, 1900-05-10
over IN THE HILLS
REPUBLICAN CORRESPONDENTS
ADVENTURES IN THE VI
CINITY OF SUMMIT.
In a Country Where Roads and Land
marks are Found on Every Acre.
Travelling for the Stranger Is a
Difficult Matter-Ranches in the
Hills.

Dlf1cult Matter-RancheS IN the
Hills.
The old Summit postoffice was kept
at the ranch now owned by w. B. Rob-
erts. The storm compelled a lengthy
stay at this place and Mr.. Roberts &C
count of his early efforts at ranching
was interesting and stood In evidence
OF the one universal rule OF success in
stock growing, Giving without eating
your cattle" The new house is a neat
and comfortable frame building Of five
rooms with an addition for milk room
and an open hallway.
The snow of the last storm was still
on the ground and all roads were OBJ
liberated to such an extent that l con-
cluded to ignore them altogether and
go across lots and across mountains to
the ranch of E. p. Baker, although the
north slope was exceedingly steep and
snowy. Now, there are several Ways
of descending a mountain, and a dry
pine is frequently tied to the back end
Of a wagon to retard its descent; but
being on horseback l had neglected this
~precaution, and the snow being deep,
Tony and / began the descent in a man
ner at once peculiar and unique. and
the professional hunter on our trail
that day would have carried his gun
in constant readiness for some origi-
nal species OF the animal kingdom.
E. P. Baker was not at home and
Mrs. Baker had been confined to her
bed for several weeks, but was feeling
better at the time of my call. Lille
Rogers was here making an extended
visit to this home Of her nativity and
would not return to Laramie until Mrs.
Bakers recovery. On account of the
snow, a bad creek crossing and a pro-
fusion OF wire gates, Miss Hazel Bak-
er mounted her pony and became my
guide for a mile or more through fields
and along the trail that leads to C. w.
Browns on North Horse creek, where
Charlie and Harry Brown are manag-
ing the ranch and its stock business
for their father, although Eddie was
here from school experimenting the
ranch and his big brothers and was as
busy as the New England boy at a
maple sugar camp. The hay crop is
expected to reach $50 tons, which will
winter a large herd Of cattle in such
a high. open locality where the wind
takes full advantage Of its opportuni-
ties to blow on all occasions and chase
the snow from the field into the hol-
lows and behind the sage brush.
From C. w. Browns, it is only a mile.
to Mrs. Delaby's ranch, quite common
ly known as the Smith ranch. There
have been some changes among sew
eral smaller ranches Of this locality
which were not mentioned in the gen.
eral conversation at this place and I
passed on toward the ranch of King
Bros, intending to reach there within
an hour, but one must thoroughly I'M
derstand the roads and landmarks
about here or he will travel until late
in the day. go without his dinner and
v~ariously comment upon a country
where roads and land marks are to be
found upon every acre.
King Brothers started in the sheep
business on their ranch twelve years
ago. and the ranch as we'll as the fiocks
of sheep have been growing aver since.
For the last two years, Mrs. Frank
King and family have spent the win
tiers at Laramie, but had returned to
the ranch the latter part of the month.
They are n of the few firms that keep
a thorough set Of books for the purpose
of information concerning the sheep
business and their opinions are CORE
spondingly reliable and interesting.
thoroughbred ,Merinos of the
Spanish and French types are from the
family that took first prize at the
worlds fair at Chicago and are ami
mails worth several hundred dollars
each. Three hundred and fifty dollars
is the price offered for Mckinley. whose
portrait hangs in the First National
bank at Laramie. This young patri-
arch of American Merinos shears 4s
pounds and another Of the German
breed. larger of frame, are Mr.. Kings
from which he expects to OBJ
tain fine wooded sheep OF large frame
and good capacity. Frank King, the
senior partner, has illustrated the wool
growers industry with a large collec-
ton of Photographic views that adorn.
the dining room at home thirteen miles
from town.