The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
RANGES BOOMING AGAIN.
MORE oUIcK FORTUNES BEINa
u.iDE Dr CATTLE AND SHEEP.

NOASNA
WIDE Dr CATTLE AND SHEEP.
a Revival or Prosperity In the Southresteru
territories AFTER Irnrr rf prprc-s,on-Rtso
rpd Dcciine OF tho undnSir, Higher Prices
Ob,niurd Once wore for Strcra nnd woot.
FLAGSTAFF. AriZ.. Nov. O.-Tho rapid revival
Of tho shocp and cattle industries is dClighting
the southwestern Territories and there is y
general feeling that the glories OF tbs range
mny come back in n few years moro. The cow
boys arc returning to tho ranges. The Towns In
the regions of the ranges nro once more busy
and prosperous and everywhere there Is talk
of restocking ranges. Tho rains have been
plentiful for two summers. and such fat. sleek
stock has not been sent to market In n long timo.
Tho rise In tho value of cattle alone is worth
more than 81, 800 900 to Arizona. At any time
In tho last half dozen years yearling steers have
been sold at SO and 81; two-year.olds at $3.50
and 80, and threeyear.olds at $11 and $l3.
There was n slow market even at these prices.
Since last May the prices on all grades Of cattle
have been steadily advancing; to-day yearlings
bring from GIL to S12; two-year-olds, $15, and
thrco.yearolds from $ls to $25.
The palmy days OF the cattle business In
Arizona and New Mexico were from 1882 to
1888. Those were days when full.grown steers
brought 1856 and $40. Tho West abounds in
men who by an Investment of q few hundred
dollars in calves. and by taking up Uncle Sans
free ranges, have become Independently wealthy
in a few years. From 1888 to 1880 hundreds Of
young men, fresh from college and full of love OF
excitement and adventure, came West every
year and engaged in cattle ranching. The
majority of thcm had a father or an uncle
to draw on for capital to invest In Q
range and q small herd. Cattle ranching
had q peculiar fascination for young Eng
lishmen. and English capital to the amount Of
, fully So, GOO. 900 went into ranges and herds in
Arizona in q few years previous to 1889. One
company. OF which tho late Lord Randolph
Churchill was o chief stakeholder tho San
Miguel Company. invested 100000 in Texas
long.horns and 16, ZOO acres OF land in Avapai
county tnear Prescott, AriZ.) In 1887. and sold
out its increased herds. in tho deepest de-
preston of 1893. for $780, 900.
Dozens of new towns sprang up along the line
of the Santa F6 Railroad. The largest cattle
companies in tho Southwest were organized in
1884 and 1885, and several Of them had q capi-
tai of more than 100000. The Aztec Cattle
Company at one time had a range of about 3D.
600 acres and SO, 900 cattle. 1t was capitalized
by New York and London men. Several herds
Wyoming iS m a Sni Coiiopod Se and p put on the SeS cheaper
ranges and in The warmer climate OF Arizona
& Composed M Of Philad iae nSn and St sat Louis Capital.
istsl expended more than $500 900 in new
F fHeae some in S? so,6 SeSt sst, In f lroS f Kans srSu shS
Wyoming. while, four companies of cattlemen
from Smahn and Chicago invested more than
$50O.OOO altogether in land and steers in
the region Of Los Cruces. Benson, and
n Ds@inE weT ns so oG %any t large sf iPSIv,d 5imf' bo Ihsrs
Of grazing lands and herds ms in Arizona and
New Mexico in 1887 and 1883. AZ the height
es,imated about $14 100000 was invested in
ranges and cattle. The cowboys got top.notch
at mig prices, and agents for the stockyards and
packing houses in Kansas City and Chicago
went among the cattlemen seeking of
steers. Many cattlemen and companies made
10 and Is per cent. a year clear profit on their
80 per cent. 1t was the easiest, freest. and most
satisfactory way Of getting rich; and it Is no
Ths Ssslins Of shs Industry began in the win.
the value Of full-erown steers went down So a
standard Of the fastidiouss taste Of the Eastern
beef buysTs; In the following year the price of
Eastern buyers packed up their belongings and
went back East " was realized that something
Price for the b best steers 9 %esiHe down "a to tos SO a
head. Hundreds of men who were in debt for
ruptcy.. Word, went forth among the cattle
es sssf, Of and tho that battle no ,nd R1Ssgee' was Of is q
sight. The years 1891 and 1892 were still
Cattle went down, down.. down: The rains were
very h slight IA and din inf r and vast , areas re- That
bsa Dse Became snG ee as Of dry sr and Sa lnpas as fsS Ss ssaf.
The decline in the value of cattle in Arizona
alone. Several large cattle Companies failed in
that year, and individual cattlemen everywhere
in the Isrritor iG1a went out of business viii
ing or travelled back to their homes in the East
ern states or England. In 1893 and 1894 it was
no better, and more cattle were sent to market
at the lowest prices, and more cattlemen went to
me hewali wall; In 1898 there was a slight revival.
But in 1896 a decided revival in the business
VIVA fnIf nn1 n thR z T That rnar On fila nf Ill
grades went up 10 per cent. The heaviest rains
for several years fell in the Territories in 1906,
and last winter was exceptionally good for
grazing. Last spring came another advance in
cattle. and last June the value Of steers began
fears that the revival was only temporary, but
now that the most abundant rains in ten yenrs
past season, and the old.time demand for cattle
has continued for months. JOY is felt BY the men
ami ali over Arizona and New: Mexico plans are
that have been vacant for q half dozen years.
The sheep and wool industry has revived
where one may in Arizona and New Mexico this
season he will hear of men who have made
Wool during The last year or last few months lbs
New Mexico is more distinctivcly a wool-grow-
the rss fHan MN IN Arizona Arisama t beea tnsse Of "f tbs sm %any
old Spanish land grants that dot the map. The
s'nls'' for s Ht ant Iran h"msf fsr re saitIs. 'h It IS %Sfs stlti
that the advance 10 wool o since last July has
been worth close TO $2,30O,O 600 to New Mexico,
and about 81 600, 900 to Arizona. The Navajo
Indian tribe. which has some very large focks
OF sheep on Its reservation In northeastern Ari-
iona. has had an increase in wealth of more
than $500, 900.
Ten years ago the annual wool clip of New
Mexico averaged 81. 200, 900. Those wero days
when wool was wool, whom iocks of $4,000
sheep were not and there were
bands in the Ration Mountains OF upward
Of 5000 sheep. AZ the time the cattle
also went down: In 1887 sheep were worth
$50 a head. and in 1898 tho best sheep were
worth less than VI % n head. The most rapid
decline OF the industry was in 1892, when free
wool was an issue in the Presidential cam
pHign, and when wool was put on the
free list sheep Went down TO less than
VI; The Santa F6 Railroad Company hauled
solid trains of sheep TO market for mutton, and
wool buyers who had been In the business for
years went into other pursuits. In san Miguel