Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1896-09-24

VAST HERD or $4,000 HORSES THAT
ROAM THE WEST.

VAST HERD or "a. 900 HORSES THAT
ROAM THE WEST.
Owners Ready to Give Them Away..-Else-
trIclty and the Bicycle Reducing the
Noble Animal to His First Estate.
Imagine herd of horses aggregating
125.000 for which no practical use can
be found. Stockmen Of the Northwest
are to-day considering what DISPOSE
ton can be made of this immense num-
Der of animals.
This great herd roams the prairies of
Montana, North Dakota, Washington
and Northern Idaho. They are grazing
upon grass that Is required for the sus-
tenance Of cattle and sheep, and are
practically worthless for any purpose.
The cause of this serious condition Is
due to the bicycle and to street car
systems operated by electricity and
by cable, the use Of which within the
last few years has so largely done
away with the employment of horses.
In some Of the districts named the
horses are increasing SO rapidly in
numbers that they are actually crowd
ing live stock, used for supplying the
meat markets Of the country, of
ranges where they find grass on which
to subsist.
The men who own this vast num-
Der of horses, ranging, as they do, over
such large expanse Of territory, can
devise no means Of relief, and they are
practically helpless. Excellent horses,
unbroken, can be bought for from So
to SIS head, but even ut this low
figure no buyers can be found, while
the horses too valuable to be destroyed,
and at the same time too expensive to
keep alive, continue to multiply.
AS result of the policy adopted by
the Northern Pacific and other rail
road companies Of the Northwest, after
measures were adopted by the govern
ment to circumscribe and keep the In
dams within certain bounds, the great
ranges at one time occupied by the elk,
buffalo, deer and antelope were quickly
taken up by capitalists who, having
vi tllt Idlllc vi tIllS TtBlOh 40
hunting grounds, established ranches
there and began raising stock on a
large scale. Hundreds Of thousands of
dollars were invested in cattle and
large herds of stock bought inTexas,
Arizona, and other states and terri
tories in the Southwest and driven to
the rich ranges in Northern Idaho,
North Dakota, Washington and Mon
tana to fatten on the nutritious bunch
grass which grows so luxurlantly
there. Immense fortunes were made
in this way and cattle kings were
numbered by the score. Many cap
italists invested in sheep and raised
herds and changes In the tariff laws
so affected prices that it was found
that the investment no longer paid.
Among these stockmen were many
who raised large herds of horses, either
separately or in conjunction with cat
tie. When the Northern Pacific Rail-
road was completed much greater ac-
feasibility to the horse markets Of the
East was possible. SO encouraging
was the investment in horses that
many owners increased their herds to
as high as ten or twelve thousand
head.
Attention was given to raising finer
grades of horses and abandoning the
half breed and bronco grades. Large
draught horses, at one time, fOuIC
ready sale in the Eastern States and in
Europe. 1t was also thought that there
would be an excellent market for
horses in large cities where street car
companies use these animals for mo-
tive power. For n number Of years
there was much profit in raising stock
for street car use, but when electricity
and the cable system were adopted the
profits in horse raising gradually di-
minished until, instead Of there being
gains, there was a constant loss.
Importations of fine breeding stock
from Kentucky and Eastern States, as
well as from England and Scotland,
were made, but it was found that the
horse industry was on the decrease.
Shipments to Eastern and Middle
Western states over one railroad alone
dropped from 10000 head yearly to g.
600. To such an extent did the market
depreciate that instead of making
money horse owners found that they
stood good chance Of going into bank
ruptcy.
Then the bicycle came into general
use and the horse raising industry re-
ceved it's final blow. Those who had
been in the habit of using saddle horses
found that bicycle did not require to
be "broken in" nor did 1t require feed
ing or stabling, while in many ways
the machine was capable of being ap-
piled to greater use than horse.
This surplus of 125,OOO horses con-
sists not alone Of bronchos or cattle
horses. but in 1t may be found such
stock as coach and Clydesdale horses,
nearly all of which, however, are I'M
broken. Among them are the descend
ants of some very high priced stations.
One rancher near Walla Wallla, WASH,
has 1900 horses on his range, all of
which are finely bred. These he is
willing to sell at $40 per head, big and
little," as the saying Is among cattle
men, which means colts as well as the
grown animal. He can find no pur-
chaser for his stock.
The question which is now agitating
these stockmen is, "What can be done
to rid the ranges Of this immense num-
Der Of horses, in order that pasturage
may be provided for the large herds of