The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-10
CENTRAL HORSE MARKET
The One at Miles is Bound to
Prove Very Great
Success.
Competent Gentlemen in Charge
and It Has All the Back
ing Needed
Great advantages Offered Both Buyers ant
Sellers and Ample Accom- m odations
for Horses and Men.

The open ranges of Montana, Wyoming,
Idaho, Washington and Oregon produce an
nuaily many thousands of horses in excess
of the demand of those state for their home
supply, says the Northwest Magazine. The
animals grow to maturity with no Other
Seed than the nutricious bunch grass of the
plains and with very little care from their
owners. The thin, clear air and the wild
0camper over the prairies developes great
lung power, the dry soil insures hard, SYM
metrical hoofs and the native forage is a
remarkable muscle producer. The original
stock of the early settlers has been greatly
improved of late years by the introduction
the breeding farms where race horses of the
best Kentucky strain are reared
great many horses of excellent
qualities for farm purposes and
for driving are now sent to eastern mar
kets. Heretofore the ranchmen have been
obliged to seek themselves. a distant mar
ket for their animals. and shipped in one,
two and three cars, and in some instances
in train-loads, to the different states as far
east as Massachusetts,. On reaching the
eastern market they have been obliged to
sell at once for what the horses would
bring, because it would not pay to ship
them back to the ranges.
Not long ago. Joseph Scott, of Miles City,
president of the Stockgrowere' association
of Montana, began to develop plan for
establishing central horse market, with
semi-annual sales and with facilities for
housing, feeding and speeding stock. At
first the interests of Custer county alone
we're considered. but the project wild
ened out more and more as it
was discussed. 1t was brought to the
attention of President Cakes. of the North
ern Pacific, who at once saw tnat 1t had
great possibilities of benefit to the horse
breeding interests of the entire northwest,
the general freight agent, Stewart l.. Moore.
to take the matter up, and the outcome OF
conferences with the stockmen at Miles
City, is that the Custer County Horse Sales
and Fair Association is given the free use
of the Northern Pacific stockyards at that
spending Il good deal of money building 300
feet of enclosed stables, with hay lofts,
managers and watering troughs, while the
association is laying out $4,000 on a track
and other improvements. Breeders in the
different states along, the Northern
Pacific lines, and also along :. the
Great Northern and Union Pacific lines
have already promised to send horses to
the first sale. which will begin on the twen-
ty-ninth of September. Buyers from the
east will attend, and others, who cannot
come themselves will send in their bids and
be represented by agents on the ground.
The breeders will. it is believed, realize a
much better price for their animals than
under the old system, and buyers will have
wide range of selection and can secure
the kind of horses best adapted for sale in
their several localities. and obtain the most
favorable rates for shipment. The presi-
dent of the association conducting the sales
is Jepp Ryan.
OF course there can be only modest be-
ginning made this year, but the enterprise
is in good hands and has strong backing.
The locality selected is favorable as CEN
trail point to which horses can be driven
from the ranges of Montana and Wyoming
and shipped from the states further west,
and from which quick transit can be had to
eastern market and it is believed in time
that this Miles City horse market will gain
national reputation, as that at Licking
tom Kentucky, has done. We need hardly
add that the success Of the enterprise will
be of great advantage to Miles City, giving
it additional capital, business and popula-
ton.