Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1900-03-14
BLOODY FEUD
 THREATENED.
CONFLICTING STOCK INTERESTS IN TONTO BASIN THREATEN TO INVOLVE THAT SEC-
 TON IN ANOTHER WAR.
Sheep Men Warned Not to Drive Their FIocks Over the Ranges Claimed by Cattle Men. Warning Met With
 Defiance.

Tonto Dlsin Is threatened with another war similar to that which was waged there in 1887 between the Tewksbury and Graham factions and as a result of which, directly and indirectly, forty people were killed. Parties who arrived in Pres colt recently from that section have informed the JoURNALMINER that 1t seems almost impossible that re- sort to arms will not be had to set- tie personal differences i'll one cast. and in another in conflict betwet n cattle and sheep men.
 In IAe former case It Is stated that bitter feeling exists between two factions of cattle men, each of which have sworn to shoot the other on sight. Both factions go heavily armed on the range ami wherever they go and as each is very deter mined, it is only question of time when they will meet and hostilIties open.
 The drouth and consequent short age of grass and water is the eau*e of the threatened conflict between cattle and sheep men. As is well | known northern Arizona sheep men have been in the habit for several years Of driving their focks to the Salt river valley in the fall, and re- turning with them in the spring. The Tonto basin route is used by the sheep men of Navajo and Apache counties. So long as the seasons were favorable and water and grass in abundance there has been no trouble. The drouth of the past season has, however, changed con ditions there and the cattle men find rather "slim picking" for their own stock.
 Notice was recently sent by the cattle raisers to the sheep men that they would Bot be permitttd d to drive focks nor Inward this sprug through the Tonto basin country. The T. : ply was sent back by the latter that they intended to drive through Tonto basin if they had to fight their way.
 The first flock to arrive there was owned by J D. Houck. who, by the way, was more or less identified with the Tew ksbury-Graham ieud, and a man who does not know the mean ing of the word fear, and who will fight to the death in defense of what he considers bis rights. His sheep were met by the cattle men and turned back and scattered Word was immediately sent to Houck, who was in Ph, nix and be lost no time in leaving there l for the scene Of trouble. Since that time nothing has been heard from that section, as at the time of the departure of the JOURNAL MINERS i informants Houck had not yet ar rived iD the hasin.
 It is also known that several cases of arms aud ammunition have re- gently been shipped into that sec tfon.
 The parties also state that range riders have been placed OF the east fork of tine Verde river hy the cattle men to prevent the sheep men from driving through that section. As the whole grazing section IS owned by the government, sheep men con tend that their legal right to occupy it for grazing purposes IS just as good .s that of the cattle men. As sheep aud cattle cannot graze on the same land, the majority of those en- gagged in the cattle business in Apache and NavaIo counties have recognized these claims of the sheep men by withdrawing their stccK from the ranges formerly occupied by them and in moving them out of the territory.