Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-05-28
THE CATTLE KINGS.
ONCE A GREAT POWER IN THE WEST.
THEY ARE NOW DISPLACED.

Larger Oncs-Big Ranges and Waite
Holes Fenced In How the Bonanz
Cattle Outfits Made Enormous Profits.
The great cattle ranges of western
North Dakota and Montana, where 70,
nearly 20 years, the bonanza cattle out
fits have held complete sway, and where
cattle have roamed the vast prairies al
will, like the buffalo quarter of a cen.
fury ago, are passing out of existence.
The deathknell Of the large cattle
companies has been sounded by the in.
Vulnerable settlers who have taken nm
vacant government land in the great
grazing region, built "shanties" in the
vicinity of every natural spring and
water hole, fenced in thousands of acres
of grazing land and driven the immense
herds of the bonanza cattlSne from
place to place, until there is no place
left for them to go. All the years that
the vast prairies of the west have re.
manned unsettled have been worth mil
hons to the cattle princes. Hundreds of
thousands of cattle have been imported.
placed upon the ranges at a cost not to
exceed SIG a head for the 2.year
steers allowed to roam at will for two
years, at an average animal cost not to
exceed $3, and then sold in the market
at chicago for an average price of S45 |
to 500. The free ranges offered by the
of acres Of unsurveyed and un.
occupied government land have been
turned into millions of dollars in cold
cash by the cattle kings, but the tide of
to the west has scaled
their fate and they are ready to 90.
For 20 years nearly vast region w.
ng along the western part of North d.
fota ana tho eastern strip of Montana
Measuring 100 miles in width and 100
niles in length has been entirely given
lp to the interests Of the cattle kings.
thousands of head Of cattle have been
'razed year after year, countless train. I
Dads OF beeves have been shipped to
market and millions of dollars haye {
one into the pockets of the cattleman
lerre Wiebaux, the Montana stock.
IAN, said to be the largest single owner t
cattle IN the United States, has num- c
area MS total possessions of cattle at i
200 head. The Berry Boice Cattle v
has owned and grazed each d
9ar not fewer than 80, 900 head. and g
ere are numerous companies that have 81
sayed to keep on the ranges all annual Il
tai OF from 10, 900 to $4,000 head. il
ne Vastness Of the business of these d.
tile companies may be estimated from lc
TACT that the annual shipments for
past few years have been from 8. 900 IL
5000 head for each of the large com. hi
Mes. The annual profits of the larger sv
npanles, after deducting the original Ell
50 OF the cattle and the cost of their tn
nntenance upon the ranges, are from m
D. 200 to $3.50, 000-all that from the 81
o ranges of the government, given fis
Ihout taxation or any return what. lit
r. lit
TO understand the situation that has 70
sted up to the present time it must gr'
remembered that this broad region da
len has been given up to the interests thu
me cattle growers has not been in. Gel
'ected by a fence, disturbed with a sid
" or graced with field of grain nm lik
few short years ago-nothiug for gal
es but short nutritious grass, which pill
90 on the prairie as clover in stack. Slo
served equally we'll for food in dead the
winter as in the heat of summer apl
orth upon this vast area every spring and
been poured streams of eaunt. iii the
,ed, long horned and lean ribbed gro
hern cattle. Left to roam at will. "
nave thrlven and waxed fat, until mat
wo years they have become sleek feet
tat and comely to the eye. During dou
hat period they have been as free wri
as were ever the buff was
But at the close of the maturing way
Vi they have been rounded I'M. tack
n to railroad stock shipping pens "
loaded upon the cars for a trip to capt
ct Their places are taken by fresh if 20
rtatlons from the south. And So him
after year, have the processes been was
ted, until the profits that were both
II TO have accrued from the bust they
nave tempted thousands of small to s.
rs OF cattle to settle in this region was
engage IN the beef business on a her
er SCALE forw
presence OF these smaller opera pectC
the inevitable doom of the cattle Cass
Their vast herds are no longer pie e
ed to roam the ranges undisturb. "Wh
he small ranchmen have built gen
and lnclosed the water holes. passe
ralrles have been made to yield to heart
lowing machine, and the former pityil
'ass has como to be cut and stack at his
hay, until the ranges in MANY disabl
are bare of feed for the herds of blind
ger companies. These conditions to ste
sponslble for the closing out of caress
tie princes. There is no longer who
or their thousands of beeves. Fiji leapi1
thousand cattle, the property of Cling
the larger operators, succumbed did 81
severity of the weather for no mover
eason than that the ranges had she d
'nuded OF grass by the numerous laugh
ranchmen. This w@asa a warn. which
the most obstinate must heed. fetched
the cattle companies that for cause {
numbered their possessions by a day ;
1sands of head may now number with a
asler in hundreds. The small pent u
an Is the man upon whom the torturi
OF the future must rely for its ly she
st. Paul Pioneer Press. congen
- made
Out Of His Depth. things,
T. ~ cai1 tho - hard 4