Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-05-05
sTOcKGROWERS' CONVENTION.
ru,l Account of the Proceedings as
Taken by Miner Repre-. -9~
sentative.
Tho Facilities Of st. Paul as Stock
Market Discussed at Consider.
able Length. '..
4 Committee Selected to Take in the
Situation, and Will Depart on
May 8. for That Point.


CORRESPONDENCE Butte MINER.
MILES CITY, April 21.-The citizens
this eastern metropolis and center of I'll
hive stock trade Of Montana, together wit
stockmen generally, are at present col
graduating themselves over the successf
termination of the most interesting ever
in this cty's annual history and the mos
important convention OF stockgrowers evs
held in this Territory.
For some days previous to the meetin
this bright and energetic little town wa
crowded with the representatives i tn
stock interests OF Montana, and delega tie
from the stock associations of the Unite
States AID the Northwest Territory. TIL
railroads centcring in St. Paul furnished
portion OF the throns, i'll the persons Q
their officials. who had come determined
that St. Paul should not only obtain tn
sypathv OF the stock men. but also secure tn,
entire live stock trade OF this Nnrthwester,
country. Influences were also brought
IA bear upon our home association to in
duc4 them to lin the International Range
Association. The prejudice existing toward,
the market monopoists Of Chicago great y
encouraged the st. Paul capitalists in theil
scheme, while the feeling that Montana was
sufficiently large to occupy the attention
of its stockgrowers produced cold wave
which about iroze out the latter PROPOSE
tiGn.
THE OPENING.
Bv Monday morning everything was
~ L.
the noted silver band OF Fort Keogh lead
ing. the members of the association and
their friends, with about two hundred
mounted cowboys, gorgeously attired in
their frontier costumes, marched through
the principal streets OF city to the Skating
Rink Upon arriving at the building the
mounted escort OF ''line riders" ''nigbt
herders,' ETC., dashed down the street with
wells worthy OF the redskins, while their
more sedate employers filed into the rink.
where they we're joined by a number OF
ladies', who had come to attend the open
Ing exercises OF the second meeting of this
Association in this place.
CALLED To ORDER
Upon being called to order, of the $50
members OF the association about 125
responded to their names, to which num-
Der. by the addition OF new members, in
creased the total membership to about
32O, making present during the convention
about 175. Many who did not attend
were represented by proxies. The increased
membership and the large attendance from
the most distant points in this
Territory evinced and decided in
terest which was taken in the Association,
and that our stockgrowers are quick to
take advantage OF the benefits arising from
united and concerted action. The stage
was crowded with the executive Officers,
local officials and distin :uished visitors
and members Of the press. The local papers
were well represented, also the va
rious papers OF St. Paul, while
OF all the large daiies of Mon
tana The Butte MINER, with it's ac-
customed energy, was the only one having
sufficient enterprise to have a special re-
porter present.
Hon. Andrew T. Burleigh welcomed the
assembly in neat address, in which he de-
picted the rise from the sage-brush prairie
OF eight years ago through it's various
stages OF tents, log-building and frame
shacks to the fine brick blocks OF the
Phenix-like city now known as Miles, and
spoke of the growth Of the present Asso-
citation from fourteen members in 1881
to its present size, now repre-
sentng millions OF dollars of invested CAPT
tai, where, at the time OF it's inception, it
represented thousands.
NO HoNoRARIEs.
An attempt was made to admit homo
ury members, but failed to secure the
approval of the majority, as it
was determined that only the own
ership OF brands and stock should
secure admission, and even this was not |
sufficient, as Col Hough, who is building q
large abattoir near this town. was black |
balled, although he stated that 1--WE own a !
horse;;" so all aspiring to become members
Of the Association must possess more than /
one animal, with the intent to increase the !
lumber, and all mnst be adorned with the |!
picturesque hierogyphics indicating prop |
rly recorded ownership.
Of the new members admitted pei haps |
he most noted is p. H. Kelley, of St. Paul,
Who declared it to be his highest ambition |
% be cowboy and belong to a cowboy |
sand. Attractive, indeed, would be this |
arbitrator Of the Demo- |
ratio dtstinies OF the Northwest as he |
would appear il leather "chappes, SOM
'rero, jingling spurs. dashing down to his |
'ftice in st. Paul, hammcring his bucking |
hooter. BY acclamation the old board OF |
,tiicers were reelected as follows:
President t. j. Bryan, Miles City.
First Vice Presideut-B. F. Potts, Town !
'end. |
Second Vice presiden William Harri- |
son. Miles City.
Secretary and Treasurer-R. B. Harrison,
Helena.
THE ENGROSsING SUBJECT
aside from local interest, was the one re- |
lating to the facilities OF St. Paul as a !
stock market. This was discussed at con- |
siderable length. President Stickney. Of !
the Minnesota & Northwestern Railroad; !
W. Phelphs, OF the St. Paul Chamber of |
Commerce, argued in favor OF the project. |
From the argument it was learned that in |
st. Paul and its vicinity are consumed
ron $50 to 200 beeyes a day, or from |
81, 900 to 10000 year. which nearly all |
come from Kansas City. That St. Paul is
very anxious to secure the cattle trade OF |
Mon ana, las the entire st ockthipped could be
absorbed in that place alone and a market |
furnished which would not be prejudicinl to |
,he interest OF stock men, and thati it would
De 4oO miles nearer to the producer. The
gam to both parties would be large, |
ana the benefits are SO apparant
mat it seems singular that this
enterprise, which has so rapidly matured,
was not projected sooner. 1t was stated
mat the citizens of St. Paul had SO much
money that they didn't know what to do
Sl'hi and that everything would be made
as pleasant as possible for the shippers
and the stock. Prof. Phelps remarked
mat the slaughter-houses would be 80 well
furnished that the stock would regard 1t
a luxury to walk to the troughs to be
slaughtered Whether it was the humane
sp'rIt displayed toward the cattle, or the
"mbltlon to secure the surplus cash OF the
,,,ls'eors, is not known, but at all events
.le arguments adduced so influenced our
n'me ~ iolks that a committee consisting OF
ToE: " = g. +. Potts, Maj. w. H. Towers, Maj.
r. r; II; Logan, DR.. A. Ames, Jr., A. Hitler,
~ 11heodore Roosevelt, Hon. Granville Stuart,
I'nrad , Kohn, j. w. Stevell, Joseph Scott,
.. n. Sln pson, Alfred Myers, J. J. Thomp-
n 1Uh, = ": B. Jordan, r. B. Harrison and
o. .. l. br an We're selected to meet in st.
tsu aal on May 3, and confer with the capi-
Ga. GG'is's OF that city looking to the imme-
"'"'e building OF stock yards there.
SLIGHT COMFORT.
rom the evident success OF the above
ieasure t;e the International Range Associa-
tan .un concluded it would capture the Mon
arnso, rna ,organizations. Col. H. M. Taylor.