Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1897-04-18
BRoNCHOs TO EAT.

-I-aa-E
5. j, Moore, general freight agent of
the Northern Pacific, has in operation
II scheme for clearing the 'ranges of the
west OF their hundreds Of thousnnds'of
eheap isorscs-made cheap by the troll
ley aud the bicycle-within the next
year or two. The first experimental
train load is now en- cute. Speaking
OF his scheme Mr.. Moore said:,
Five dollars and ten dollars>a head
Is the price now asked for several hun
dred thousand horses. branded and
roaming the plains, too valuable to be
destroyed and too expensive to keep
alive. These horses vary in weight
from $50 pounds to LOO pounds each,
and as u rule ore branded, on the hin or
shoulder, or some other conspicuous
place, to prevent loss by theft or going
ustray in stormy weather. Sometimes
these animals wander hundreds of
miles from the home ranches, but the
owners can always identity their stock
with very little difficulty, Large
drores Of these horses are destined to
the trade in Paris and other cities in
Europe. a train load is now en- route
over the Northern Pacific railway from
NSt '" Naho SaBtSlAbN DlO-
vided with hay racks and water troughs,
and will soon be driven aboard shin
in New York harbor and sent across
the atlantic ocean. This bunch of
cayuses and bronchos must pass =
rigid health inspection in New York
ut the receiving port in Europe,
For . Year or more the fTc;ght deEart-
inent Of the Northern pac.Iic railway
has labored to find 4 market for the
surplus Of horses tributary 10 that line,
A plant was established BIZ several men
at Portland, Ore, to slaughter some Of
these animals, but il did not succeed
for the reason that the EuroIeau gov
crnments passed q prohibItive law
against landing horse meat in packages
of any kind. This cfrectually shut out
the horse market picked apl pre-
served In lint city, nRd cut Oft MI. in,
nustry that promised 10 be very profit
able to the entrrpri.ipg proprietor, as
well Us q lasting benefit TO the horse
ranches pn the plains in providing a
market for stock almost valucless for
any otl.er purpose.
1T is only o few years aimee that
tales of adventure, reading like ro.4
nance were written about the capture
and slaughter OF magnificent sIeci.
mems 81 wild horses in tho extreme
west, which were supposed 10 be de.
~scend2ntS from animals escaped or
abapdoned during ths Spanish con,
quests. some drifting to the north, Ii
is different with these herds iu Mon.
tnna, Wyoming, Idaho and Washing,
ton; they are the ~aOnndoncd results OF
enterprises which were projected on
I'M extensive scale, within the FAST ten
or twelve years. Some of the finest
horses in Europe were imrn:trA for
breeding purposes and on Lrl!!y all the
cattle ranches the work was carried on
extensively. The early completion of
the Northern Pacific ptfoI died. .ianspor-
tation facilities for rcarh.Tg the Iiar-
kcts in tho eastern and middlr states,
and The great ranges heretofore abound
ing in elk, deer and fialo, were soon
occupied by large droves Of hUfses,
many OF which were driven OvcI land
from Arizona, Texas aud Mexico. to
fnttcn on tho nutritiaus buffalo az
bunch grass. Immense fortunes were
made in this way and cattle l;ings were
numbered by tue scorc; but when the
electric device and cables for street
railway cars were adopted, profits
gradually diminished until INSTEAD of
there being II gaiu there was q constant
loss. When the bicycle care Into gcR-
cral use the industry received the tutal
blow. Many who were in the hUbit of
using saddle horses found that the hi.
cycle did not require to bc 'hrokc in
nor did II require feeding OF stHbling
while in many respects the machine was
capable Of being applied TO greater use
than the horse,
According to the secretary Of ngri-
culture there are 1,5OO,O Doc horses he
tween the Twin Cities and tho North
Pacific coast in the states before mem
toned. Several hundred thousand OF
these animals could be disposed OF and
not missed; and at an average price OF
$3.50 per head would yield over So, OO0,~
900. r. g.. ..a! so,
"Thc train load just shipped Is in q
measure experimental, the rail Inca
cast Of Chicago having refused TO make
n rate proporlionote to the rate adopted
by the lines west OF Chicago. II the
Central Traffic md Trunk Line associa-
lions would apply cattle rates on
horses (worth about onc.third as much
as ~cattlc), the success of the enterprise
would ut once he assured: but they have
refused to apply less than their tariff
rate for valuable horses, which Is near.
ly 50 per cent. In excess of the rate for
cattle. Many Of the individual lines
arc favorable to tho proposition, and IL
Is hoped that the association will recon.
slider the proposition for n reduction to
Il basis approximating the present cat
tie tariff. to apply on animals OF low
value In train loads when destined for
Europe. Tho ocean ships are provided
with stationary pens for the safe hand
ling OF 1.-Two stock, and oil that remains
TO insurc clearing the ranges Of tho
cheap horses In tho adoption Of the
rites proposed.
"It the government officials Of Wash,
ington are successful In their negotia.
tions with the European authorities for
tho removal OF the restriction against
horse meat In packages from America.
parties having plenty Of capital are
willing io open n large and expensive
plant. constructed by Marquis de Morcs
several years ago, ct Mcdora, N, D..
FOR The rurpcec OF slaughtcring cattle,
and will add 10 II q pickitug and can.