Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1893-01-21
A LAND OF LOWING HERDS
Great Growth of Cattle Industry in
South Dakota.
Long Tailed, Calm Eyed Kline Cover the
Hills and Craze the Wales OF the
Coded Lands OF the Savage
Sioux.

PIERRE, s. d.. Jan. l2.-One of the
most remarkable developments of in
dustry in South Dakota has been the
growth of the cattle business on the
ceded lands west of Pierre. The great
reservation of the Sioux was bought
by the government late in 1889, and the
country, comprising 100000 acres,
thrown open to settlement. At this
time, of course. no white men lived
west of Pierre. Now ranches have been
established and vast herds of catt.c,
sheep and horses range over the roll.
ing country.
At least two years are required for
this industry TO make showing in
point of shipments, aud consequently
this years record is the more worthy of
note. During October and Novem ber
between 10000 and 1000 head of fat
steers were shipped from Pierre alone,
while far larger number
went from the stations of
the Black Hills. Between $50 and GOO
cars were required TO transport them to
market. More than forty special trains
loaded solely with cattle pulled out of
this station for Chicago those two
months. These steers brought in the
Chicago yards price ranging from $40
10 500 and the total amount returned to
the Pierre banks considerably exceeded
$500, 600. One large ranchman figure /
net profit for the year of SIS. 900.
Horses also are raised on these lands
in immense numbers. More than 1000
head have been brought here from the
west of the river and sold this season.
The horse ranches are the largest in
the world and the herds probably equal
anything in the country, while the
ranges are unapproachable in the lux.
uriance and nutritious qualities of their
grasses. During the past year the
ranchers have sent some fine
blooded stations TO the ranges
Their intention is to rapidly
advance the quality of their
stock. Immense numbers of sheep are
now raised on these lands. They are
being driven onto the ranges by the
thousand. This part of the business
did not exist two years ago. but this
season barge of wool was shipped
down the river.
This country west of the Missouri is
probably the best stock range in the
world. 1t is broken and rolling most
of the way from Pierre to the Black
Hills and affords ample shelter from
the cold winds in winter 1t is divided
by numerous streams and the cattle
have no difficulty in obtaining water.
But the feature which most distin-
guishes it from others is the iuxuriant 1
growth of rich grass. There is
said to be nothing equal to it in the
country except the ranges of Montana
and they are similar. The high
est prices ever paid on the Chr
cago market were for cattle
from these ranges. Texas steers
brought here grow larger framed and
heavier by q great per cent than those
kept at home, and experience teaches
that the proportion of loss through
drought or storm is far below that of
any other cattle country known. This
gear in Texas the stock have been dy-
ing off by thousands on account of the
short feed caused by three wears
drought, but on this South Dakota
range the feed has never been short
and no loss from drought has ever oc-
Cured.
Little or no breeding is done. The
winter climate is not favorable to rails
ing calves. Hut the big ranchmcn go
to Texas or Colorado and buy yearlings
or 2-year-olds, ship them in here, let
them Craze the rich grasses until they
are or 3 years old and then ship them
to Chicago and sell them A profit OF
$50 per cent is often realized. 1t costs
about $50 head TO lay yearlings down
on the range and about S. head to
mature them. They sell IN Chicago at
from $50 for 3-year-old to 50 for a s.
year-old.
This was the first year of ship
ment since the reservation was opened
and naturally the output was small
But there are fattening on the ranges
now tens of thousands of steers which
will next year nuke the stock trains
rolling out of Pierre several times as
as this.
The horse rdisers are giving great
attention to quality and have impor-
ted large number of Percherons,
Ciydesdales and other standard stall
tons.