The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-01-13

has grown to be such q blOated aut-
ocrat that ne does things to crafty
his venomous temper without regard
to party nolicy. He can drag mat
tiers along and force an extra SEES
sion. He will do it, too.
E. MACDONALD VALEsu.
Shortage From the Range.
John Clay, Jr., of Chicago is one OF
the most interesting writer's in the
country on live stock subjects. In the
Breeders Gazett he reviews the situa-
ton of 1898, and as he is a most close
and intelligent observer, his deductions
are of considerable interest and are of
value to all Western students. Mr..
Clay admits the shortage on the North
western ranges and believes that the
days of range beef, as generally known,
are practically over. In his article he
has the following IN the subject:
Two hundred thousand cattle less in
1898 than in 1897! Such is the record
for our four leading Western markets.
Chicago, Kansas City, South Omaha
and East St. Louis. Chicago is respon.
sible for a 81, 900 loss, Kansas City for
1900 u I'd St. Louis for CO., 900 while
Omaha alone has kept pace with her
previous records. The loss at Chicago
has been entirely in the w stern range
product, the supplies Of Northwestern
grass cattle during the season reaching
only 20O, GOETHE least in almost Il de-
cade. They were not there to come,
nor will they be. The halcyon days Of
the range business preceded the win
ter of 1898 = aye, preceded the mis-
takes of 1884. 1885 and l8S6-and a
series of Improbable seasons, together
will changed conditions, ring a sort Of
knell over the graves of buried dollars.
The "golden-hoofed" wool carrier is
driving the beef out of Wyoming Sup
plies of range cattle at Chicago from
that state this season being only 49,
O0O), out Of Dakota and to a large ex-
tent out of Montana, while barbed
wire is rapidly narrowing individual
confines and making of the range a
fenced country. Many large outfits
have forsaken the field entirely, the
past season Witnessing the clean up Of
d number OF large herds whose brands
will pass into history.
To those who have been to won't to
look upon the range country as the
source of our beef supply, the present
condition Of affairs would seem at first
sight to indicate alarmingly diminished
beef stocks, but the shortage is much
more apparent than real. The North
western country is lot the source. 1t
is a sort of reservoir fed from the great
springs far to the south, and it's supply
drawn toward the markets of consump-
ton and distribution when needed.
Texas! Texas! from thence flows the
eternal bovine stream, but no more to-
ward the land of the Dakotas or Wyo-
ming. The river has changed its
course and now empties into the corn
lands of Nebraska, KANSAS and Mis-.
siouri through the gateways of the
Big Muddy" The past two years has
seen an enormous influx into those
states Of Southern cattle. and a plenti
tu1e of beef is assured for years to
come. The branding of calves upon
the Northern ranges many suggest
sharply decreasing cattle supplies, bu,
when one considers that a single Tex
as company branded this summer 81
COO calves, another 1000 and others
as high as 10000 each, he does no
have to marvel wherewithal he shall
he fed, but rather whittier shall Oul
immense production seek consumption
Not the least gratifying feature Of our
cattle industry has been the tendency
toward improved blood. The intro
duction upoL the range of high elias:
breeding stock has wrought wonders
We see it at market daily improved
quality of Western and Southern rails
ed cattle. In this respect the Wes'
aud South have far outstripped the
East. Where are our onc.-uumerou.
in1 native beeves? Is the industry
waning, or does it need d Moses tt
lead it out of darkness into light:
Greatly as we regret TO own it, the
conviction nev-rtherless forces i,sel
upon us that our native-rai>ed cattle
are not so good rs formerly. True
there has be, n little to encourage thu
hire, DER, and now that we ar, recover
i g from the long period of depression
W.. may retain The position once helt
and see goDd b. + again-gocd beef il
MISUNDERSTANDING more than tW
cciiL Shurtnorns aud a trio Of 6f-cen
; ''dnddies' for the Christmas trade.