The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-06-27
WILD HORSES AS GAME.
A scheme to Make Big Profits by
Catching Them for Food.


J. c.. Brown, a prominent business man
of this city, has returned from the North,
after several weeks absence. He brings
the information that a company has been
organized TO capture 100000 wild horses
and treat them In the abattoirs at Trout
Dale, on the Columbia river, reducing
certain parts TO oil. saving the hams for
the people OF France to eat, and utilizing
the hides and bones in various ways.
Mr.. Wands was reticent as to the de-
tails of the novel industry, but from
other sources the whole story was
learned. Those backing the enterprise
are l.. Zimmerman, +. May, Z. D. Gard
ner, and Felix Faugher. well-known
stock men and capitalists of the north
west. For some time the horses that
have grown wild In the mountains and
isolated valleys, and those in the ranges
not classed as wild, have fallen so low in
price that they are worth but the mere
bagatelle of from $3.50 TO So each.
The aforesaid capitalists figured that
they could make 81 a head, or a total OF
$4,000 by capturing the wild horses and
shipping them TO the abattoirs, Since
they got to work on the project, how
ever. they have concluded that the OPP
portunities are larger; that they will have
many more horses TO handle, and will
make a vast sum before they get through
with 1t. They have, therefore, incorpor-
ated a company and will do a great
skilled crew of vaqueros and do a great
business. Many Of the horses have no
owners, and they will be caught wher-
ever they are and brought to the aba:-
toirs. Vast numbers besides these Will
be bought at the low figures mentioned.
and brought to Trout Dale. This dis
patch from Portland last night gave
some of the details:
There are a vast number of mongrel
horses now in various parts of the north
west, and 1t is proposed to get rid Of
them at a profit and. at the same time,
give the growers Of good American
horses a better market for them. The
mongrels will, therefore be brought TO
the aba ttoirs and killed. The flesh will
be rendered of its oil and the residue.
with the bones and hoofs, will be made
into fertilizer.
The hides, that have always a market
value, will be sailed, and the hair, with
the names and tails, will be used in up
holstery work. portion of the meat
Will be compressed for use as chicken
food 1t Is estimated that in Oregon,
Washington. Montana, Nevada and
Idaho there are at present 100000 half
breed wild horses for which no market
can now be found"
The dispatch adds that the industry Of
reducing the horses to oil, upholstery,
etc, has come to be considered so i'm
portant that She company proposes to
build a new abattoir at Portland.
Another dispatch gives more details.
Several parties. both here and on
Puget sound" il says, have been figur-
ing for some weeks on Strengthening the
horses. There are large numbers of half
breed and cayuse horses eating the grass
on stock ranges in eastern Oregon and
Idaho which cannot be sold anywhere at
any price. II is thought that thousands
of these horses can be bought for from
50 to 81 a head, and that they might be
slaughtered at a small profit. There is
a sale for the skins, bones, oil. ETC., and
it was even imagined that the hams
might be cured and shipped to Paris.
where horseflesh is eaten by the poorer
classes"
In addition to the hundreds of thou
sand of wild and mongrel horses in the
regions alluded to there are many in
British Columbia.
About 100 horses roam in the vicinity
Of Deadman's creek, near Kamloops.
These came from horses turned out by
the Hudson bay company many years
ago. They are headed by a black stallion,
who became very fierce. Attempts TO
capture them by the Indians are as a
rule futile. once small band Of them
was cOrralled, and it was found utterly
impossible TO do anything with them.
The hard winter this year caused the
death of many Of this wandering band,
as we'll as many Of the free Indian ponies.
In the whole of the upper Fraser and
Dog creek stations Of this province" so
dispatch from vancouver stated last
night, at is estimated there are 5000
horses never branded or lassoed roaming
the hills wild and agile as deer. a
proposition was made three years ago
to shoot them down to save the ranges,
but it was deemed impracticable, and if
captured the trouble of breaking is more
than they are worth. The horses are
not in bands of any great numbers. but
wander here and there over an immense
district, so that any scheme 10 utilize
them would involve killing them in
scattered places and transporting the
hides and glue and oil producing sec
lions of the carcasses for long distances
to the railway. Beyond the mountains.
near TT Pelly, is a band of 1000 or 1900
which defy capture. They are a hundred
miles from the railroad. Here and there
throughout the millions Of acres Of
prairie are many other wild horses.
Some escaped from ranchers. Others are
let go as not worth looking after"
1t is expected to begin killing the horses
at the Trout Dale abattoir in a few
weeks. AS soon as the abattoirS are
finished at Portland these also will be
utilized. The company expects to make
big money. The promoters have ex-
ercised secrecy in their movements thus
far in order to have the advantage Of
being first in the field.-San Francisco
Examiner.