Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-02-09

nl over the West. ns they are strnining
every nerve TO Keep their cnttlc In
shape until warm weather returns. A
iirst-class chinook would be received
with joy. and would be worth thous-
ands Of dollars Just now. Thus far the
worst losses appear to have been In
northern and western Texas, where the
winters are usually open and there IL
generally plenty Of feed, and stockmen
allow their cattle to run on the range
all winter. This winter has been nm
exceptionally bad one. The cattle
started In In bad condition owing to
the drouth OF the fall. and since De-
cember there has been nn almost con
tinunl round of bad weather. including
SNOW. cold winds, rain. slect and every
thing that would make live stock I'M
comfortable and weary Of life The
cold norther. accompanied by sleet. Is
what does the most damage. and there
have been several of this variety of
storms. including one on Sunday which
did untold damage.
John w. Springer Of the Continental
Cattle Company. which owns big
ranch at Estellinc. In the Panhandle.
received n report from the ranch yes
tcrdny that the losses would be very
heavy.
IL know what that MEANS" said Mr..
springer. 1T does not mean few
dead cattle scattered over the prairie.
hut great piles OF them. II means dead
cattle In lots OF 5000 or 10000 head.
And IL we have losses Of that kind. ev
cry ranch through the Panhandle and
down into Western Texas as far as the
Gulf has suffered am afraid that
we are In for heavy loss ms n result
of the weather OF the past few weeks
and that means that cattle are going
To he higher. II will he n week or ten
days yet before the full extent OF the
losses can possibly he known
Mr.. Springer las had no definite
news from Montana. where his con-
pany Is also interested. except that the
mercury was down to II degrees be-
low zero with lots of snow OH the
ground. The outlook up there Is also
decidedly dark aud gloomy from n live
stock standpoint unless there shall he
change very soon. There is bound
to he some loss anyhow. and the eX-
tent depends entirely upon how much
longer this weather continues.
Reports from Colorado and Utah are
not so bad. Most of the cattle are be-
Ing cared for. but the strain upon the
stockmen Is severe and all will well
come n. return of milder weather. AS
far ns can be learned. there has yet
peeii no LOSSES 10 speak OF.
In Wyoming. willie the loss has not
been heavy yet. present conditions will
result In some heavy losses II they con-
tinuc two days longer. The cattle
were In good condition before the
storm came and lave been able to do
a little feeding on the south hillsIdes.
but continuation of the cold weather
mems greater losses.
The News also prints the following
dispatches showing conditions at sew
crnl points:
Las Animas. Colo. Feb. 6.-The ther-
mometer went 20 degrees below zero
at this place last night. There Is about
four inches of snow on the ground all
over this part of the country. Great
losses In cattle and sheep are reported.
Some Arizona cattle that were brought
into this country last fall are reported
actually frozen to death In the fields.
where they have nothing to eat. 1t Is
costing twice the amount of hay fed
FOR years. The sheep feeders are fig
uring not how they can make. but how
to get out with ns little loss as possi-
bic. Hay is getting scarce and il the
winter does not break soon, even the
stock being wintcrcd on hay will suf-
fer.
Fort Collins. Colo. Feb. G.-The
wenther was still cold here last night,
the spirit Thermometers indicating II
degrees below zero. To-day the
weather is clear. but cold. and 1t is
probable that another cold night will
follow. Though the weather is severe
on live stock. no serious losses are vet
reported.
Coal has gone up % cents per ten
and the dealers cannot get it fast
enough to supply the demand. There
is general freezing up and bursting
of water pipes all over town.
Byers. Colo, Feb. 6.-The thermom-
cter reached its lowest point this
morning, having registered 23 degrees
below zero. The continued severe cold
snap Is gradually sapping the strength
of cattle and sheep. although stock
men are feeding freely with hay and
grain. The ground being covered with
snow TO the depth of over one foot on
the level makes 1t impossible for stock
to get at the feed on the range, and it
is feared there will be considern bic
loss both in cattle and sheep in this
section.
Longmont, Colo. Feb. 6.-The re-
cent cold weather reached climax
this morning at o'clock. when the
mercury descended to IS degrees below
zero. Stockmen report that the loss of
cattle on the range is appalling and is
greater than for fifteen years. Busi-
ness is almost at n standstill. II is now
~ degrees below zero. with indica-
tions that it will be colder tonight
than last night.
Cheyenne, Wyo., Feb T..-The fall of
temperature and prevalence of strong
winds throughout the state clearing
the ranges has greatly pleased stock
men during the past twenty-four hours.
Here to-day the temperature at noon
reached % degrees above zero Re
ports from several points indicate that
stock losses have been small in COM
parisOn with the fears of owners here
in the Legislature. Ex-senator Carey
had wire to-day from the Bell Fourche