The Dickinson press., 1898-05-21
Various Stock Items.
Ww - 60 Cattje B.s,eass.

Wsr ed tie Cattle Bxs,aess.
When trouble with Spain was first in
timated many %conjectures were made as
to the effect of war upon the cattle bust
ness. One theory advanced was that a
war with Spain could not last any great
length of time and the effect on the live
stock trade or indeed any established
business would be very little. Others
believed that one effect of the WA would
be to drive the money then in eastern
banks away from the Atlantic seaboard
and that it would seek investment in the
interior Of the country. This was sup
posed to be a promise of real benefit to
the cattle industry. We have progressed
with war preparations and hostile opera
tons far enough to see at least one effect
on the cattle business in the southwest
ern breeding states.
The war has caused a stringency in
money matters which has affected the
price of stock cattle particularly in Texas,
New Mexico and Arizona. This change
was first observed in April though hold
ers of live stock refused at first to modify
their views they now freely admit that
the boom in prices is checked and that
the prices paid for stock cattle in Texas
in March and February last will not be
duplicated for years. Those who are
most hurt or "pinched" are the specula-
tors, as a matter of course, and there is
nothing to show that the general cattle
business will not continue to be as profta-
bic in the future as it has been in the
past. The fact is that booms are un.
healthy signs usually, and the fact that
unborn calves were sold during the Den.
yer convention last March at from sl8 to
$24 per head for November delivery, was
a caveat served on all conservative stock
growers.
Northern stock men refused to invest
in southwestern yearlings and twos at
anything like the prices asked and their
judgment is amply justified even now,
for while prices of fat cattle continue to
be good and the prospect of continued
excellent prices is all inviting, yet the
grower has to take the chance of much
less profits or of no profits at all, in the
lapse Of time between his purchase of a
yearling and the sale of the three year
old beef product. That makes the pru.
dent buyer shy of extreme high prices
for young stock. 1t should also have
been discounted from the beginning that
money lenders would be shy of loaning
funds to large borrowers who were doing
business on small margins. They surely
would not continue their loans or extend
the time limit of payment in the presence
of alarms of war.-Miles City Journal.
The Continental Coach Horse Co., of
which John W. Springer of Denver is
president, has just purchased 80 Alden
burg German coach stations at a cost of
$4,000. The company has ranches near
Denver, in Montana and at Lafayette,
Ind.
Many sheep owners state that, for the
first time in many years, the wool has
grown to an appreciable extent through
out the entire winter and it also got an
unusually good growth Immediately after
shearing last year. All herds in north
ern Montana will shear much heavier
than they did last year and the wool will
grade higher in nearly all instances than
it did in lSo7.-Glasgow Gazette.
At Omaha wool clipped from feeders
sells at Is cents per pound.
The Continental Cattle Co. has sold
the remnants of its South Dakota brand
to Banker Harris Franklin. The sum
paid was several hundred thousand dol
lars. The company used to operate in
Montana and Texas,
The beet contract for supplying the
Cheyenne Agency at Lame Deer for the
coming year was secured by Matt. MUIR
ply and John M. Holt. BY the terms of
the contract they are to receive $3.50 per
hundred for the beef supplied by them
from July list to November lst, 1898, and
they get $3.50 per hundred for what they
deliver during the months of May and
June, l8o8.-Ex.
Paul Mccormick loaded twelve cars
with beeves at Custer on Thursday. The
cattle were billed to Dickinson, N. D.
and are to go from there to Standing
Rock Agency to apply on Mr.. McCor
mick's government contract.
The Montana Agricultural Station ha.
issued a bulletin concerning the lark
spurs that poison sheep.
Joe Stroud has purchased ID Nm
saddle horses.
Merry & Co., brought in a herd Of
Canadian bulls this week. They found
a ready market.
n>us~> ~ Annne