Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-08-16
HORSES KILLED TO SAVE GRASS.
a Perplexing Problem Which Confronts
Northwest Ranchmen.

Perplexing Problem Which Confronts
Northwest Ranchmen.
The interesting news comes from
the city of Butte, Montana, that in sew
eral parts of that State horses are so
numerous and there is so little use for
them that they are being killed by
ranchmen and their flesh fed to hogs
as food instead of corn, In Madison
County several horse meat canning es,
adjustments are now in operation,
and the product is said to be shipped
East and then to Europe Horses can
be bought for So head or even less
when purchased in large numbers.
These facts suggest the inquiry as to
what is to become of the horse. With
the introduction of electricity on street
car lines, where, until few years ago,
horses were practically the sole motive
power, and with the ever-increasing
use of the bicycle, there seems to be
less use for the horse than ever.
This use of electricity and bicycles
makes it probable that horses will be
bred in very small numbers hereafter.
In the States of Montana, North
Dakota, Idaho, Washington and Wy
oming hundreds of thousands of dol
lars have been invested in cattle,
sheep and horses. Large herds were
formerly driven from Texas and the
Southwest to fatten on the nutritious
grasses to be found in the States
named, but the constant increase in
the number Of cattle, especially those
of the half breed variety, has also
caused reduction in their value.
The establishment of canning fac
tories in Madison County, Montana,
where horse meat is put up is not the
first experiment of the kind in the
Northwest. In 1895 it was made in Port
land, Oregon, where horse meat was
canned and shipped to France. 1t was
found, however, that the enterprise
did not pay, the demand being insult
ficient, while packers of beef refused
to add horse meat to their line of trade
because of the prejudice which would
arise.
Reports from Madison County state
also that horses in some instances are
driven into corrals on the ranches,
killed and the bodies dragged out into
the fields, where the hogs can devour
them. 1t seems almost incredible that
this should be the case, but it has
come to be matter of self -preserva-
ton with the owners of large grazing
districts, where there was danger that
the horses would eat up all the grass,
thereby leaving no fodder whatever for
beef cattle.
1t is not only the half breed horses
that are found to be a drug on the mar
ket, but such fine stock as Clydesdales
and coach horses are being offered by
ranchmen there for very small figures.
One ranchman in Madison County is
said to have herd of seventeen hun
dred horses of Clydesdale and Norman
stock which he is willing to dispose of
for $15 head. He is unwilling to
sacrifice his stock for canning pur-
poses, although the herd is eating the
grass required for the grazing cattle
and sheep.
The cattle herds in the Northwest
are numbered by thousands, the prices
for which are ridiculously small. The
feed on the ranges is not increasing,
while the cattle are, thus making the
problem of finding feed more difficult.
These immense herds roam the prairies
of North Dakota, Washington, Mon
tana and Idaho.-New York Herald.