The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-09-07
Full Text of Chairman Powers
Protest.
OBJECTS TO AN INCREASE
Valuation for the Five Years-Fleeces
Were Lighter This Year-Lower
Prices for Mutton-Figures
for Other States.

Power to the board of equalization:
To the Honorable State Board of Equal
ization:
Gentlemen-In protesting against
your raise of assessment on stock
sheep from $3.50 to $2.75 I beg leave
to submit the following:
First-The assessors of the various
counties of the state met in Helena in
January, 1897 and agreed upon an
assessment of $3.50 per head on stock
sheep, which was to be uniform
throughout the state. At that meet
ing no sheep men were present and
none, as far as l can learn from the
newspaper accounts of said meeting,
were invited to attend while the &C
count indicates that the members of
your board were present by invitation
and that you advised the assessment
of $3.50 there agreed upon.
Another general meeting of the vari-
Gus county assessors was subsequent
ly held in Helena in January, 1899, at
which time it was determined to make
no change in the valuation of sheep
for the year 1899.
In view of the fact that the above
valuation was agreed upon by the as
SCISSORS without suggestion from any
one representing the sheep interests,
we believe it matter of simple justice
not to advance the said figures and that
it is an act of bad faith to do so after
the publication in our state papers that
said rate of $3.50 had been fixed upon.
We believe, therefore, that the bur-
den of proof rests upon your board to
show why the proposed change is
deemed necessary.
Second-From the figures taken from
the published reports of your board
we find that sheep have been valued as
follows for five years past:
n
loSo.. ..'' '...''''.. .....''..'... Lou
1881 49,. -. -. .............,..., l.to
1850 -. 49,. ........... G.oZ
While in 1898 the average assessment
as shown by the original returns of
the assessors to your board shows an
average of 1885 per head, indicating
a steady increase for the past four
years. In that same period, according
to statistics of your board, the num-
Der of sheep returned for assessment
in this state has increased 362, 600. which
plainly shows that the sheep men have
generally complied with the law in re-
porting their sheep to the assessors
Your board has raised the assess
ment on every head of sheep assessed
in the state $1.06 per head since 1895
An actual increase of slightly over
two-fifths-an advance which 1 venture
to say has been made upon few, if
any, other classes of property.
According to your boards figures the
total valuation of sheep in 1898 in this
state was double what it was in 1894.
was $1,375,000 more than in 1897 and
$780, 900 more than it had ever been
before, thus showing a large addition
to the permanent wealth of the state.
Third-If your board was Influenced
to raise the valuation because of ac-
tivity in the wool market for the past
few months we would call your atten-
ton to the fact that while the price of
wool was generally better than last
year, yet the weight of the fieeces was
considerably less than in 1898, for the
reason that the present spring and
summer up to shearing time (June)
was much colder and more backward
than usual, and there was no warm
weather to bring out the Grease in the
wool to increase its weight. The uni
form rains throughout the spring wash
ed out much of the dirt, thereby les
SEEMING its weight to a marked degree.
Numbers of sheep men have told me
that while their wool sold for more
per pound this year than last, yet their
receipts from sales did not exceed
those for 1898.
AS an instance of this fact I recall
the case of the Floweree Sheep and
Horse company, one of the large wool
growing concerns of this state, of
which ex-senator w. X. Floweree is
manager. Mr.. Floweree informs me
that their sheep sheared 61a pounds
per head in 1898, which sold for Is SIS
cents per pound; while this year their
average fleece per head was only 51a
pounds, and the price obtained 1914
cents, making a gain of * cent per
pound in price and loss of 16 per
cent weight as compared with 1898.
While for some weeks the price of
wool has been firm, yet the price for
mutton this year is decidedly less than
Prominent feeders
me personally that they lost money on
all sheep purchased last year. One
feeder informs me he lost S1.50 per
head on sheep purchased last year,
while another large buyer places his
loss at 81 per head
Fourth-An item of loss to the sheep
men heavier this year than for many
years previous is the severe weather
in spring and early summer. Many
sheep owners have suffered heavily on
this account. A glance in the assess
or's returns of the number of sheep
in Carbon county for this year as COM
pared with 1898 shows a loss of 20, 900,
almost wholly traceable to this cause.
The same losses were experienced in
other counties, though, perhaps, not
to the same extent. In this statement
| make no account of losses of lambs
for this year, which all sheep men
agree are the heaviest in many years.
ment in March and before taxes are
paid occurs all the summer losses,
which from poisoning often amounts
to considerable. One of the sheep COM
missioners, in speaking of the summer
losses among his sheep, said he feared
this more than his winter losses be-
cause it was the hardest to account for
and no pelts could be saved from sheep
lost at this time of year.
Old ewes that can't be sold for more
than 81 or $3.50 are valued at $3.50,
and this fact also should have your
consideration in the determine ton of
this subject AS rule all sheep men
aim to sell such sheep for anything
that can be obtained for them rather
than to attempt carrying them through
the winter.
But of more importance is the fact
that stock sheep of all kinds were
lower in March than in March. 1898,
for the reason that mutton was then
25 per cent. lower and wool 20 per