The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-08
UTAH SHEEP IN WYOMING.
There Has Been No Clash as Yet
Over the Railroad Lands Used
as Ranges.


Many Of the heaviest sheepmen of
this territory are now ranging their
flocks in the western part of the state
of Wyoming and the greater majority
of them on lands claimed by the re-
cent organization OF cattle interests
through the leasing contract with the
Union Pacific. One of the provisions of
the lease which gave to the cattle own
ers in the neighborhood of 100000
acres of railroad lands was in effect
that the sheepmen who have ranged
their fiockS over the acreage in ques-
ton should be given an opportunity
of either leasing or buying. This OPP
portuIIty was given, but the men of
fiocks refused to meet the advances
made by the other side and their re-
fusal carried with it the rejectment Of
the proposition to divide the ranges
by means of the line of the Union Pa
cific, the sheep to hold one side and the
cattle the other. In anticipation of
trouble the fiockmaSterS have retained
legal counsel to make a fight should
an ejectment be attempted, but to
date no move has been made to clear
the lands in dispute of the sheep which
are ranging over them. Recent advices
from the district are to the effect that
some Of the prominent cattlemen are
in consultation. with officials of the
land department Of the Union Pacific
regarding the refusal of the SheeDmen
to recognize the authority of the lease
and it would not surprise the we'll
posted ones to see some sort OF fight
made in the very near future. At pres
ent the flocks are well up in the tim
Der, and they are, therefore. not inter
fering with the cattle interests, but
next month the movement to the low
lands and the ranges of the cattle will
commence and then the clash may
come. Both sides are said to be pre-
pared for it.
Hon. John c. Mackay was in the
city yesterday, having just returned
from his focks, which are ranging in
Wyoming. He says that the sheepmen
do not propose to either lease or pur-
chase lands, except in such cases as
they are actually making their homes
on the ranges and then individuals
may agree to the terms of the other
side and secure what purports to be
title to certain acreage formerly claim
ed by the road. To date nothing has
occurred to mar the peacefulness of
the general situation, and it is not an
ticipated that a clash will come this
month, if at all. The ranges in the
western part of the neighboring state
on the east are becoming rather dry
and in the mountains the feed is back
ward, but the sheep are in good con-
dition and preparations are being
made by most of the growers to mar
ket their mutton wetherS. 1t is esti-
mated that the shipments to market
from the western part of Wyoming
during the next two months will aggre-
gate not less than 10000 head. These
shipments are encouraged by the re-
ceipt of good reports from the mar
kets, where good stuff is selling at
first rate prices. One of the latest cir
culars, sent out under date of August
5th, gives the following report of the
conditions existing at Omaha:
Sheep receipts were moderate and
the week was marked by a strong and
advancing tendency in prices; contin-
uing the improvement shown the lat
ter part of last week, it forged ahead
until prices were again close to the
high point of two weeks ago, but
there was a weakness manifested on
Friday, and although prices were
hardly to be called lower, symptoms
Of another sinking spell were ap-
parent. Heavy receipts the coming
week will probably send her down
again, and it seems to US that each
week makes the situation more uncer-
tain. We note sales of 100 pound ma
tive ewes at S.. 122-pound native weth-
ers at $3.50 and &c and 75-pound native
lambs at $3.50 and So. Mixed Oregons,
weighing 100 pounds, sold at $500. The
bulk of western wetherS in Chicago
sold at $40 and $50 and the bulk of
lambs at 50 to $40. We had only 1000
sheep here during the week, not
enough for the demand, and good
ones are wanted at strong figures.