Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1896-05-16
RAILROADS EXPECT TO GAIN AD-
OPTIONAL REVENUE.
Talk of "a Boycott on One Road Has
Straightened Matters Into
Better Shape.

portion Oh the COuAlhS oAH~4A'S
lands of the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company, have returned from Walla Wal
La. where they went to answer sum
mons of Judge Hantord, OF the United
States court, to show cause why perma-
nent order should not be issued enJoinlh6
them from herdng their sheep on the
lands in question. The matter has been
reported as having grown out OF threat
ened trouble between the cattle men ana
the sheep men as 10 the use OF the range,
The sheep men deny that this was the
cause of the action, and claim that the
matter was instituted by the company
for the purpose OF forcing the sheep men
to purchase the lands, or failing in that
to make the sheep and cattle men Dla
against each other for che of the
grass
The account Of the case as furnished
The Spokesman-ReVieW correspondent by
several sheep men, is that for several
months the railroad company's officers
have had the matter in mind and have
had agents out looking over the lay OF
the ground and decluing what move to
make.
A week or two ago the case was entered
in court, praying for temporary restrain
ing order, and summOning number OF
the sheep men to appear. 1t was not
expected that the sheep men would an
swer the summons, ans the attorney for
the company was in Tacoma when the
time came for the appearance. But the
sheep men, by mutual agreement, went
to Walla Walla and employed as their at
torney the attorney Of the Union Pacific
r. Wilson who had
received instructions from the headquar-
tiers of the Union Pacific freight depart
ment to look after the interests Of the
sheep men, as also being the interests of
the company, as concerning wool ship
ments. Appearance was entered, and the
Northern Pacific attorney came over from
Tacoma to arrange matters without fur
Their proceedings. The sheep men offered
evidence to show that 1t would be impos-
sible for them to vacate the lands before
June Is, which time the attorney agreed
to leave them unmOlested. This will
give them time to shear and get the herds
10 the summer mountain ranges. The at
torney then suggested that where sheep
range was wanted, II a man would buy a
certain amount of the land that permits
sion would be granted to use other pieces
adjoining for grazing purposes Or II
some of the lands were leased, the other
lands might be used with them as sheep
range. A number of cattle men were in
attendance at the court as Witnesses for
the company, and to them the attorney
made practically the same offers that he
made the sheep men-to let them have
all the grass on the range if they would
buy or lease a certain portion of the
lands. To keep this grass for them the
entirely.
incidentally a bid was made the sheep
men for the business of hauling the wool
crop. None of the lands named were in
the vicinity Of the stations along the
Northern Pacific, but they were largely
tributary to the Q. r. Il N, hence the
interest OF the rival road in the matter.
When the sheep men first came together
il was seriously suggested that a boycott
against shipping over the Northern Pa
citic be instituted, and that all the wool
he shipped over the Union or the Great
Northern. The fear of this action had
an effect on bringing the attorney to
make the terms he did. Another PROPOSE
ton made by the Northern Pacific attor-
ney was that the company would reserve
a section of range near Sprague as large
az the sheep men thought necessary and
keep sheep off OF ii until shearing time,
then the company would erect a series
of shearng corals. where the sheep men
might drive into and shear on their way
to the mountain range. The grass on
strip OF country from there through to
Snake river would also be reserved to
drive through on. Another offer made
was one to have wells in the dry regions
of Adams and Franklin counties, put in
a sys.em of pumping stations and pump