The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-14
MONTANA W0OLCn0W|NC
The Entire State Product Always
Finds ! Ready Sale IN
Boston.
y Model Ranch In Choteau County
Owned by New York
People.
1hs Plains TO He Covered with ~ Tins
sheep % Roam Over English
Heaths.

1hs Plains TO He Covered with ~ 1ins
sheep ~ Roam Over English
Hsaths.
Il 10 we'll known that Montana wool conn
mands . higher price than any othsr west.
srn clips. Its uniform excellence has won
such 4 reputation that the sntiEs state pro-
duct finds . ready sale in Boston, which -
recognized as the best wool market IN the
country. This il due to ssrtain we'll de-
fined conditions. The rolling grass covered
platsaus Of Montana mako " q natural
sheen and cattle country. The intense cold
OF the Minnesota and Dakota winters does
not prevail here. Chinook 10 the magic
word that explsins the climatic difference.
Tho Indian name ID applied TO the west
winds which temper these northern plains
nearly 10 far east ~ the state line. SNOW
rarely falls to any great depth and animals
OF all kinds can .livc ont" all winter with
ont hardship. This MAS formerly a great
cattle region. But the sheep ranches. with
their fences. and the newly developed agri-
cultural regions, are breaking up tho large
ranges. and tho greater profits Of WOOL
growing are inducing the cattle men to
transfer their interests to sheep alsinR.
An impetus to shsep-rsisinR in northern
Montana, the best section Of tho state for
this purpose, has been given by the Great
Northern railroad. which five years ago
extended its line through this region. The
facility for transportation IL the chief
agency in transforming this former cattle
range into an essentially shesp-raisinR
country, says a Great Falls correspondent
of the New York Tribune. The railroad
has fostered this industry in the way Of
extending reasonable rates and suitable
s%torshouses at various points. The most
conspicuous object that meets the eye ~
the plains station of Benton 10 the huge
wool warehouse, and at Great Falls there
Ia q similar one. These objects are the best
evidence to the newcomer shat this 10 ths
great WOO country of the northwest.
mammoth sheep ranch, the largest and
best conducted ranch In the state, 10 that
owned by Bainbridge S. Clark. Of New
York City. II is located north Of Great
eral square miles. divided into sections snd
wire fenced. Each section il provided with
sheds, stacks and oorrals for the sheep, and
with houses and stables. Al the head
quarters Office, telephone connections are
had with each section. The ranch" Is %
carefully auperintendsd as a manufactur.
ing establishment. II 10 under the per-
sonal management Of the CLARK Sons.
Their wool took the first prize in the Bos-
ton market last year. They have 10000
sheep. producing III. 900 pounds of wool.
1t is tho example Of this ranch that has to
a great extent set the standard of northern
Montana woods, and ID making this new
section outrank the older sheep raising dis
t.icts of tho state.
This years product for the entire state
was ~, OOO.00 pounds, 40 against S,344,6 34
pounds for last year. In 1891 there were
1900, GOO sheep shorn; in 1892, 1,800,0 GOO.
This 10 only the beginning. The men who
are in the business contemplate nothing
less than the growing of AZ fine grades a.
Australia. They assert that these plains
and this climate can grow the Anest wool
in the world. II is their ambition to cover
these plateaus with aocks of a. finely bred
sheep 40 roam over the heaths Of England
and Wales. The after tion and study they
have given the subject Convincos them OF
its permansnoy and ultimate magnitude.
Men are constantly borrowing money of
the banks at from 10 70 10 per cent to In
vest in sheep. and they make q good profit
at that rate of inter- st. This high rate is
not charged BY the banks on account Of the
calculated precariousness of tho business
investment. II ia not 90 regarded; quite
the contrary. Ten per cont is the usual
rate. and n per cent per month is charged
regularly on commercial paper.
The price of Montana wool this season
was ~ to Is cents in the Boston market.
and 10 to 20 cents in Montana. Local
authority at Great Falls was approached by
the Tribune correspondent with the in
qui, H: :. -. voo,..,,c ,.,..,oa :, xon-
lana aheeDrainata2 Pr
I'VE van a fair protection. At PRESENT
Montana wool brings eight cents moro than
Canadian wool raised just over the line.
There the wages paid shsephsrdets il $25
per month. while We pay $40. Under the
present regulations they are obliged to sell
in London. the cheapest market in the
world. while We soil in Boston. the highest
market In tho world. / suppose We could
stand the competition of Canadian wool,
but We don't want to. No one knows OK
aotly howa change Of tariff would affect
prices. We naturally prefer that the pres.
emit regulations ROMAN, SO as to make the
market perfectly stable. Montana WOOL
will always bring . good price. even against
the competition of the world. I do not
think q change Of government rolioy would
seriously affect tho sheep business of the
state. for that would pay il not q pound of
wool grew on the Sleeps back. The sales
for mutton would make it profitable"
A comparison with other western woods ia
necessary TO show the relatively high stand
ard of Montana. Oregon and Idaho clips
sold this year at from IL to Is cents, seven
cents below the Montana prices. The
ranges Of these states, as we'll 40 all other
western states, are poorer in grass and have
burrs and sand that cut the fleece. The
sheep arc of inferior breeding and scab-
ridden. and the clips are consequently not
to be relied upon for uniformity. Dakota
woods compare more favorabiy, as the nat
ural conditions are more similar. The best
grades Of North Dakota woods were sold to
some extent in Boston this year, but the
greater quantity was olassed with the "do-
mestio wools' of Minnesota, and bought
by Minneapolis houses at a considerably
lower figure. ThrouRhout all this region
the sheep industry has been greatly stlmu-
lated in the past few years by Montana's
success. Sheep are. obtained here for
ranches in the adjoining sections of Canada
and the Dakotas with the expectation of
growing wool that will equal TIE Montana
Clips. The two conditions. greater cold
and dampness, will always have TO DO CON
tended againat.
The great annual January clearing sale opens
At Bands Bros. saturday, Jan. u, 1891.
Wood S47s per cord in two cord lots. ]. II.
BOucher. agent. L.. H l.. hloek. Sixth nvannn.