The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-05-16
WOES OF THE SHEEPMEN
RAILROADS EXPECT TO GAIN AID
OPTIONAL REVENUE.
Talk of a. boycott on One Road Has
Strengthened Matters Into
Better shape.


Better shape.
ColfaX, WASH, May IA number OF
sheepmen who have herds in the western
portion of the county grazing on the
lands of the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company, have returned from Walla Wal
la where they went to answer a sum
mons of Judge Hanford. of the United
States court, to show cause why perma-
nent order should not be issued enjoinlng
them from herding their sheep on the
lands in question. The matter has been
reported as having grown out of a threat
ened trouble between the cattle men ana
the sheep men as to 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
Tor TIE purpose OF forcing the sheep men
to purchase the lands, or faihng in that
10 make the sheep and cattle men bio
against each other for cne use OF the
grass.
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
nd c11ra mi her mi
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
Railroad Company, Mr.. Wilson, who had
received instructions from the headquar-
ters 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 it would be impos-
slble for them to vacate the lands before
June 10, which time the attorney agreed
to leave them anmolested. This will
give them time to shear and get the herds
10 the summer mountain ranges. The at
torney then suggested that where a sheep
range was wanted If 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 il
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
I'll the grass on the range if they would
buy or lease a certain portion of the
lands. To keep this grass for them the
company would drive the sheep men of
entirely.
Incidentally a bid was made the sheer
men for the business of hauling the WOO
! crop. None Of the lands named were in
the vicinity of the stations along the
Northern Pacific, but they were largely
tributary to the O. r. * N, hence the
interest of the rival road ir he matter
When the sheep men first came together
il was seriously suggested that a boycott
/
cific be instituted and that all the WOO
be shipped over the Union or the Grea
| Northern. The fear of this action haC
an effect on bringing the attorney tC
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
as the sheep men thought necessary, anC
keep sheep off of it until shearing time
/ then the company would erect serie!
of shearing corals, where the sheep mel
might drive into and shear on their wa.
Ia the mountain range. The grass OF
strip of country from there through tC
Snake river would also be reserved e
drive through on. Another offer made
was one TO have wells in the dry regions
Of Adams and Franklin counties. put II
a system of pumping stations and puml
water for the sheep and lease the Lane
there to the sheep men for winter range.
The outcome of the case will be watched
with considerable interest, since it eff
fccts some 1900 head of sheep in thi
and adjoining counties which will hav
to drive out into Montana If driven of
the company's lands The sheep men ar
| not much afraid of being driven out, be
cause they do not believe the cattle mel
can offer the company better terms 70
this year than they can.