The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1886-06-05
Facts and Figures Relating to Successful
Live Stock Operations.

Leaving Dillon dust behind, in COIN
pany will, Phil. II. poindexter, ct the firm
of Poindexter Il Orr, We visited the ca.
tensivc ranches, ranges and herds of stock
owned by that wide'y-known firm, whose
extensive properties are located principally
on the Beaverhead Valley and on Black
tail Creek. Il Was an interesting trip, on
which much information relating to the
operations incident to successful stock
raisin. was Obtained, which will BIZ OF i'm.
tcres, to the readers Of the TRIBUNE, and
TO the stockmen Of Montana and the
Northwest, as the success Of this firm III
che stock raising business will be a criter-
ion for others to adopt in pursuing this I'M
portant industry.
The firm Of Poindexter Il Orr went into
tire stock business in Siskiyeu County,
California, in 1886, and continued in stock
raising in that State for number Of years.
In former years they drove stock for sale
into Oregon and Nevada, and later into
Idaho and Montana. They first intro
d,,cetl bands of stock into Montana in 1865,
Mr.. Orr Of the firm bringing funds OF
horses and cattle on to the Beaverhead
Valley in the fall Of that year. in the fol-
lowing winter he wintered those bands
on the ranch, and adjacent range, since
occupied by Mr.. Poindexter as home
place, and distant from Dillon about two
miles. Mr.. Orr, after remaining over win.
ter, was so tavmably Impressed with Mon
tana as market, and the country, in his
estimation, being particularly adapted to
stock raising, that on his return to Caltor-
MIA, in the spring Of 1866, he concluded
to return again to the Territory, and did
SO the same year With a large band Of
California cattle. During the years 1867
they continued to remove their cattle and
horses from California and Oregon, and
finally located their entire stock business
in Beaverhead County.
The singular success attending the pur
suit Of stock.raisiny by the firm has been
remarkable for the past twenty years.
Yearly their business has grown ir i'm
portance, until it is now widely extended,
covering a large scope Of territory in its
various branches Of horse breeding, cattle
raising and IN the sheep industry. Their
combined business, to-day, is not second
in rank and extensiveness to that of any
firm Or company operating within the
limits OF Montana Ter ritory.
The amount OF good, fertile land owned
by the firm is vast. In brief their landed
property is desc, ibed by commencing with
the large ranch ON Bea~cri,ead Valley,
now the home place Of MIR. Poindexter,
which contains between 500 and Goo acres
Of choice Beavcrhcad Valley land. We next
examined the ranch known rs the old
dairy ranch, eight miles from Dillon, and
the place where Mr.. Orr and family re-.
sided tor many years. This ranch, on
Blacktail, contains an acreage OF about
LOO acres, al which five hundred acres
are devoted to the raising Of timothy hay,
and two hundred acres are yearly >own to-
grain-principallv oats and wheat. On
this ranch a full equipment Of the lates,
and most improved agricultural machin-
ery was noticed, and the implements are
from the best manufacturers in the East
Proceeding up the Blacktail through May
showers, or "Montana mists," we reached.
the large dairy and stock ranch in the
evening. 1t has fine location for hay.
grass and stockraising purposes generally.
For wears this place was noted Tor its dairy
product, in addition to- stock breeding and
for wintering large bands OF stock ot differ.
.ent kinds. This ranch, on the bottom
lands OF the Blacktail, contains an area OF
about 1000 acres, Of which it is estimated
that fully three-i'tths is hay and pasture
land. Added to the ranches above de-
scribeti the firm occupies and uses, not in.
closed by fences, large scope Of territory
adjacent to the Blacktail, and over ON the
Centennial Valley, distance OF eighteen,
miles, their stock range includes All i'm.
n,-nsc tract OF the finest kind Of grain.
land, for summer purposes, almost unlim
tied in extent.
An examination of the hursc-breeiline
establishment of Mc>srs. Pointexter Il Or,
>,va> not only interesting hut Instructive
Their breeding arrangements are complete
and nearly perfect, which has been arrived
Il, bv long experience in breeding ant
raising horses. They conduct the bust
ness Systematically, and, as aconsequence
rroitably. Their fine thoroughbred inn
ported and high grade stations are bred tt