Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-19
WANING CATTLE TRADE.
increasing Difficulties OF Driving
Herds From Texas co Montana.

PINE BLUFFs, Wyo., June 16 -fSpecia
Correspondence of tbs BEE. MIR. Stoddard
q wealthy cattle King who resides in New
York city, arrived here several days ago
from Denver, TO meet his large drove of
cattle on the trail. He has from ten to
fifteen thousand head that left San Antonio,
Texas, ever three months ago. The advance
herd of $500 head arrived Monday last,
while his second herd arrived Wednesday,
with $500 head. These two immense herds
of wo-year-olds were all sold 10 n syndicate
of capitalists who reside in Chicago. They
have formed q largo company known as tho
Dakota Cattle company of Montana.
Mr.. Stoddard gave as a reason for selling
so many cattle that tho range is getting too
limltod. 1t has long been known that rails
ing caJtle on so largo n scale in the west was
becoming more limited each year. His ad-
vance herds were threeto FIVE weeks longer
on the trail than last year on account of
being Obliged to leave tho old Texas trail at
so many places and drive from fifty to one
hundred miles to got around fences, as the
homosteaders are fencing in all the water,
making it almost an impossiblity TO follow
the old trail.
His foreman of the advance herd stated
briefly that this would be their last year on
the old trail. BY next spring 1t would be
impossible TO get water for so many cattle
at a time. If such be the case they will be
compelled to open up Il now trail from Texas
TO Montana, by the way of eastern New
Mexico and western Colorado, which, thoy
claim, will be almost impossible for streams
are so few and far between. Water is found
on the old trail every ten to fifteen miles, q
good days drive for u large herd of cattle.
Should they fail TO find a suitable trail next
wear, to drive over, shipping by railroad
would be their only resources; which, ii is
claimed, would cost so much, and raise the
expense of marketing these cattle, that it
would be Improbable. Thus it can plainly
be seen that our immense cattle business of
the west will soon be thing of the past.
Texas always furnishes most All the two {.
year-olds raised in the west, while Colorado,
wyoming and Montana furnish the grass TO
feed these cattle until lit to market. Colo
rado Is fast becoming farming state, while
eastern wyoming is settling up fast by
thrifty farmers, and as soon as the overland
trail between Texas and Montana is closed
the cattle buslncs will be Improbable. The
spring drive will reach forty or fifty thous-
and head. 1t is claimed by cattle men direct
from Texas that fully that many will be
ready by February next and double that
amount 10y May next, to drive north. Should
Wyoming aud Montana fail to take these cat
tie and feed them until lit to market, Texas
cattle raising on u large scale would end
The range was never better than it is this
spring, and cattle are farther advanced than
in former years. Rain has fallen contiu-
ously for the last two months, and what
crops have been sown in eastern Wyoming
are growing splendldly. Homesteaders who
Hooked in here and western Nebraska, last
year, are very confident and claim that what
was known only few years ago as the
Great American Desert will raise large
crops in very few years.