The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-01-23
A PEST OF HORSES.
NASulNGTON EANCIIERS HOPE
THEY WILL STARVE NOW.

THEY WILL SIAHVE NON'
Nadc Valuclcss Thy the Bicycle and
Electricity, They Are Eating
Up the Grass Needed for
Sheep and Cattlc.>
N Y EARLY 100, 900 head Of horses
IN are likely to starve to death
in Eastern Washington this
z winter, and, strange to say,
their owners as rule are glad OF 1t.
Practically value]ess ore these horses.
Whole bands of them haze been sold
at the rate Of from 81 TO So apiece.
Electricity and the bicycle arc the
cause. The utility Of the one and the
popularity Of the other have killed the
horse market. Instead of being mans
best friend, the horse has become an
actual pest in Eastern Washington.
San eating machine" is his latest nick
name, md his death by starvation 3
desired that feed may be preserved for
great bands Of cattle and sheep yet
valuable to man.
And so the most severe winter the
Northwest has seen-at least since
18Gl-is thing to be desired, rather
than otherwise, by the great grazing
interests Of Eastern Washington and
Oregon. That such winter is ct hama
the Indians, the Oldest inhabitants and
the weather prophets al agree.
large bands of cattle and shoep
which ere usually herded nearly fall
winter are now under shelter consum.
ing hay. The horse alone is left to
roam the tracklcss plains of the semi
arid belt and die. The winter of 1851
caught Ben Snipes, then the cattle
king Of that section, with $4,000 head
OF cattle on the range. They died Of
starvation for there we're no railroads
then to transport hay. 1t WAS lesson
to cattlemcn, and that is why careful
preparations hive bee made for this
winter.
Regarding the proposed eXtermina-
ton of the range horses, g. T. Ben
son OF the Northern Pacific land de-
partment, who has made special study
of the situation, says:
"Hot winds, squirrels and grass.
hoppers are bad, but the horse pest is
becoming still worse in Eastern Wash
ington, particularly the cayuse
variety. Horses have become SO cheap
that many bands arc running loose
without being branded or cared for in
the least. There being no demand,
they have multiplied rapidly, and nre
now eating bunch grass that should
otherwise support thousands of cattle
and sheep, which bring in revenue.
These horses are not worth 81 apiece.
There is absolutely no market ior
them. Up to three years ago we we're
shipping horses East in large numbers.
Electricity and bicycles have killed The
market. This yenr Traffic Manager
Hannasord, OF tho Northern Pacific,
has made vigorous efforts to find q
market for horses in the East. Horses
very cheap have been offered to glue
factories and rendering establish.
| ments Of various kinds. They do not
want them. 4 few csr loads are being
shipped to the Atlantic coast for ship
ment to France, where horse meat is
in demand, but these shipments make
no impression on tho supply. The
horses are destroying the ranges twelve
months in the year. There ere over
100000 hes1 in, Eastern Washington,
and they are destroying ranges Chat
would support 800. zoe head Of cuttle.
The situation is appalling, from the
! cattleman's standpoint.
There sro but lew stochinen that
| handle both horses and cattle who will
not welcome winter that will destroy
the range horses, providing practically
NIL Of them are taken. I will cite IN
! instance of what the horses are doing
In 1880 the Cow Greek and Lower
Palouse ranges. between Sprague and
| the Snake River, had over 100, 900
head Of cattle and some sheep on
! them. Then tle bunch grass was knee
high over the ranges. This year 80, -.
900 head of horses have kept the grass
down SO these ranges will bore!y sup.
port 1c,coo cattle and 10000 sheep.
Since July t'cy have presented IT,.
appearance HE abso,ut" desclation.
The horses cat twenty-lour hours a
day ana have kept" The grass com.
pletely down.
''No taxes are paid on these horses.
The hacA winter we expect will starve
them to death. Owners will take out
| tneir good horses and care for them.
Ii ninety Pc: cent. OF the total mum.
| Der ere killed oil, the ten per cent.
left will be worth as mach as, * not
more than. the entire lot now. Once
Killed Oh, they will never become as
numerous again, for no efforts will be
made to breed range horses, there be-
ing no money in the business. The
number needed for farming, and the
city demand can easily be suppiie1, -