The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-06-04
IN THE MUSSElSHEll
/. T.. Severance Tells About
tbe Sheep Industry In
the Valley.
=, Great sheep Country. This
Years Clip Will BE
Large One.

commemorative of the TRIBUNE yester-
met Chas. f. Severance OF Castle,
Nj cleaned from him some interesting
- regarding the sheep industry in
~ Musselshell valley. Mr.. Severance,
;s well known, is heavily interested in
=. sheen industry, being one OF, the
a,oest owners in the valley and his ac-
p"%siutance with the of that
.ar,ion of Montana, gives his opinions
onoiderable weight. In the course of
=. conversation with the TRIBUNE re-
,rter, Mr.. Severance said;
rerard the Musselshell valley as pre-
,~rinentIy the sheep raising portion of
@E,otana, We have there a district con
[,inins about 1000 square miles. afford
mo abundant pasturage and watercd by
numerous small streams. The quality of
Aha soil is such that an excellent grass is
nroduced, making the valley better adj
anted to sheep raising than any other
c%istrict in the state. BY this do not
nean that other districts are not as well
'%ratared or do not produce as good grass.
Take the Judith country, for instance.
They can raise sheep there as easily as
an tbe Musselshell, but the time is com
inc when the sheep industry will decline
in the Judith. Why? Because the land
in the Judith basin is so well adapted to
farming and SO valuable for that purpose
il will be devoted to agriculture rather
than to grazing.
Now. on the Musselshell the character
If the land is such that it will never be
| extensively farmed. but it does afford
| inst the right sort of range for sheep.
| and for that reason sheep-raising will al
| ways be the great and principal industry
in the valley.
The last year" continued Mr.. Sever
| ance. has been a remarkably good one
| for the sheepmen. The sheep wintered
4 uncommonly well and with less than a
| usual summers loss. The lambing sea-
son has. to be sure. been unfavorable
| byt sheep-raisers are so much better
| able 10 cope with an u~nfavorable season
that the loss will be small and not much
| above the average. Warm sheds and
| plenty of hay with experienced men will
| do much to overcome the disadvantages
Of the season. / am confident that 50
4 Der cent of the lambs will be saved.
/ Grass is well advanced and think the
outlook at present is al exceedingly
good one. Indeed, IN my opinion the
sheep business is as safe and profitable
as any that a be engaged in in this
| country. OF course it needs careful and
experienced men to manage it; but if
gwen proper attention it is as good an
Investment as anyone could wish"
Mr. Severance says there are now
about 10000 head of sheepin the Mus,
slshell valley and probably as many
more in the Judith. They are in hocks
dirom 1000 to $4,000 head except in a
few instances where the hocks number
1900 and even $4,000. The clip Of the
Nusselshell valley tiocks alone will be
something over 100000 pounds this
year and the wool will be of exceptional,
Fgood quality because Of the good win.
ter. The clip of the Judith t1ocks will
probably be the same. The clip Of the
Musselshell valley is shipped from Bill
lings and Big Timber; being divided
about equal between the two place.
But" said Mr.. Severance in reply to the
reporters question, IF Great Falls had a
direct railroad connection with that
%conntry, probably three-fourths of the
clip would be shipped here"
do you think a wooden mill would be
apaying proposition here" asked the
reporter.
Yes answered Mr.. Severance, 'ror a
certain grade Of goods of course our
Montana woods are not suited to all
grades of wooden goods. That is they
need other woods to mix with them foI
some grades of goods. But for course
blankets, and suitings. yarns and such
goods our woods are suitable and | be
AeVe could be manufactured here with
'FRONT.' 1t is only a question OF time
When such d mill is established here and
II viii be a good proposition for all con
cerned when that takes place.