The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-04-09


trouble On the western border with
Utah sheepmen, some of whom have
summered their fiocks in Colorado for
years. These sheep are said to be
fearfully afflicted with scab, that
scourge of wool producers, and Gov
ernor Waite, of Colorado has issued
a proclamation said to be his first
really sensible one-forbidding the pas
turing OF Utah sheep on Colorado soil.
This ukase meets with the approval of
majority of Utahs sheepmen-es-
pecially those who are honest in the
matter of taxes. 1t has become notO-
Iious shat those flock owners who have
been making raids on Colorado's
ranges often escape the payment of
taxes altogether, sliding back and forth
across the line when the assessors of
the state and territory are at work.
Utah viii therefore be the gamer
through the enforcement OF Waite's
proclamation.
The story of the situation is told
briefly by the Denver Republican of
Saturday as follows:
The danger Of a sheep war of
lively sort in Delta county has become
more imminent within the last forty
eight hours A conflict is hourly eX-
pected.
The situation is alarming The
people of Delta hive armed guards
out for the purpose of preventing the
1ioclIs of diseased Utah sheep from
taking UP position on the Battle
ment mesa. The men who own the
herds have numerous armed men with
9hem and are ready for a fight to get
what they want. The latest news re-
ceived by the state authorities is that
light was expected in the approach
10 the mesa last night. When last
heard from the advance herd was
drawing near the mesa and armed and
determined men were waiting to inter-
cept them. The fight if one occurred
last night as anticipated was on the
southern side of delta county far
away from 3 town, SO that news from
the scene would be long in arriving.
The result o. the almost certain meet
ing would not be known for a day or
two. The state officials are waiting
neIVoUsly for the news.
NO EXAGGERATIoN.
DR.. Gressweu, state veterinary sur
geOn. returned yesterday from Delta
county, where he had gone to inspect
The Utah sheep which the people feared
would descend upon them to the de-
Suuctlon Of the uplandS of the west
efn counties. 1t was upon the facts
presented briefly in a telegram from
DR.. Gresswell or Thursday that the
governor issued proclama ton forbid
ding the sheep TO come into the state
a
health signed by inspectors appointed
for the purpose.
DR.. Gressweu states that the condi-
lions have not been exaggerated by
The people OF the threa tened counties
The herds numbering 100000 Of which
10000 belong to Mexican named Mar
tinez, 10000 are the property of the
Mormon church and the remainder be-
long in smaller herds to private indi-
viduals: The flocks are scattered all
along the line Of the Rio Grande West
ern railway moving slowly toward fhe
Colorado border: 5000 are now in this
state, and these are causing the
trouble They belong to a man named
Jansen. His sheep are all infected with
Inc scab, but he says that makes no
difference, and he proposes to 90 To the
Battlement mesa anyhow
ALREADY IN THE STATE.
His flock crossed the bridge at Grand
junction on Tuesday and moved on as
rapidly as possible toward the mesa. At
the rate Of seven or eight miles a dav
they should be almost entering upon
the reserve today-uniess intercenfad
They were probably intercepted all
right. Jansen appears very obdurate;
he says he used to be in Delta county
and proposes to go there again. That
is the disputed point for the people
there do not know him, and will have
none of him. They are waiting for
him, but armed.
The great bulk of the herds viii an
parently .heed the governors proclama-
ton, the herders are reported as saw
ing, and return to the Blue mountains.
The people do not believe that is their
Intention, and think that lenses with
his 5000 animals is coming in to make
test case. If he should get through
all right they believe the rest will fol-
low him. and they do not propose ia
give them any encourag cement at all
All the time the people of Delta and
Mesa and SfoTftrose counties whose
future prosperity is threatened BY the
the prospect OF great herds DESTROYING
the water Supoly by trampling down
the soft earth on the Battlement mesa.
have believed that there would be
trouble, and While sending delegations
TO Denver and TO Wa ShingtOn to seek
aid, have been preparing to keep the
shesp out themselves should all other
means fail. They will not cease their
vigilance now.
UNDOUBTEDLY SCABBY.
DR.. Gresswell arranged for a com.
plete and prompt inspection of al
sheep when approach the border lie
feels the necessity of close watch be.
ing kept. Said he last night:
The Utah sheep are undoubtedly
aected with 'scab' to a great extent
Some OF the herds are very bad. As
all those intending to enter Colorado e
pasture on the mesa country across
the desert country by one trail, it fol
lows that any sheep crossing the trai
are liable TO bring in the disease.
The governors proclamation will.
believe. stop the main bulk of the Utal
sheep now being sheared at Thornpseg
Springs, and those which have begur
20 cross the desert country between
that place and the state line, TO tn.
amount OF about 10000 head.
1T viii also stop the adrnittance o
10000 now being sheared near the stat,
line.
But there are several herds whiel
have been wintered inside the stat,
line, all affected with the disease
which can only be handled by tn,
county sheep inspectors, who havi
power to apportion an extent Of coun
try to which the affected herds can b.
quarantined, but their power only ex
tends tc herds actually diseased. In
spector Shina has acted for some tim
as inspector for Montrose county, an,
/ appointed c. p. Nutter yesterday in
Spector for Delta county, and a maj
will be appointed as soon as possibl
for Mesa county. NJ. NJ. Colby was ap
pointed TO act for the state.
The people in the mesa country ar
very determined against the invasion
of these Utah sheep and from what
could see Of the condition Of the spot
the sheep would cause absolute ruin t
all the men dependent for their waite
supply on the Grand Mesa reserve
They have expended thousands of col
lars on improvements, and all would b
wasted