The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1898-03-04

will construct reservoirs and water
holes for the purpose OF watering the
stock while on the drive to Chamber
lain. Representatives of the company
are said to be in that country making
the final Investigations toward fitting
up the trail. The following interesting
account of 1. w. Seaman's trip to Sioux
City is given in the Journal of Satur-
day:
|. w. Seaman, vice president of the
First National bank at Mitchell, S, D..
and one of the most extensive dealers
and owners on the range through which
the trail will pass, was at the stock
yards buying cattle to put on the
range, and TO a reporter for the Journal
he expressed his great enthusiasm over
the proposed scheme of the Milwaukee,.
'The Milwaukee has contemplated
something of this character for the past
few years." said MIR. Seaman, "and this
year 1t ID going to put the scheme
through. l have been it's solicitor in
that country for years, and my efforts
toward inducing cattlemen to shin nv
way OF Cham berlain have always found
barrier in the fact that there was no
water available along the trail which
they had to take in order to reach
Cham berlain. There is nota cattleman
on the range who did not want to shin
by way Of amberlain in order to try
the Sioux City market, especially last
season, when feeders were selling for
more money in Sioux City than the fat
cattle were bringing in Chicago. Had
there been facilities for watering the
cattle while making the drive there is
no question in my mind that the Mil
waukee would have got the big end of
the business last season, and Sioux CITY
would have had range cattle to spare,
This year the company is going after
the business, and will get it if induce
ments are any object. Cattlemen will
be furnished an excellent trail, with
good feeding grounds, while en- route,
and plenty OF good water, and when at
the end of their journey every hoof will
weigh more than when it started. The
company expects to erect commodious
pens on each side of the river at Cham
| berlaiu, and, besides, will furnish ship
pers pontoon bridge gratis to cross
the river and insure them immunity
from loss in the event OF any accidents
while crossing the river. This in itself
is quite an inducement when it is con-
| sldered that it costs the COW men Is
cents per head to, have their cattle fer
ried across the river at Pierre"
Mr.. Seaman has purchased two train
loads of cattle on the market this week
to oe shipped to this range, aud he says
he has made arrangements .or putting
in 100000 worth of cattle there this
spring. He has been buying some at
South ST. Paul and South Omaha. as
much prefer to buy them all in Sioux
City. He says the number he will put
out this year is only small percentage
OF the total which will go on the range
this season, as the demand is something
enormous. OF course, the big ranch
men all have plenty of money with
which to, stock up their depleted
ranges, but the small cattlemen are
handicapped fromlack of funds aad must
buy their cattle on time.
II have handled hundreds of thous-
anb Of dollars worth of the paper of
these small cattlemen in my time, %
said Mr.. Seaman, "and have yet to
lose the first dollar. 1t is the best cat
tie country on earth, and cattle, no
matter how high they are bought, will
grow out and maks. money any way.
Therefore the paper which is issued on
cattle on the range is just as gilt edged
]; as the paper of cattle that go directly
to the feed lots. The only difference is
that little more time is required.
Cattlemen buying young stock want ac-
commodation for year, or six months,
with the privilege of renewal for an
other six months. This gives the cat
tie an opportunity to grow out.
'sAs these cattle will eventually re-
turn TO the Sioux City market, it seems
to me that the financial institutions OF
your city would make an extra effort to
care for these South Dakota collatefals,
for whatever benefits South Dakots
equally benefits Sioux City,