The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-16
THE WEATHER WAS BAD.
But Many of the Herds Better Cared for
Than Formerly.

Helena. April 14.-lt is rather a difficult
matter for the cattemen of Montana at
this time to estimate reliably the loss that
was sustained during the past winter
The owners of small outfits who had their
stock well in hand during the bad weather
are of course. able to say just how much
of a loss they sustained. The owners of
large herds. however, have no means Of
arriving at such conclusions. They must
wait until the spring roundup shows how
many cattle are missing.
One of the largest Cattlemen in the state.
who was here today and who did not
care to have his name mentioned said
that he believed the large herds that
We're upon the range suffered quite loss.
He said there was no denying the fact
that the past winter has been a bad one
for cattle concerns that were not able to
feed their stock tie said that a loss Of
from 10 to 20 per cent would not surprise
him. The winter was an unusually long
one. In many sections of the state there
was a, heavy fall of snow and long pc
RODS of cold weather., The month Of
March was almost unprecedented for the
severe cold weather and large amount of
snow. Until but Il few days ago the
ranges in the localities where his cattle
feed were covered with snow. Such a
record for the month of March at the
Wind-up of Il long winter could not be
otherwise than disastrous for the weaker
members of the herds.
This man is OF the opinion that the past
winter was in many respects about the
worst since the memorable one of 1861
when the cattle interest suffered such
heavy losses. The only difference has
been that this winter there has been bet
ter feed and the cattle began the winter
in better condition. If the ranges had
been in as poor Il condition at the COM
mencement of this winter they We're in
1886 the Standards informant says he
fears the loss would have been appal-
ling.
Another cattlcman with whom the re-
porter talked did not entertain such
gloomy views of the past winters losses.
He said he did not believe the loss was
more than average. He confessed, how
ever that it had been a bad winter and
that he might have reason to change his
opinion when the returns of the roundups
were made. The reports from the stock
grazing in the vicinity of the Wyoming
Montana line are that there has been
heavier loss there than anywhere else
in the state. Just how extensive it has
been cannot he estimated until the round
ups are reported.
All of the cattlemen of the state are
known to have fed a great deal of hay.
One big concern that last summer put up
several thousand tons of hay fed all of it
and had to buy more. The hay was fed
to some of the COWS and to the calves. the
steers being forced to rustic.
A cattle company in the southeastern
part of the state is credited with having
expended about $4,000 for hay during the
closing days of March because its own
supply had been exhausted and the cattle
had to be fed. The secretary of the Live
Stock association, as well as cattlemen
generally. who have been approached on
the question of the loss last winter have
been, as a rule, very chary about talking