The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1893-12-16
OUR WOOL INTERESTS.
w. Il. Ellis, Representative i'm
C0nSrass.

CoDSrass.
e Having read copy of letter represent
=, ing our wool interest in Eastern Oregon,
Of written by Col Lang OF this. city and dI-
;, rected to Congressman Ellis, we asked the
Il privilege of copying it that our readers
may see the extent of this industry in East
IS ern Oregon:
e Hon. William r. Ellis. House of Represen
> tati0es. Washington. u. c.:
DEAR SIR:-As one of your constituents
{ | allow me to thank you for your action favor
ing the extension Of time tor the payment
of dues upon our railway lands. Tne pass
age of that bill will be blessing to many
. who are trying hard to make homes for
themselves aud families in this highland re-
gion.
I also offer you representation of our
wool growing industry, and beg leave to
express with regret the feeling of gloom
which seem. to thoroughly prevail mong a
large portion of the .ettlers who came in
upon these highland pleateaus and mountain
sides, ,and made homes upon lands not suited
to diversitied farming, but excellent for
sheep husbandry. The withdrawal of pro-
lection from wool growi"g, by allowing the
admission of foreign grown wool free of
duty, and h1e inability of shepherds to DIS
pose of their last years product, which. In
this E s-ern Oregon valley, amounts to 3d.
| OA0 or op1y 1S 0Istraas
| but paints the future of TINS heretofore
| prosperous industry, which is far greater
| than all else here, with the most distressing
! uncertainty.
| l am personally acquainted with MANY |
| sheep owners who nave bought lands and |
| fitted up homes and ranches under the pro- |
tectIve encouragement OF the government, |
especially that of the Mckinley tariff, and |
were thoroughly prosperous and happy in |
| their highland homes, two three. four, five, |
six and some seven thousand feet above the |
ocean, which is almost 10 sight to the west
OF some of the plateau upon the Cascade |
range, where they find the finest grasses in
climate unsuted to varied agriculture,
DuG splcuuiU iOi ouCop id1ihE ouo euS P'O
duction of the finest mutton.
Their business, assure you, was very
prosperous, as l will show you. Some of
these men, nay most of them, came here
and entered upon this national industry
without capital, ard some of them have
five, eight, ten and twelve thousand
sheep, and have established home ranches
and improvements all over an area of forty
to fifty thousand square miles, bringing
civilization, school houses. churches, vii
lages, mills, and comtor5 and happiness.
And now. they bow to what appears iney-
liable destruction and rnin of their in
dustrv and ITS great privileges, the Ameri-
WOO msrkct Offered free to the for
eigner aud TO semi civilization.
l assn yau. these sheep nleu con-
scIous of The effect of the complete change
IN the economic policy OF the government
towards sustaining their, inTnstry, AID are
trying to sell rhe,r sheep At ST.. and N some
cases at 20 cents per head. When l came
here twenty years sinc-, there we're IN this
immense great mountain hahn but 2l 900
sheep that sheared only 81 pounds of wool
each Last year QS92) We sheared %, 600.
600 pounds of wool from sheep that yielded
to 81 pounds each. upon the great ranges
almost all in sight of this locality. The
physical character of the sheep has been |
much improved for mutton. Cons4 quently of
the fibre.
You will please bear in mind that this
great industry now forced to compete with
Australia, Cape of Gnod Hope, Buenos
Ayers. etc.. is here IN Eastern Oregon, dis
tributed all over the land, and is, or has
been, blessing to all of the people, bring !
ine comfort and plenty to any industrious
mans door who would enter upon 1t, and
within the reach of any industrious man.
Its stock in trade was at home. 1t fed and |
clothed and fOnnd its market for the pro.
ducer at hore and distribute1 all its bless
ings at home, lustea of going to foreign |
people with them,
Trusting You will pardon the liberty
have taken in a aldressing you, want to be
allowed to present facts, to convince you of
the calamity we feel awaits us in removing
the tariff now upon foreign wool.
In the year 1892 we received at this depot
So 600 pounds, and paid therefor an
average If l6 cents per pound. making cash
received 1855, 40; mutton, 100, 600 head at
81 25 each, 1922 500; wool pelts at III
cents Fer pound. pounds each. Sal. 400;
making total of 81. 1920. Lambs not OBJ !,
tanned.
This year. 1898, the amount is not quite
so large, cut is as follows: I
Wool production at TIE Dales, Ore, | :
lS93-woo received, clip 1898, 5, l20, 900
pounds, and placed at J cents per pound, | r
S35S, $50; mutton sheep at average $l.50 o
each (l70. .0O0), S255. 900; wool pelts. $4,000, q
pounds each at cents per pound, $46,- q
)sO; total receipts, 1893. 1863. $50. Amount /
paid for lambs not obtained. Amount for
ward for 1892. Sl.2l9, 02O; amount as shown
:or 1898. S659 $40; difference in receipts
1892 aud 1888, $3.50. 100.
Pendleton, lS92-Wool received, ], $685. Q
6l9 pounds; average price l3 cents, $2l9,- =
3l4; 2, 900 wool pelts. 90 cents each. ST.. 200;
making total of $220,5l4. lS93-Wool :
'eceived, l,l25.627 pounds at cents, s67.- y
597.62; wool pelts, 20 cents each, 1915;
making a total of $685. 81.
Heppner. 1922. 25O. 600 pounds. wool at
l3 cents. 1922. 500; lilo. 600 pounds at 81 25
zach. S247 900; making total of S5l9. 500.
s92-Wool. $500, 600 pounds at 7 cents,
Sl75 600; mutton, $4,000 sheep at 81 each,
$50 600; making total of $255. 600.
Arlington. lS92-l.5laOOO pounds wool, n
s247, ,92O. 1871. no. 600 pounds wool : :
,snts, ST, 700; making total OF $325, $50. c,
am not able to hand you the wool re- =
,eipts tor Baker City, La Grande and other "
POSTS your district, but you may rely cl
lpon the number OF sheep returned, that ;;se
he district you represent has produced u
his year, q, 600. 600 pounds of WOOL By =,
The price l have gwen you as that paid last
year. 1892. at the producers home market,