The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-10-14
N Will HORSES.
Thls Account Says Thousands That
once noamed the Plains Have
neen Devosred.

The question; "Whst has become Of
the wild horses that were once 80 nu-
merous on u western p~lains2" has
at last been answered, perhaps not sat
isfactorily to those who indulge In
canned beef for luncheon, but conclu-
sively. 1t appears that a number of
causes are responsible for the diminu-
ton Of the herds-the increased de-
mand for irrigable lands by settlers
and the purchase OF lease, followed by
fencing, of great areas of range lands
by cattle men and sheep men. The lat
ter are swiftly fencing in the springs,
creeks and ponds that form the water
sources, which are vital 10 range in
dustry. These facts denote a new era
IN the development Of western sheep
and cattle raising, increasing produc-
ton and putting the industry on a more
solid basis. II ends the indiscriminate
pasturage Of cattle, sheep and horses
over immense areas Of northwestern
states. II means the combining Of the
cattle and sheep 10 lands that can be
acquired, fenced and made more, pro-
ductive-and the general extinction of
the horses. The latter are being moved
of the ranges by the tens of thousands.
Those left are forced to exc out q pre-
carious existence on the dry pasture
lands left by the cattle and sheep herd
ers, where they may die of thirst in the
summer or starve to death In the win
ter, with no one to mourn their end.
In the last two years at least o., OO0
head Of horses have been removed from
the ranges of eastern Washington
alone. Their disposition has been ap-
proximately as follows: Shipped to
Chicago and other eastern markets. 90
900; sent to Alaska during Klondike
rush, 5000; canned into horse meat at
Linton, Ore, for shipment TO France,
5000; driven TO Idaho, Montana, Wy
oming, Colorado and Utah, largely for
pack and saddle horses, 10000; broken
for use by new settlers In Washington
10000; died In the last two winters
5000, loss from state in two years, 65,
900.
This loss has been double the nat
ural increase. reducing the number Of
wild horses in this state from about
$4,000 TO $4,000 or 10000. Al this rat,
OF decrease they would last for som
years, but the fact Ia that the horsei
are being confined TO a smaller arer
each successive year, thereby increas
ing their chances of destruction.
Atleast 5000 horses died OF starvation
last winter In the districts north an,
south OF the Snake river. Fifty TO 81
per cent. OF some bands vanished un
der the conditions OF short grass AM
deep snow. The cattle and sheep, oil
the other hand, are rounded In tn
lower valleys during the fall and fe'
! during the winter.
: The range horses are now confined al
most entirely to the thinly-populate'
counties Of Douglas, Lincoln, Adam
and Franklin and parts of Yakima an
kliehtat, In Washington. These an
mails are worth three to twenty dollar
according to size and quality. A larg
number OF them are cayusesj others ar
strong, large-boned horses.
In June 5000 head OF Washingto
horses were sold for shipment east 9
$3.50, three and six dollars per head. al
cording to size. The horse canning IA,
tory at Linton, Ore, has ~converte
about 1900 head into meat for shIpmer
to France and Germany in the last tvs
years. A stiIl larger number will /
canned in the near future, for the h
dustrial department of the Norther
Pacific railway has aided in the estal
lishment of another horse canning ia
tory at Medora, n. D. A home mark
for many thousand head has bee
caused by the boom in the wheat indu
try, owing TO the good crops and goC
prices of the last two years. Thousand
OF whd horses, weighing 1.l00 poun'
and upward, have been broke to Il
pillow by both old and new settlers. II
indications are that this local absor
ton will continue in a limited way 4
several years in eastern WashingtS
and ldaho.-Chicago Chronicle.