Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-07-06

cattle. This firm is propagatinG tn,
famous Hereford stock. first brought
| to America for systematic breeding by
Henry Clay, of Kentucky, in 1916 and
1917. a 'bunch' of u male speci-
mems of these noble animals passed in
review before the JOURNAL. great soft
wide-Spreading horns. No wonder the
the breed has survived competition
and opposition during the years since
and now fairly divide the honors with
| the Short Horns here rs in England.
| The company named comprise McSsrS.
| e. W. Price. w. G. and c. +. Conrad.
of this place.
All the ranches named are south of
the Missouri river. On the opposite
shore for the most part the st. Louis
| cattle company Craze their immense
herds, aggregating over 25,O00 cattle.
This corporation comprises |. q. Ba-
ker, of st. Louis. and McSSrs. w. &.
and {. +. Conrad, and j. A. Baker, of
Fort Benton.
While the figures given imply an
enormous consumption of grass. yet
i'll the usual good seasons the supply is
Intelligent and unselfish public opin-
ion holds, therefore, that there is room
and welcome for many more enterpris-
ing producers and growers of stock.
The other sort of opinion, here as else
where, is not worthy o of account.
The broad prairies, spreading far
away, are of incalculable value to the
ranches which bind the river. Yield
ing generous growths of suculent and
nutritious grasses, which cost the
grower nothing but the ordinary and
incidental care Of his stock under any
circumstances, they constitute a basis
of profit unknown in almost any other
business.
The current season has not been
favorable, however. While we in the
east have been srrfeitcd with rain, but
little has fallen here since May. In
consequence the grass has not made
its usual growth. Old settlers con
tend that this state Of affairs is phe-
nomenal, and that "rainlcss Mon
tana' for so long time has never be
fore happened. But so far stock has
not suffered. The grass dry is strong
er than ours green, and cattle eat it
with avidity and profit, but this only
after the long and spacious "coulees"
have ceased to furnish their own
perennial growth of evergreen.
Our rides of near Y 200 miles over
the ncighboring prairics have not
been devoid of other interesting OBJ
ScrvatiOns. We have seen in their
native states the cute little gopher,
the prairie dog, sage hen, curlew, eagle,
owl, coyote and antelope. Excepting
the eagle and antelope the rest appear
to be sociable. The burrowers live in
towns and the fowls generally move in
small flocks. I'M books Of western
travel the prairie dog has been well
illustrated, but the rapid gestures Of
his tail when descending to his lair
have not and cannot be reproduced.
AS well try to photograph the bark of
the domestic dog.
Speaking of sociability. we are re-
minded that the most diverse. com
munity is that frequently witnessed
by prairie trayelerS-a prairie dog,
an owl and II rattlesnakr dwelling to-
gether i'll the same narrow excavation
made by the dog. But this is fact,
and so far as can be seen they live
without the slightest jar,
Perhaps this Is Ocuasioncd by fear
of IL common enemy, the coyote. This
savage beast is often seen at the entry
of the cavern waiting for it's dcnizenS
to emerge. If it be IL lucky day for
him he gets his three meals close to-
gether-prairie dog for breakfast, owl
for dinner and snake for supper.
The rancho honsca are low and
small, provisions occasioned by the
fierceness of the winter winds and
scarcity of building lumber. They are
generally neat and clean. Under the
care of Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Meredith,
tenants ON the |. f. Churchill rancho,
the JOURNAL Jared richly and slept in
IA bed clean and sweet as il kings
couch.
Dinner followed at j. n. Churchills,
and such spring chicken as we had at
both places-O, that the taste might
loiter
Here in Benton Mr.. and Mrs. G. w.
Price, Major and Mrs. James w. Con-
rad and Mr.. and Mrs. r. }. Todd have
entertained us Hospitality and elegant
ly. Mr.. Price, as we have Indicated,
is a prominent cattle-grower, and him
self and amiable wife are friends to
be proud of.
Major Conrad is the fatherof the gen
tlemen before named. who have made
a business impress upon the North
west which its history will immortal
ize. The elder son, w. g., is the
leader; although living in Virginia,
his head and hand are here giving d
rection and execution TO the vast con-
Germs of the firms busneess. He is
president of the First National Bank.
The second brother, Charles f., is
vire-president, and being ION the
ground" is the wise. cool-headed
guardian of the same interests. He
is delegate-clect to the Constitutions
al Convention, and will shortly leave
here to aid in framing the organic law
Of the State of Montana.
One Of our hosts is T. j. Todd, a
wide-awake, popular citizen. Noted
for his constant good humor, inveter-
ate wit and untiring work, il is re-
lated that as a politician he is in
vincible. Whenever he takes a hand
the other side goes down, whether
''the other side" be faction or IA
party. From his initials and record
we Judge he believes the gospel ac-
cording to Thomas jefferson, and that
as Mayor of the town his administra-
ton was ,Iacksonian. One of his