Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-02-14
HUNGRY CATTLE STAMPEDE.
Penned UP on "a PIlo OF Hay--An Hours
Thrilling Experience or Half Dozen
Ranc hers.

1
| Ranc hers.
Cattlemen in Nevada will remember
this year rs the worst they ever exper-
fenced in their business. They were
so badly crippled by the havoc wrought
| by last winters storms among the
herds that they have not yet recovered
! from the loss, and the business activity
OF the entire State has been somewhat
hampered thereby. More on this nc
count than any other several thousand
purchasers of land from the Central
Pacific have been given years extern
sion on their payments. OF some 4, 00C
OF these purchasers only half dozen
made their usual annual payments.
Recent estimates of the loss of cattle
last winter run the number mp to 250.-
600, and examples are numerous where
out of herd of 2 900. three score or less
were alive in the spring. This was Mr.. /.
NJ. Strawbridge's experience, while G.
w. Crumb saved 100 out OF herd of
10000. 5. G. benson and Frank Mil
Ter of Sacramento lost between 6,000
and 1000, valued at 100000, whilo
others lost so many breeding animals
that this summer some ranchc-s brand
ell l 1000 to 1900 calves where for sew
eral seasons past they were in the habit
of branding from 20, 600 to 26. 600.
John Bradley was another heavy
loser, and he had an experience with
some of his cattle that he will never
forget. One night in January last
5000 of his choicest. which had been
in nla fn IN a -
the ranch, where they were between
500 and 1000 bales of hay stacked to-
gether in one huge pile. and inclosed
by strong aud high board fence. made
wild stampede and took complete
possession of the hay. During the day
the cattle were given small quantity
of it. the idea being to keep them from
utter starvation and make the hay
last as long as possible. Men armed
with sticks and pitchforks were sta
toned along the outside of fthc fence TO
more completely guard the proyender,
it being anticipated that in their hun.
ger the animals would make an on.
s.aught on the fence TO get ut the coyet.
ell food.
Darkness came on and it was bitter
cold. The night was clear, the snow
deep on the ground. and ever aud anon
sharp. piercing winds would mcrciless-
ly lash the poor dumb beasts. who, in
a solid phalanx on all four sides of the
fenced hay. stood short distance
away, shiyering in their plight, looking
at the hay aud watching the men on
guard.
Two hours before midnight, the
winds increased in fury. 1t became a
hurricane. with the thermometer below
zero. The men on guard in their bun
dies of clothes were painfully cold; the
cattle presen ed grim aspect, in Que
great shivering mass. surging to and
fro, restless with pain and hunger, but
with their eyes still fixed on the big
pile of hay.
Their restlessness increased; tho
swaying movement of the big mass be-
came more noticeable. The cattle
in the rear. in vain attempt to get
away from the cruel wind. struggled
wildly, rushing forward and fighting
TO oust those in front. until the whole
herd took alarm and began moving to-
'ard the hay. Suddenly with one ac-
cord they beloved loud and long. rs
If instinct told them death was near.
and then in mad career rushed blindly
and furiously toward the fence.
The guards having no avenue of es-
cape but on top of the pile of hav.
swiftly climbed the fence aud scran.
bled on top, just rs the hungry herd
made its mad charge.
III WAS n grand and terrible Scnno nc
the cattle rushed up to the fence, those
in the front having their brains dashed
out and others being trampIed upon
and Killed by those charging on behind.
The fence gave way. aud -aronud. and
those in front. while here and there
were piles of dead animals. from the
fop of which cattle stood frantically
Grabbing their food. only the next mo-
ment to be savagely attacked by others
for a favored place.
For au hour the guards on top with
bated breath aud frightened looks,
watched this weird sight, and then
wells for help as the cattle pushed one
another up close 10 tho top, made
Bradley and others, who had run out
of the house when the cattle beloved.
think that the guards were being man
gled beneath the hoofs of the enraged
beasts. For two hours they labored TO
drive the cattle back TO rcscuo the
guards, and finally succeeded in get
ting an opening for them to escape.
but the cattle finished the hay pile and
a week latter all were dead from cold
and hunper.- San Francisco Examiner.