The sun., 1886-11-28
THE CATTLE BUsISEss.
A Rnrln 20 Frank HViIkason.

To THE EDITOR OF The SUN-Sir: ln one
OF your late issues notice q long letter from
| Mr.. Frank Wilkeson in connection with the
| cattle Industries Of the Rocky Mountains. AS
| he refers particularly to tho North Platte Val"
ley. where am personally engaged In the cattle
business. 1 trust you will find space In your
valuable paper for few remarks wish to
make in answer to his letter.
He commences by going into long tirade
against cattlemen In general. apparently sum
ming them all up as pack OF thieves and
vagabonds The true cause OF the failure OF
most big companies does not lie in this direc-
ton In eight cases out Of twelve. after care
ful examination. 1t will be found to come from
another source. viz. extravagant salaries
being paid to the managers and large annual
dividends being paid the shareholders when
the company was not in position to declare
dividend at all.
In regard to the cattle ranges am in posi-
tion to speak OF the state OF their grass and ap-
pearance In general. This year. In common
with other stock-rnisinR centres. We have had
an unusual drought and, as a natural conse-
has been bad-more particularly so In this
section. In my own experience aud also that
ne never a' been % known % Since Wyoming first became
a stock country. Mr.. w. consequently revisited
the S. sna sd bad I'd
years. years ago there were almost twice as. many
admits this. and also that the feed then was
first rate. During the last two or three years
ranges. which a short time ago could readily be
found. In consequence our range at the pres
ent is not so much "tramped" as It was for
meIly. How, therefore. can the shortness OF the
feed be due to the fact that 1t is tramped out by
Thousands Of lean. hungry cattle 2'S The feed
the present one. has been as good as ever. and
had we had our usual heavy snow storms last
could Mr.. ". this year. Ia CLOSELY examining it;
discover sixty spears OF last years grass and
tramped out last fall. and 1t certainly could not
have been tramped out In tho winter. rs cattle
made his Examination. Per- 6aps Mr. W. W. will
AmonE: the lean and hungry cattle whiSh be
Omaha. It has been done this year in many
Another matter which seems, to. have sur
prised Mr.. W. very much was the fact that he
saw cattle IN IN the valleys Perhaps he s not
in driving all the cattle into the mountains,
where they can obtain good feed all the sum
country is, preserved for the winter. Unfor-
tunately. this year the feed IN the lower eou1-
SGs Gn' MS al ofa
protect our poor stock this winter by buying
hay. renting good pastures. &c. Should the
winter prove very hard one. our loss will un-
doubtedly he heavy: but should Mr.. W. revisit
US again next year / think we shall still have
enough let to provide him with q :" good square
meai." He seems to deem 1t impossible for
stock to be driven out Of the mountains when
winter comes on. The lower country is now
full Of cattle. which are gradually working
toward their winter ranges. The storm OF
a few days ago has driven them out. Some
cattle die in the mountains. but the percentage
which Mr.. W. asserts Is simply absurd.
One more point wish to refer to is In con-
nection with the varlods ranches along the
creeks. which Mr.. W. speaks Of as dens
OF poverty" With very few exceptions I have
never yet entered one OF the said habi-
tations. though there are few ranches In the
valley under whose hospitabe roof I have not
been entertained. The most striking feature
in almost every instance is the comfort and
general look Of prosperity which surrounds
4he place. have given you true and impair,
tial account OF this country rs 1t now Is. and I
stlll hold to the opinion that with careful and
efficient management there Is still hopeful
future for the stockman. The present depres-
sion in the price OF cattle We trust iB only tenn
porary. and hope for better times next year.
The days OF big cattle companies may soon be
numbered, owing to the general settling up Of
the country. increased fencing. &C.. but even
then man with a good ranch can still handle
q small herd SUCCESSFULLY: but in my own opin.
before them yet. j. II, JEFFERsoN,
NEW YORK. Nov. Is.