The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-02-01
4 GROWING ENTERPRIsE.
The youth ~. Paul >tockyards Rapidly
Growing in Favor With Western
shippers.

Those Of us who have in mind the
big meeting Of the Montana Stock
growers association in Miles City in
April. lSsJ-the one with the brass band
and the numerous other frills. To which
conservative stockmen attribute in part
the subsequent judgment Of the hard
winter-will remember some of the in
cidents that led to the establishment Of
the South st. Paul stockyards: not that
the enterprise owes its birth t. the Miles
City meeting. for it was already born at
that time. but, that it received an impe-
tus from the closer relations with range
stockmen. growing out Of that meeting,
that undoubtedly strengthened its in
fantile existence. and helped to build up
the lusty y%oungster that 1t is today.
Among other adjuncts Of thie big
meeting that were not so injurious or
depressing in results as the brass band
and cowboy parade. was the attendance
from st. Paul and Minneapolis Of a
number 81 prominent citizens of those
cities. Many were ''on pleasure bent
as the Miles City meeting is always re-
garded as a picnic for visitors from
abroad, but among the visiting strangers
there were some few who were on bust
ness. OF these will be remembered
Mr.. 4. Il. Stickney. one Of the shrewd-
est railroad managers in the country.
whose keen foresight had already ,et.
tied upon the stockyards scheme al
South 81. Paul. 10 which his road-the
Chicago and Kansas CIty-had sole en-.
try. and Mr.. II. L. Fletcher Of Minneap-
oils. another keen and progressive bust
ness man. then and since identified with
the range stock business in this county.
and al that time an earnest advocate IL
the Twin City ~stockyards- then project
ed on paper only. Both gentlemen nam.
ed. and others not now recalled. made
earnest appeals To the cattlemen to di-
vert a small portion Of the Chicago
business 10 the new enterprises al st.
Paul and Minneapolis. setting forth
the many advantages that must ac.
crue from building up new mar
kets for their products. Theupshot was
that a committee. consisting Of J. J.
Thompson. L. j. Bryan. Alfred Myers
and some tSO or three other gentlemen
OF equal prominence in the range stock
business, was appointed 10 go TO the
twin cities and inspect the enterprises
under consideration. As has been stated
the South St. Paul stockyards. was the
only n having an actual existence at
there was shown 10 the committee a
very decided beginning on a scale be-
lieved To be ample for some years to fol.
Low. but which, We understand. has al
ready been materially increased. Though
the committed were very favorably i'm
pressed. and so reported. it was not for
some years that the Montana shippers
could be induced to give the South St.
Paul yards a chance. Once in a while a
train load OF cattle. hopelessly laid out
10y accident or otherwise. would be run
in and sold there, with the varying re-
suits tina: are experienced in the Chicago
market. sometimes good. sometimes bad
and sometimes middling; still the idea
was prevalent that there was no market
for Montana range stock outside of Chi.
cago. II has taken the South st. Paul
people years OF time. thousands Of dol
lars expended in enlarging their ac-
commodations. and volumes Of elo-
quence at the tongues at their represen.
~tatives. to subdue this prejudice, but
success has attended their efforts. and
the South st. Paul yards are now uni
v~ersally regarded as a safe place to ship
to up to their capacity. and for that mat
ter, the same condition attends every
market. even Chicago. As a sample Of
what these yards can do in a poor year,
We give the official figures for 1893.
which we all know was not a pattern of
prosperity for any enterprise: