The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
DOOM 0FTnE RANGE HORSES
THE TfST HERDS or THE NORTHWEST
DISdPPEiRfNG RIPIDLT.

Df'hf f'iHiN' ~ III iHii'
Catticmen and Shcepmen Are Driving Them
from the PRsturnEc and water, Expo
sure Is Killing Them. and Factories Arc
Canning Them for Export to Europe.
TACOMA. Wash. July 1o-Grndually but
surely the great herds OF range horses on the
interior platcnus OF Washington. Idaho and
Montana are being driven to tho wall Several
causes are working to dcpopulato the bunch
grass ranges Of tho vast herds that have
roamcd there for centuries. Briefly stated, the
chief causes arc the increased demand for rri-
gable lands by settlers and the purchase or
lease. followed by fencing. of great areas OF
range lands by cattlcmcn and sheepmcn.
The latter are fencing in the springs.
creeks and ponds that form the water
sources so vital to range industry. These
facts denote a new era in tho develops
mcnt OF Western sheep and cattle raising.
increasing production. and putting tho indus-
try on a solid basis. 1t ends the indiscriminate
pasturage OF cattle. sheep and horses over i'm
mcnsc areas of the Northwestern States. 1t
means the conilning Of the cattle and sheep to
lands that can be acquired. fenced and made
more productive. and 1t means also the gradual
extinction OF the horses.
The horses. at least their ownors. know
| that their hour OF doom has struck. Already
| they are being moved Off the ranges by tens OF
| prcrarious existence on tho dry pasture lands
| left by the cattle and sheep herders. where
| they may die OF thirst in the summer or starve
| to death in the winter. with no one to mourn
| their end
| During the last two years at least $4,000
! head OF range horses have been removed from
| the ranges OF eastern Washington alone. Their
| disposition has been approximately as follows:
Shipped to Chicago and other Eastern
sent to Alaska during the Klondike rush. 5000
| Canned into horsemeat at Linton. Ore for
priIea to Idaho. Montana, wyoming Colo
| rat" and Utah largely for pack and saddle 49,.
Broken for use by new settlers in
Died during the asttw winters. .......,.... 5000
Loss from State in two years e5. 900
| This loss has been double tho natural In
crease. reducing the number OF wild horses in
the State from about l25. 900 to 10000 or co.
| 600. At this rate of decrease they would last
| for many years. but the fact Is that the horses
are being confined to smaller area each sue
ccssivc year. thereby increasing tho chances
| Of destruction.
The figures given arc based on estimates
| furnished by L. f. Benson. who has charge OF
! leasing tn" range lands Of the Northern Pacific
| hallway lie reports that the cattle and sheep
men are now leasing buying and fencing lands
50 rapidly that the range horses already find 1t
numbers to feed on the scanty range left to
them must leave them, thin in the fall. and it
| vii need only one hard winter. with deep snow
Their usual method OF winter feeding is to
paw through the snow for the tufts Of rich
ndT the hes
tufts will be eaten on by the hungry herds be;
fore the snow, flies. At least 1000 horses died
and south OF the Snake River. From 80 to 80
per cent. Of some bands vanished under tho
nd m G1fEh 40
cattle and sheep. on the other hand. are
rounded up In the lower valleys during the fall
and fed during the winter.
MIR benson reports that the range horses are
now confined nlmost entirely to the thinly
and Franklin and parts OF Yak ina and Klickitat.
These animals are worth from S3 to SO ac.
Of them are cayuses. others are strong. large
boned horses
In J so S9 hsna at East RSTps sGSn
head. according to size The horse canning
1000 head INTO meat, Tor shipment to France
and Germany in the last two years, still
future future Tor the industrial department Of the
, Northern Pacific RAJ lway has aided In the es-
at sa"rs b. home marhet for many
, thousand head has been orcasioned by the
hs ne Eood 81 the
two years Thousands, Of wild horses. weigh
S the Snss Sy 5a HTe od an hrTs
tiers: The indications are that this local alb
sOrptiOn Will continue IN limited way Tor sew
cral years In eastern Washington and Idaho.
While tho cattle and sheep men have In effect
combined against their common enemy. the
, range horses. 1t Is no less true that cattlemen
l look askance M the steadily increasing num-
| bers of sheep pastured In the open range
+. country. While the natural increase OF the
/, bands ot sheen is rand. tons OF thousands
Z more have been moved to the Northwest from
: | California on account OF fierce drought. Tho
, sheep become profitable from the arst year.
since the two principal crops, lam hs and wool.
: | the fiscal year. while the herds of cattle must
, be mnirtained three or ioqr years ,6ei2rs
, profitable returns are possible 1t Is duo
: ing ana fencing tho range lands several years
y ago. and the shecpmen. as q mater OF coll:
,, protection, have followed SUIT. The need q
y | the shrepmcn for wider pasturage has cauned
~ the industry and its custom OF occupying the
a open ranges to be officially recognized by the
3 United states Government In its measures Tor
a policing and protecting the great forestry re:
. serves recently set apart in Washington and
Oregon. The iOvernmonts primary object Is
i Y prevent forest ilrts, T.ich greatly in'urs
I s h arc permitted to drive their bands
into the rich posture lands on the , mountsin
. pcrvisors have divided the reserves into
i limits being marked by streams. ridge,
u million sheep will he pastured in the reserves
=, in Washington alone this summer. Whlle
sheep are nov hTs in rs sq rnpd n
Il when changes in the precipitation shall have
II restored to Australia the Il ny million sheep OF
more which were, killed by the extreme
}. replaced the American sheep rasers will! hnC
It difficult to stand the competition. and theI
II Western cattlemen will have their inning, Bu
- for several wears at least immense bands O.
cattle and sheep will occupy the great North
v western ranges side by side.