The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-08
lie Condition of the Cattle Ranges
in the State Of Mon
tana
Is the Same Danger That Con.
fronted 6tockmen
In 1885.
he Already Crowded Range Territory
Likely to Receive Large Acccssions
That Arc Headed North.

I'M N UCSlOu AuukOE OOuS'OAsO y SSOS
lowing interests of Montana. According
the Stock Growers journal. q danger to
JIG particular industry, means q general
Hfnger to all other interests in the
kktunty of Custer; for here for the present
least. whatever threatens the prosperity
u the cattle grower ID a mi 10 oil out
Mdustrial and mercantile enterprises. II
1pIe cattlemen have no money. the furnish
W have no trade and house n store own
Id soon have no tenants or tenants Al
1tHtes Of rent below a paving figure OF
RA|obably no rent at all. Thus tho pros
hIrity of oil Glasses Of our community
Rhng,s more or less directly on the prosper
Inv of the stock interests.
kNWe are facing now the same danger we
Id to confront in 1856. The ranges are
0lly and ov%srstooked. In the county Of
Mister there are now about 100000 bend Of
VAttle. In Dawson county there are about
aO. 600 head. In the state altogether there
he over n million and q quarter. The num-
Ir Of cattle shipped from Montana to the
bstetn markets during the present year
Hi probably reach 10000 or 0 10000 head.
he places of these will be filled and the
Induction moro than covered BY the cali
Top, 90 that We shall have our original
hmber Of one million and a quarter on our
binds to start with. And as has been al.
Aady said, with this number alone oul
ange country is already overstocked.
Into this number already in excess of oat-
Ne room are to be crowded large importa-
ions from the outside. The purchases
non. the south and west will be extensive
Md will each probably 200, 700 to be rushed
b the already crowded ranges. And this
not all. For in addition We have to re-
fbive the herds which are now being trans
tbrred from Texas. such as the Bloom herds
&ready headed tor Custer county. Prouty.
laughter, kumberg are all transferring
herds from Texas TO Montana ranges. All
|Aese in addition to the purchased he:dl
Hill be turned loose on our already crowded
md reduced range territory. This would
10 bad enough il We should be sufficiently
prtunate to have q mild and open win
pr. Even with this palliative Of tho i'm
fleet Of insufficient grazing ground BY
he inferior condition of the cattle
md the physical weakness of a calf crop
bominR from insuffioisntly nourishsd cows
i cold and late spring would find tho calves
b a weak and unhealthy condition unable
pear its chilly and searching blasts. and
he loss of calves from this cause would be
.eat enough to be disastrously felt. But
, instead Of a mild and open winter this
ear 70 should be unfortunate enough &c
ave Il very cold and severe one-if We
hould have such a winter as that Of 1856
khich desolated u ranQss-broke up &C
lany of our great cattle herds and wrought
financial ruin to so many of our best mer
what will be the consequence? II needs
10 great adept in ~astroloQy to construct the
|oroscope Of the cattle business. A toe
litter experience has burned the lesson into
he memories Of all who were directly OF
Indirectly connected with the stock growing
interests in the catastrophe of $50.
A severe winter this year will leave nj
till in worse condition than did the drsad
Hinter of 1856. 1t took i've or six years tc
cooperate in q measure from the dire of
ects of '86. but finally there was %tecupera-
ion sufficiently encouraging if not thor
ughly complete. The effect of a severe
Vinter this year with hundreds OF thous-
nds of cattle, more than the range can sur
ort. will DO infinitely worse than that of
P6, because 1t will be more permanent and
cooperation more doubtful, if not, indeed,
mpossible. Herds will be rushed on the
market and sold for whatever they can
bring, and irm-names hat have been
Known for years and familiar as household
words in the markets Of the east, will dis
ppear from the annals of the cattle trade
nd seek other channels of Investment FOX
THAT capital they may have saved out OF
be general wreck and ruin. For anothe,
eason we shall be in worse condition ia
meet a rigorous winter this year than We
we're in 'S6-our range room is more limited
Ind sheep in great numbers have since
hen come upon the land to diminish still
urther our grazing limits.