Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-02
BANDS or WILD
HORSES IN UTAH
Have Become So Numerous that
They Destroy the Ranges.
ARE HUNTED AND KILLED
ny uanger.-Drouth In Southeastern
Counties Assist. In Rendering
Range Hare for winter.

ON the undulntina sandy desert south
ut Milford. Beaver county. ate situated
the warm springs on the old wagon
road which frclghtera used for rench-
luz Phoebe IN hor pnlmicat mining
days and ruuth ~ these warm springs
could b" seen b. these frcightcrH TWEEN
~ years ago banda Of Wild huu1ea
Hcurrylng away at the approach of
man and RAISING a cloud % dust as
they rushed over tho sand duncB ana
rabbit brush holl0wu.
~ That time the froirhtcu Wer" CONE
PEELED 10 pay toll Tor water nt those
warm rptingf-and pcfhapH they do
Htlll-hecauao The precious fiul1 wna run
into large Fhnllow wooden tanks buried
W the gruund and allowed to cool. For
the privilege uf syryinE their hoffc5i aud
thcmHclvca with the bracilish watcr.nud
Milling the regulation barrel strapped to
the side m the wagon. the teamstcrg
paid the man In charge the sum "
twenty-five conts pot man and team.
Tho water that ran away ftunt these
sprlnga IN ihorc dayn formed 70 roagy
pool below the springs proper ana here
was one uf the watering places OF the
bands OF wild horses that were even
thyn plentiful upon tho desert.
The western edge of the desert was
fringcd by very prccipitouH mountains
which were hero and there deeply
scanned with canyons which were sim.
ply n mighty cleft IN the black. rugged
volcanic rock Usually these canyons
ended very abruptly after their coutfo
had been followed for distanco-uny-
where frum one TO three miles.
ingcnlus man al once saw use for
these canyons, and selecting those
which best suited his purpose he placed
away W near the abrupt ending ~
each " thom o. strong gateway OF pine
poles, Periodically the cowboys 81 that
country would gn out TO roplonish
their stock ~ saddle horses from among
the bands NJ Wild cuulnca ON the dDs-
crt 50 iicet n foot were they. how
over, and ~ thoruughly familiar with
the ground over which they sped when
pursued, and enjoying the advantage
~ being udcflcaa. TINT they oluded
their pursucrH and easily frustrated
any attempt ut thoir apprehension by
means OF iusau. This was the Incentive
which lmpellcd the cowboys 60 seek the
AID OF nature In securing Tor themselves
That which they most covctud-'thc
gul-dafndCst. onerlcst, widest l.yuHc on
the hull darncd range"
So Il came about that these gatc-
ways were built In the preclpltuun can
yons. Knowing tho location uf "a big
band Of the Wild horses the cowboys
would line out upon their wlry ponies
and gradually swing the band nround
In the direction OF one or the canyons.
would clattsr among The loose volcanic
stones In the bottom ~ the blk crrv-
afsc. bounding through the lmprDvlscd
gateway. Then the poles were nut IN
after the cowboys had ridden into the
natural cofall. and the ncst was easy.
Usually the horses thus caught were
sufficiently ttnctahlc by the time they
had been handled awhile by their cap
tors-that II. tame enough FOR cow
boy.
u...plt. the lhts, number thus caught
In ynose days these bands have 20 In
creased that they are now almost over
running the country. Occasionally OF
late the rangers down In Washington
Scvicr, Willard. Beaver, Wayne ana
GARFIELD have been compelled TO organ
lze raids Of determination upon them.
These Wild horses are 10 numerous that
they destroy the range for cattle and
sheep and other more valuable animals.
And. this together with the grrnt
drouth. IL making the outlook down
many " thom are moving their Hooks
Into other localities. Grass IL this fan
an unknown feed Ia some Of the south
"rn counties and cattle men have been
Obliged 10 move out their herds. The
few ahecpmcn who are keeping tholr
nocks In such localities are taking
great risks, or course, sheep will
browse upon brush where cattle would
Hiarvr To death. but even that IL now
30 dried up In some parts that very
prccnriuus existence ~ nlbhlcd out by
the woolly little animals. This winter
~ likely to witness very fatal results 10
the herds of sheep remaining In the
southeastern counties. The cnly sal.
walton FOR the herds seems to be In an
escape IN time TO the Henry mountains:
and even this hope IL very likely to
ovcrtuu, m already there IN cgtl-
mated to he over a hundred thousand
sheep driven 60 this browsing ground.