Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-05-25
UTAH SHEEP MEN
WANT THE RESERVATION

TAe ee6ee Of the department Of the
intsg1oe that sheep must not BE- fed
upoa any part OF the Uintah forest re
serve In arousing the people Of uintah
county, - well ~ the WOOL men Of
Galt Lake, says the Herald, Of that
city. They believe that the enforce
ment Of the order during this spring
apd summer win not only ruin them.
but II will almost destroy Uintah
county.
serious. for their property interests.
estimated At $500. 900. are at issue. In
The opinion Of J. H. Meas, post trader
at Fort Duchesne and . sheep owner,
the enforcement OF the order will NOT
only ruin the people OF the county. but
will drive them out OF II to other
states and parts OF Utah. where they
may find spring and summer feed for
sheep. They are anxi0usly awaiting
the outcome Of the mass.mceting to bs
held here, and the effort to have the
department rescind Its order.
.sHere II what II At stake" said Nr.
Mease at the Kenyon yesterday after
noon. .Seventy-nve or eighty thou.
sand head Of sheep. an annual
wool clip OF about 100000 pounds.
and ali the property interests
Of the sheep owners. II the
people Of Ashley valley cannot feed
during the heat Of the spring and
summer, they cannot raise them profit
ably, and. consequently, they must
leave. gheep-Eaising II the staple In
ous{yy 0f the county. and one on which
90oo people arc dependent. What
vim @ese people do II they can't raise
oheo14 They must leave the county.
nat = the only salvation. Take the
eieep away from Ashley valley. and
yua might ~ well move everything
slse. 'r
.But the sheep owners win not be
able to move everything. They cannot
move their improvements, their homes
and harms, nor the towns which are
supported by them. These interests
will be sacrificed. They will not be
saleab.s. and they win thus become
Mr.. Nease denied that the sheep
will in1ure the timber. but said:
Admitting. for the moment that
sheep win destroy the timber, We are
ON the north watershed Of Diamond
mountain. the water from which lows
Into Green rivee. There are NO people
along the water. At the land ONCE.
the other day, I learned that only two
Homestead locations had been made In
the district, and these for sheep
ranches. The ground is barren and
utterly useless Tor Turning purposes,
and Will never have iettiers. On the
Green river there are four or nve fami-
lies who get water from the river.
Even II We did destroy the watershed
II would not lnture Green river. for It
bekins away up In Wyoming. The
QNantity Of water which II receives
trtm this waJexshed amounts to moth
ing, ID comparison with the regular
supply. Again. the lr;yeE y down 2
deep canon. 20 that the water cannot
be reached for irrigating purposes to
any great extent.
{. The people Of Ashley valley are
supplied from the south watershed
through Ashley creek. Sheep are not
fed about the sources Of Its supply.
Theee people. whom, according to Mt.
May, would be affected. are the very
onea who oppose him and the order OF
the department. They ought to be the
best judges Of their own interests.
ut win mean almost the ruin of
that part OF the county II the order ID
enfueced. hope that some way OF
staying the matter win be found. II
WIN not affect me N, much as others,
because I can send my sheep to other
ranges, and I'm not dependent upon
them. But 1t means great deal to
men whose sole business 10 sheep
raising"