Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1889-01-31
VALUE OF SHEEP.
Two Million. Five Hundred Thousand Dollars
Earned to the Territory This Year

Wool sold in this territory last
summer all the way from l5c to ! Sc,
mainly from Ii To 1Ti2c, however.
Wool shipped as "A rule brought II
little more. ! is safe TO say the seat
sons clip net the grower l1c.
Eight and hall million pounds M
I1c. shows AN income of 81. .lI5.OOO
from wool. About one dollar from
each sheep shorn.
Sheep shipped out for mutton sold
from 80 to SO per head; II few at a
little over So. At an average of $3.50
per head our 100000 sheep exported
brought in S25O.OOO.
About fifty thousand butchers and
fifty thousand murain pelts ut zoe.
each would give "a return OF S1O.OOO
from this source. From wool, mutton
and pelts the sheep industry brings
into the territory this year about
81 ,16j 900 in cash. About 81 30 for
each sheep wintered.
Add to this the value of the Increase.
362 900 head, at say 81 per head
and 10000 sheep butchered in the
territory at $3.50 per head and we
have about 81. .JOO,OO0 as the gross
return in wealth to Montana in the
year 1883 from the sheep industry.
About S1.75 from each sheep brought
through the winter.
At an average value Of S2.2J per
head our I ,1OO.WO sheep represent
u total value of SO, S25, 600 for the
sheep on our ranges his winter. From
"a rough estimate on the average oi
large ana small llocks as they now are
run, We should say tha. about 81 900
is invested in lands, buildings. horses
and farm machinery for each 900
head of sheep run. AT this estimate
we have $4,000, 900 invested in the
sheep industry at present. This M
cludes the sheep and all appliances
Tor running them.
The cost OF running sheep varies
from practically nothing To much
more than they can possibly return.
Instances can bc cited where men have
made over 81 per cent. on the invest
ment they have made while others
have lost hall they owned IN a ,.nsle
year.
The owner oi 1000 sheep may
build himself "a dlIgOut in the bank.
herd his own sheep, live on bacon and
beans, take chances ON needing any
winter feed AMI make over 1Opcrccnt .
per annum ON hi> invest menl. by
taking these chances lac may loose nj.
he il worth. ~ ANY rate no person
on earth should bcgrrder Inn In
profit he earn, II all. There are all
degrees from this Montana stock
farmer to The one thai -Npends much
more than he makes, and with whom
1t l. only n matter of time as To when
he shall quit. Anywhere rom 10 to
30 per cent might be given as the
legitimate return ON n sheep invest
ment in Montana.
These figures, representing thrmon"y
invested. and showing the wealth h
brought into the terrlt ory through the
agency oi the sheep business, look
rather small when compared with
those OF our great industry, mining.
Let il be remembered. however, that
one industry creates Whie the other
destroys. Every million of wealth
accrlIng to the territory through ,h'
sheep industry. j. Il creation, It makes
the territory IA million richer. Every
million taken from the mines is a sub
traction oi so much from our re
sources.
Mines can be worked out. There j.
no renewal of the crops of coal and
ore gat hered IN the hills. The sheep
industry draws from n soil ON the hill>
the condition of which j. only i'm
proved by Use.