, 1896-12-14
SHEEPMBN IN TROUBLE.
EDWARDS WARNED TO LEAVE HIS
RANGE ACROSS THE
LINE.
Flatly Refuses to Move. Claiming That
the Range Belongs to Him Because
He First Grazed Upon It-Cattle-
men Say That He Has Got to Va
cate the Range.

and Wyoming sheepmen promises to be
waged with vigor during the present
season. Grif w. Edwards, the princi-
pal sheep owner of the region in which
the difficulties have occurred, has re-
ceived recently two threatening letters
from the cattlemen.
The first letter advises all sheep own
ers 10 remove their sheep o ranging
in Routt county tn a range outside TIE
Colorado state line. The sheepmen are
given six days in which to obey the
order. the letter stating: Otherwise,
we, the cattlemen of Routt county, will
understand that they do not intend to
remove their flocks and we will gov,
ern our acts accordingly"
No attention was paid by Edwards to
this order and his foreman received the
following notice:
Craig, Colo.-Mr. Al. Segar. LAHORE,
Colorado: Dear Sir-As cattle growers
of Routt county, we have Investigated
the situation in Browns park and the
lower country and have decided the
sheepmen must go. That the state line
must be the boundary line. We here
by kindly request you as sheep raisers
to stop infringement Of the ranchmen
of the park and take your sheep to 9TH
er grounds. We mean business and
should you fail to heed this request you
will suffer the consequences.
(Signed.) Craig Committee"
To these communications Mr.. Ed
wards has replied by letter to the COM
mittee, stating hat he has been a tax
payer in Routt county for 20 years.
that he was the first settler to range
stock and prove up on a ranch in the
district he is ordered to leave, and that
these facts entitle him to rights which
he intends to defend. He further states
that he has w inlberfered with the
stock or property Of any man in Routt
county; that the cattlemen have for
years had control of the Douglas range
without interference, and his sheep
have not encroached in any way upon
| lkCLA liz pPltAS, i vi SAIL WhllC
in the winter there is range enough for
four times the number OF cattle at pres
ent IN the country regardless Of the
sheep. Mr.. Edwards continues: Il
claim the right to keep my sheep in
Routt county by virtue of law, of JUS
tice, and by the fact that I was the first
settler in the county and that I have
three patented ranches there. 1t is the
cattlemen who are crowding me, not
me them. fIhhave had sheep on the
range in the county for 16 years. The
cattlemen placed their cattle, there well
knowing that fact. Now, to prevent
trouble, 1 am willing to draw a line
from Hogback valley, inclusive Of the
valley, taking in all of the mountains,
to Snake river, and all springs at their
base, and will agree not to put a sheep
within that line. It would be a line
drawn which would give them range
for years to come. l have all of my
property, hay. oats and supplies. In
Routt county. There Is nowhere I
could move to II l n to. l lave q
righs there by every argument known,
and while I do not ant trouble with
men with whom l have always been
friendly, yet I cannot move my outfit.
I trust to the second sober thought Of
the cattlemen to prevent trouble in this
matter.
(signed.) "GRIFF W. EDWARDS"
Mr.. Edwards has taken no steps to
remove his sheep and will take none.
He is prepared to defend his property
and rights and II the cattlemen insist
on haying trouble they will probably
get 1t.
AMUSEMENT.
The sterling actor. Mr.. Frank Raa.