, 1900-05-11
OVER IN THE HILLS
REPUBLICAN CORRESPONDENTS
TRAVELS AMONG ALBANY
COUNTY RANCHES.
Some Notable Examples of People Who
Have Started Without a Cent and
Are Now in Comfortable Circum-
stances and Preparing for a Life
of Ease.

Are NpW IN SOW1oTtdDle ClTcum-
stances and Preparing for a Life
of Ease.
Matheson brothers purchased the
Stanton ranch last August and are in
~vesting rather cautiously in cows while
they become familiar with the stock
business and the capacity of the ranch,
but hope to handle two or three hun
dred. The new postoffice of Stanton
has been established with D. d. Mathe-
son as postmaster. He is also the
ranchmen of the firm of Matheson
Bros. The aged father has been
making a visit to this mountain home
of d. D. Matheson and wife (who was
formerly Miss Susie Bailey of Lara
mie) and will probably bid them a last
goodbye in a few days.
Many people of Laramie do not real
lie that just over the hill, and not so
far away as the foothills that border
our plains upon the west. is a, country
about 500 feet lower than Laramie,
where the people pity us who have to
endure the rigorous climate of 7,1OO
feet altitude. and yet my own expert
enCe induces the belief hat a large or
larger proportion of our neighbors
over the mountains are willing to sell
their ranches and seek a change OF
climate. Why this is 50, a hasty trip
through the country may not suffice to
judge correctly, for their ranches can
produce vegetables. grain and grasses
in greater variety, and their cattle may
Craze with greater safety in the winter
time-just the same argument that one
advances in favor of a more southern
climate-and another prefers the cool
air and longer winters of a country
further north. Furthermore. these
neighbors are well off and the time has
arrived when they enjoy the leisure
they have earned, and would gladly
live where greater social, educational
and intellectual advantages are attain
able.
Dur n%eighbor, o. G. Latham, who used
to sell the products of his gardens at
Laramie when he was struggling as a
pioneer ranchman, has settled down to
easier ways of making money and
rides out in a carriage to see his cattle
since his foot was hurt and horse
back riding is inconvenient-and talks
Of selling his $50 acres Of decided land.
which is but the center of an enclosed
5000 acres. The field also includes
900 acres Of leased land. At the al
titude Of 6, 600 feet. Mr.. Latham raises
two or three crops Of alfalfa, according
to the season, wheat, oats. rye, garden
corn, and occasionally tomatoes and
other equally delicate vegetables.
Charles H. Edwards Of Iron Mountain
postofice, and formerly Cheyenne, sold
wood in early days for groceries when
it took n cord of wood to buy a sack
of flour, and has lived in Wyoming
since 81. He and Mrs. Edwards feel
that they would like to enjoy social ad-
vantages they cannot expect upon a
ranch, and are willing to sell their 1000
acres of decided land, with its usual
Accomplishments of leased land and
that which is necessarily enclosed by
the outer fences, for $40, 600, and such
figures are hard to duplicate anywhere.
Grace Hayford-no, pardon me, | mean
Mrs. Henry Edwards-and her husband
and little boy are at the ranch; in fact
all of Mr.. Edwards children are there
or close by and attend to the ranch and
its stock interests. A seven-room
frame house, 2Ox3O feet, with an addi-
ton 16x2O, is one Of the Improvements
of the ranch. and a herd OF cattle I
found difficult to count was being fed
in the lots close by. Twenty-nine
inches of moisture fell during
the month Of April, and the editor of
The Republican may be able to testify
that other months than April may have
their gentle showers in this locality
where trout also abound. The ins.an-
ces where ranchmen have worked by
the month ten or twelve years ag), and
are now Independent, are rather the
rule than the exception.
X. P. Nickel is a ranchman wn3 has
done well among the hills of tn, east
ern slope and has a small herd Of 1875
head OF cattle and very likely 10 have
more. Mrs. Nickel was away for a
months visit. but all others Of this
Kentucky home were there AMI en-
ioying good health.
James E. Miller had a borrowed
team, a big black dog and a wagon on
which he owed sS5 fourteen years
ago, but has made money slowly and
steadily through all the hard times,
until his herd is sufficient to support
himself and family, with as little labor,