Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-04-23
RAPID CITY MEETING
WAS A BIG SUCCESS
Reviews of the Work Done Shows
What an Important Conyen-
tion It Was.
F. {. SCOTT TALKS FOR SIOUX CITY
Presents the Claims OF That Place as
Market for Cattle In a Very
Able Manner 80 Some
Facts About o..

Rapid City, S. d., April 1.-THE sew
enth annual session Of the Western
SCuta Dakota Stock Growers ~associa-
ton completed it's labors about 4
o'clock Tuesday afternoon and the
meeting was then adjourned.
Now that the meeting is past and
gone it is remembered by the older
members that there never has been n
more representative gathering Of COW
men in the state Of South Dakota than
congregated in Rapid City this week.
More Of the larger owners, more of the
old standbys of the industry in South
Dakota came out for the meeting and
participated ir it's deliberations than
has ever beer true of any like gather
ing In the history Of the state. The ac-
tual number OF cattle represented in
the meeting ran up into the hundreds
Of thousands, and the range industry
of western South Dakota received a
large measure of the consideration
from the railroad representatives pres
ent which its Importance warrants.
During The two days covered by the
meetings Of the executive committee
and the regular session Of the associa-
llOn Ilt tduIluIltI nan NdS tOl-
stantly alive with cattlemen, and many
of great importance in the industry
outside of The state were noted in the
crowd.
Summarizing the reports of the
South Dakota men present, the cOndi-
tons as regards the industry in the
range country of the western part Of
the state at least are about as favor
able as could be asked.
Last fall the ranges went into the
winter with an abundance Of forage.
The winter was quite open and as a
consequence cattle have come through
the winter n the very best condition
and no losses Of any consequence have
been reported.
For the past year or more range
men of the Hills ranges have been buy
ing high grade and registered bulls by
the carload and breeding 10 their IA
tive cows on the ranges. As ii result
the larger owners say the calf crop
this spring will unquestionably be the
largest in the history Of the state, and
the calves will all he Of very good
quality. The foreman Of one Of the
spring roundup wagons said his out
fit would certainly brand 500 calves in
three days, and other outfits are equal
~ sanguinc there will be plenty Of lit
tie fellows to put their mothers mark
on.
The meeting Of the association this
afternoon was an interesting and prof
table session.
Vice President j. ID. Stevens, in the
absence of President &. X. Howard,
called the meeting to order and Sec
rotary +. NJ. Stewart read a letter Of
regret from the president, who said in
part:
Il am afraid l viii not be able TO be
with you this year, though | shall not
give up till the last minute. My doc
tor tells me that / have the govt, but
if riding over these hills and valleys
night and day, sleeping on the ground
under Il wagon tongue, eating grass
and drinking slough water will give a
man the govt, ii is beyond my compre-
hcnsion. But if | cannot he there il
will be just right, for | told the boys
last wear they had no business to elect
an old man who lives sixty miles from
nowhere to Office
Proceeding then Ia the regular or
der of business, the report of the eX-
ccutivc committee for the past year
was read and accepted; likewise the
report of the roundup committee and
the annual report Of Secretary-Treas-
urer +. NJ. Stewart.
j. Boyd, acting mayor of Rapid City,
then welcomed the cattlemen to the
city and extended the hospitality OF
the town. His remarks were we'll re-
ceived.
W.. l.. Anderson spoke for Chicago
and w. c. j. Kenyon for South Omaha.
Frank T.. Scott was called TO speak for
the Sioux City market and said in
part:
"Mr. President and Gentlemen of this
Convention: This opportunity Of
meeting with so many of you with
whose IN | have been familiar for
Il long time has given me great pleas
IRE. have been talking to and at you
for the past dozen years through the
columns of the South Omaha and Sioux
City market papers but today | am
called upon to stand before you as the
representative of the Sioux City live
stock market, the greatest stocker and
feeder market on earth, and to say tC
you on behalf Of Sioux City and my
fellow representatives here present
that Sioux City presents her compli.
ments to the cattle men of the Black
Hills. Mr.. President and gentlemen,
we thank you for your courtesy in Civ
ing us this opportunity of expressing
our happiness to be with you on this
occasion and our wish that the bus
ness and friendly relations begun I'm
der such favorable conditions and eli
cumstanceS may become extended ant
broaden as the seasons roll round.
Il have noted recently, Mr.. President
shat the southwest cattlemen, becaus,
of the fact that northern range mel
are purchasing few cattle from then
this year, have come to the conclusion
that the northern range men is golns
out of the business and that shortly
the southwest control all the range cat.
tie industry. / think you will agree
with me Mr.. President that If these
southern men could be here today ant
hear the favorable reports of rang,
conditions in the northwest and not
the enthusiasm manifested, they wou!t
take water-with nothing on the side
Gentlemen in presenting the claim
Of Sioux City as a market for you
cattle we have nothing to fear, eXceP
that you may be the loser by hesitatint
too long before sending your slut
our way. We made by far the hes
record on sales of Black Hills cattt
last year and we are in better condi
ton to do as we'll the coming season.
Receiver Appointed.