Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-07-02
A CATTLE STAMPEDE.
HAVOC WROUGHT BY A SEVERE
WINTER.


Loose and Charge Upon q Huge
Supply Of Hay-Peril Of the
Guards.
CattIemen in Nevada will remember
this year as the worst they ever expert
enced in their business, says the San
Francisco Examiner. They were so
badly crippled By the havoc wrought by
last winters storms among their herds
that they have not yet recovered from
the loss, and the business activity of the
entire state has been somew hat hampered
thereby More on this account than any
other her several purchasers OF land from
the Central Pacific have been given a
Years extension on their payments. OF
some A 900 OF these purchasers only half
q dozen made their usual annual
payments.
Recent estimates of the loss of cattle
last winter run the number up to $780,
900, and examples are numerous where
out of herd Of 1000 three score or less
were alive in the spring. This was Mr..
L. NJ Strawbridge's experience, while
G. w. Crumb saved but 1850 out OF
| 10000. s. G. benson and Frank Miller
of Sacramento lost between 5000 aud
| 1000 valued at 500, 900. while Others
lost so many breeding animals that this
summer some ranchers branded 1000 10
1900 calves where for several seasons
past they were in the habit of branding
from 90. 900 to 10000.
John Bradley was another heavy loser,
and ne had an experience with some OF
his cattle that he will never forget. One
night In January last 1000 of his choic-
est which had been driven in close to the
headquarters of the ranch, where there
were between 500 and !, 900 bales of hay
stacked together in one huge pile, and
enclosed by a strong aud high board
fence, made wild stampede, and took
complete possession of the hay. During
the day the cattle were given a 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 stationed
| alongside of the fence to more com.
pletely guard the provender, it being an
ticipated that in their hunger the an
| finals would make an onslaught on the
fence to get at the coveted food.
Darkness came on, and it was bitter
cold. The night was clear and the snow
deep on the ground and ever aud anon
snarp, piercing winds would mercilessly
solid phalanx on all four sides of the
fenced hay stood short distance away,
shivering in their plight, looking at the
hay and watching the men on guard.
Two hours before Midnight the wind
increased in fury. 1t became hurri
cane, with the thermometer below zero.
The men on guard in their bundles OF
clothes were painfully cold; the cattle
presented grim aspect, in one great
shivering mass, surging to and fro, rest.
less with pain and hunger, but with
their eyes still fixed on the big pile oil
hay.
Their restlessness increased, the sway
ing movement of the big mass became
more noticeable. The cattle in the rear,
in vain attempt to get away from the
cruel wind, struggled wildly, rushing
forward and fighting to GUST those in
front, until the whole herd took alarm
and began moving towards the hay.
Suddenly with one accord they beloved
loud and long, as If instinct told them
death was NEAR, and then.-iE mad aasaAa-
rushed blindly and furiously towards the
fence.
The guards, having no avenue Of es-
cape but on top of the pile of hay,
swiftly climbed the fence and scrambled
on top just as the hungry herd made It's
mad charge.
1t was grand and terrible scene as
the cattle rushed up to the fence, those
in the front having their brains dashed
out and others being trampled on and
killed by those charging on behind. TIE
fence gave away, and around and up 1he
pile of hay the herd moved on, so aose--
ly packed together that some behind
were forced on the backs of those IN
front, while here and there we're large
piles of dead animals. from the top OF
which cattle stood frantically grabbing
their food, only the next moment to be
savagely attacked by others for favored
place.
bated breath and frlgnrenedpn IJ 3SSlith
watched this weird sight, and then
yells for help, as the cattle pushed
one another close up to the top, made
Bradley and others, who had run out of
the house when the cattle beloved, think
that the guards were being mangled be-
meath the hoofs of the enraged beasts.
For two hours they labored to drive the
cattle back to rescue the guards, and
finally succeeded in getting an opening
for them to escape, but the cattle finished
the hay pile, and week later all were
dead from cold and hunger.
Francisco Examiner.