN VALLEYS.
III" Grass all Used Up--Nn More Food for
tn" Herds OF that Vast Region--Thc Dis
nSt"r Crushing and without Remedy.
CRANK "iikcson i'll the New .Ycrk Sun0
instance tic present condition Of q
once famous stock growing valley. Four
years ago tall bunch grass stood in the
upper North Platte valley. The low,
rocky hills were covered. The spaces
between tho sage bushes were occupied
by punches of grass. The trecless nanks
of the mountain ranges were yellow with
dried grass, which waved in the wind.
There was grass, and good grass, every
where throughout the valley. Heavy
crops of hay were cut on the natural
meadows. Cattle, horses, antelope and
elk roamcd through the valley from
Hunters ranch at tho bridge over the
North Platte to fifty miles below Fort
Steele. On every creek which issued
from the mountains prosperous cattle
growers lived in log houses. The cattle
were fat, and though the growers always
ned about the per cent. Of calves they
branded, 1t did not seem as though dis
astcr were close ut hand.
But how Is it to-day? The valley of
the North Platte, this famous grazing
ground, IS virtually Il g.ass desert. /
have just returned from trip through
it and the adjacent mountains, and !
have mover Seen Il more valuclcsS region
to grow or hold cattle in. The grass is
tramped out by the hoofs of thousands
OF hungry and lean cattle, that walked
Tor months over the arid land in search
OF food. They roamcd for days before
they staggered close to the snow in the
foothills, and then they closely followed
the rctrcating snow banks into the down
timber, into the green timber and final
~ on to the summit Of the Sierra Madro
mountains.
VALLEY OF DESOLATION.
While slowly driving down this gray
valley of dcSolation my comradc con
tinually assured me that there was
good grass III the foothills, and that the
cattle which grIZcd there were fat. We
left the wagon at Grand Encampment
river and took saddles and rode into the
foothills. | wcs strongly impressed with
the unhealthy appearance of the cattle.
Their hair did not lie smooth. There
was II peculiar stare i'll their eyes which
had long ago learned to recognize as
fatctul The calves sucked the COWS
often and with nervous energy. The
COWS, almost without exception, were
lean and weak. The grass scanty ap-
peann8 10 eastern eyes at all times, had
queer, strange appearance. After going
few miles, and inspecting the grass
from the elevation of horses back, dis.
mounted and carefully examined it,
! bunch after bunch, until L had inspected
fifty lunches. The story was told In
no bunch which examined were there
more than twelve stalks of this years
grass. The other stalks, from twenty to
sixty, were last years growth. 1T is not
possible for cattle to separate the good
from tho poor. Thrce-quartcrs Of the
food that the cattle, which have grazed
IN the foothills during the past summer
have eaten consisted Of the weather.
beaten, rallS0NkCd grass Of last seasons
growth, 1t is no wonder they wandered
tar INTO the mountains in search of fresh
and tender food.
Almost daily, while hunting in the
Sierra Mudrc mountains, | saw small
bark8 Of cattIo feeding in the mountain
parks or Ill the green timber. These
ANIMALS were almost as wild as elk. Thcy
bed III the same localities that the elk
and bl0clitail deer did. | Judged from
the frequency with which / saw these
small herds that there were many hun
drcds Of them in the mountains. What
will be- the fate of these half wild ami
mals which are grazing in the lofty,
pine clad highlands three weeks ago?
mhcsltatlngly answer not one in ten
will get out Of the mountains. Before
this time they a.c showed in. Instinct,
or perhaps Supt rior reasoning power,
teaches game amin uis to fly out Of the
when heavy snow storms be-
GIN to rage. Cattle have not this in
Stlnct. They are almost sure to lnRcr
too long i'll tn" highlands, and there
they die Of cold and hunger. The ma
turc Of the ground forbids their being
driven out, and, indeed, the COWBOYS
have no heart to enter unknown and in
tncatc mountain systems in search of
these cattle, MS they might get lost them
selves.
PITIFtb SIEHT.
My hunting camp was pitched on the
eastern slope Of the Sierra Madrc noun
tainS about two miles from the summit
OF the divide. Between it and the bare
foothills was IL jackStraw like tangle of
down TIMBER and two wide belts of
green timber. A heavy snow fell steadily
all OF one night. Realizing that the
luIt was ut aII end Nyc ponkC1 M, o,,J