Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-13
MANY HORSES STARVING.
The Ranges of Eastern Washington Cow
cred With Useless Animals-Stock-
men Glad to Get Rid of Them.
Baltimore Amer

Tacoma Correspondence Baltimore Amer
lean.
Nearly 100000 head of horse are likely
to starve to death in eastern Washington
this winter, and, strange to say, their
owners as a rule, are glad of it, Practi-
cally valueess are these horses. This
fall whole bands of them have been sold
at the rate of from 81 to SO apiece, Elec-
tricity and the bicycle are 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 east
ern Washington. IAN eating machine.
is his latest nickname, and his death by
starvation is. desired that feed may pe
preserved for great bands of cattle aud
sheep yet valuable to man. And so the
most severe winter the northwest has
seen-at least since 1S61-is a thing to be
desired rather than otherwise, by the
great grazing interests of eastern WASH
ington and Oregon. That such winter
is at hand the Indians, the Oldest inhab,
itants and the weather prophets all
agree.
First, they say, the weather Is regulat-
ed by cycles of about fifteen years each
The winter of 1861 was the most severe
ever experienced in the northwest within
the memory of man. The winter of 1876
was very severe, and then, only six years
later in 1881, came another hard one
which is considered the exception that
proves the rule. Last year Stockmen ana
ranchers began preparing for another Sc
we're winter, and now they are sure 1t is
at hand 1t commenced last week, when
from six to twelve inches of snow fell all
over the state, though 1t seldom SHOWS
west of the Cascades, and in Eastern
Washington snow is never looked for un-
til the holidays. Hay has gone up, and
a further advance is expected. Large
bands of cattle and sheep, which are US
ually herded nearly all winter, are now
under shelter consuming hay. The morse
alone is left to roam the arid plains of
the semi-arid belt and die. The winter
of 1881 caught Ben Snipes, then the cattle
king of this section, with 10000 head Of
cattle on the range. They died of star
walton. for there were no railroads then
to transport hay. 1t was lesson to cat
tlemen, and that is why careful prepara-
tions have been made for this winter.
Regarding the proposed determination
of the range horses, E. f. Benson, of the
Northern Pacific land department. who
has made special study of the situation,
says. Hot winds, squirrels and grass
hoppers are bad, but the worst pest is be-
coming still worse in eastern Washing
ton, particularly the cayuse variety.
Horses have become so cheap that many
bands are running loose without being
branded or cared for in the least. There
being no demand, they have multiplied
rapid1y, and are 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
for them Up to three years ago we were
shipping horses east In large numbers.
Electricity and bicycles have killed the
market. This year Traffic Manager Han
fordz of the Northern Pacific, has made
vigorous efforts to find a market for
horses in the Cast. Horses very cheap
have been offered to glue factories and
rendering esta blishments of various
kinds. They do not want them. few