The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-06-16

After all, the great quarrel between
the sheepmen n the cattlemen who
have for years been ranging their
hocks and herds along the line Of the
Union Pacific in western Wyoming
and northeastern Utah is not to be
settled in an amicable manner, but
on the other hand the interested par
ties will, without doubt, resort TO the
courts for relief. This was practically
the decision of the sheepmen at the
close Of the conference which was neld
yesterday afternoon at Evanston,
Wyoming, in which the cattlemen ana
sheepowners participated with equal
rights. The convention yesterday was
an adjourned session Of a former con-
ference held in the same place and
between the same people, the contlnu-
ance having been taken upon the re
quest of the Sheepmen to be allowed
time in which to consider a PROPOSE
ton made by the cattlemen. On the
18th Of the present month the men OF
f1ocks were in close consultation Tor
the purpose of hearing the report OF
the special committee sent to this city
for the purpose of securing legal
counsel as to the course TO be pur-
sued in the case. That committee re-
ported adversely upon the proposition
submitted at the other general meet
ing and the gentlemen preseSt decided
to stand by the report. They went
into the meeting yesterday prlmed and
ready for the coming battle. They
stood their ground fairly and refused
to seek cover at the request Of the
other side. In fact, they decided that
the advances of the cattlemen were
not to their interests and for that
reason declined to have anything TO
do with the proposition then before
them. The cattlemen made a second
proposition TO lease more land to the
sheepmen but still the other side vas
obdurate and the announcement was
made that the matter would be tested
in the courts.
The meeting was very largely at
tended, among h gentlemen present
being quite a number of Utah sheep
owners who ave ranged their fiocks
in the districts involved for a great
length Of time. One of these, Hon.
John C. Mackay, was a recognized
leader on the side of the sheep own
ers, he being the chairman Of the COM
mittee sent to this city by the latter,
and the fight was a warm one. A
private wire received by The Herald
last night conveyed the information
that at the opening of the conference
the cattiemen were notified that the
other side would not accept the pro-
position submitted and lease the
lands of the railroad, now claimed
nder lease by the Union Pacific
Land and Cattle company, a combina-
ton of cattlemen which recently made
a bargain with the railroad company
for something over 100000 acres of
land lying along the track in western
Wyoming and northeastern Titan. The
proposition was for the sheepmen to
agree to a division of the ranges and
then make either leases or purchases
OF the rae of desirable lands, all
track and all cattle to the south. Ehe
sheepmen hold that this move is sim
ply in the interests of the Union Pa
cific, and that they can not be forced
to lease or buy ranges they have used
for many years, in view of the fact
that the railroad has not yet secured
title to all Of the lands thrown open.
When this refusal on the part of the
sheep owners to accept the proposition
was presented to the meeting the cat
tlemen submitted still another agree
ment which would have given the
owners of the sheep much more land. |
but even his was not then accepted
and the conference ended without any
agreement being entered into. The
sheepmen will consider the matter.
however but it is confidently anticf-
pated that the answer will be q vigOr-
Gus protest and hen the matter will
get into the courts for adjustment.
Both sides are firm and preparing for
what seems to be an inevitable contest.