Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-03-04
THE BRAND COM MISSION

THE BRAND COMMISSION
Closes IL Tw" Months Scssion-F. NJ. Stew
art Interviewed 10y the sioux
City journal About e attIe.
f. M. Stewart, secretary of the South
Dakota Stock Growers Association,
and j. Il. Hammond. of Sturgis, men,
bers of the South Dakota state brand
commission, were mt the Mondamin
Tuesday night OH their way to Omaha,
says the Sioux City Journal The
brand commission has Just concluded
two months ses sion. during which it
recorded $500 brands, which is about
ons-third of the brands now III use in
the state. The intent of the law passed
at the last session OF the South Dakota
legislature is to SO systematize the uss
of the various brands ON cattle roam
ing the ranges of the state at will Us to
imum. Prior to the time the law was
passed persons in various portions of
the state we're using the same brand,
and many others were using brands
that could be very easily changed by
any evil disposed person, or by mistake,
and this gave rise to much confusion
\, and loss each year. AS us an instance
of this, Mr.. Stewart said that one man
>was carrying the II brand which could
be changed at will to about fifty other
legitimate brands that were duly re-
corded in the various counties: and
still another instancew was the " brand,
which by actual test could be changed
100 different ways, and defy detection.
The easy way of disfiguring brands was
an incentive to cattle rustling, more or
less of which has been going ON for
years. Each succeeding year, as the
herds and brands became more numer-
GUS, rustlers multiplied in proportion,
and became more bold, and almost de-
fed detection. This state of affairs
brought into eXistance the present
brand law, and when the commission
finally succeeds in systematizing the use
of brands throughout the state, cattle
men generally feel that it will be one
of the most beneficial laws on the
statute books. The law provides that
the commission shall meet but twice a
year, but MIR. Stewart said it would
meet again in April just before the
spring roundup, SO as to give those who
have not registered their brands an
opportunity to do so.
Mr.. Stewart is on his way to Iowa
points to buy carload of breeding
bulls to take to his ranch at Buffalo
Gap, some of which will be used on his
own range, and a number will be dis
posed of to neighboring ranchmen.
The disposition of the cattle men on
the range at present is to breed their
own cattle, owing to the prevailing
high prices in the south, where they
have been buying their steer cattle
year after year. They are holding on
to all their female cattle, and this will
cut a big figure in the shipments from
the range this fall, but the demand for
breeding bulls is not as great at pres.
last fall. This is because the country
has been flooded with Canadian bulls,
which have been imported free of duty,
and this fact has had Il tendency to re-
duce the price of good native bulls.
Mr.. Stewart says good grade yearling
bulls can now be purchased around sl9
to $40 per head, and the demand is not
exceptionally keen at that.
Mr. Stewart is of the opinion that as
many cattle will not be shipped from
the range as last year. from the fact
that most of the big outfits shipped
close last season, owing to the prevail
!, ing high prices. and prices were too
high in the south for them to replenisll
their herds. This has made the avail.
able supply exceedingly short. and
none will come forward unless in prime
condition, or prices are exceptionally
attractive. Cattle are in excellent con
Y extreme mildness of the winter. and
they will go on to grass in the spring
carrying more flesh than when they
= came off it last fall. This fact will have
the effect of making mora beeves and
less feeders, and Mr.. Stewart thinks if
the present conditions do not materi-
ally change that very few feeders will
be marketed the coming season. as
ranchmen will prefer to carry them
over another year.
In tie Eal;ic SEA there is an island of
N. Denmark cA!led Eurunulm which con-