The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-01-12

ALREADY put on. SO u happened
that with all the splendid, opefal
start. toe majority OF the wes,ern
range cattle marketed at Chicago
this year were below the standard
in quality.
In the greater part OF the range
country there were abundant rains
during the latter part IF Auxuss and
in September, but the second growth
Iof grass, WHICH these rains produced
added but little revenue TO the ranch
mans pocket Many Of the cattle
picked up in flesh, but it was sofl
aud green, lacking the firmness
! W lch range cattle should have in
J, the fall, and which adds so much to
their stability. Due to their IN.
| finished condition much larger per
ceEta ,e Of the cattle than usual had
ITO sell for feeders. Fortunately the
d.maLd was good from this s,urce
Ia; ST OF the year, aud the prices
paid were close up to those paid BY
Tin. killers.
! Although naturally Disappointing
a!'er such u brilliant commencement,
itle season of 1900 was by no mean
II f;i ,urc financially. Cnnsidprinp
the quality values ava aged quite
( ,od aud shippers were lai,ly we'll
satisfied with returns. Tbs MAJ
Net, with few exceptions, was
rs,her devoid OF violent fiuctuatio $,
though the trend was generally
downwards after the latter part Of
A.-u,t The highest point touch.
ed was 1875 in August, September,
ana O;tooer, the bulk selling at
sl.25 (@t u. II reduced to an aver
aga fgureit would be close to "a 35
+ r the seasons business against
: 6ll last year. On account Of the
dry weather there wa, large pro-
portion Of COWS and heifnrs shipled
to market id fewer cattle we're re-
tanned than for mauy years. The
supply for the year amounted to
l47 900 head, being 36, 900 less than
last year, $4,000 less than in 1893,
and the smallest in over twenty
years. The supply Of cattle on the
western ranges has shown steady
decrease for several years, or since
the fashion Of feeding cattle in Tex
As raised the price in that state so
high that the northern ranchman
sought his feeders from other sour
c.s. The sheepmen have pre-empted
many Of the abandoned ranges, and
the volume Of range cattle raising lis
not likely to be again what IL was
years ago. The important fact
should not be overlooked that the
breeding up process is going On
rapidly in the west. The high
grade Shorthorns and Herefords
from Wyoming and Colorado exibl.
ted at the Intern ational Live Stock
] Exposition opened the eyes OF many
of the cattlemen in the corn grow
ing states, aud demonstrated that
vest has live and energetic stock
raisers, who IRE rapidly pushing to
the front.
Cattle are going on the range in
only fair condition, and some losses
may be expected if the wister proves
severe. The Helena Independent
says Of pros pects in Montana:
''But there is no question the feed
| is short on the ranges Ill over Mon
tana. There Is enough feed, provid-
ed there are no heavy snow falls,
but if there should be : deep blanket
Of snow, aad it should lay for any
considerable length Of time, there
will be heavy losses. Buyers who
have been over the ranges, and
others who are acquainted with the
conditions, are unanimous in the re-
port Of short grass this fall mush
shorter than for many years. The
growers who are fixed to feed have
bought up all the hay they could
get, and have thus prepared them
selves as far as possible for the
worst. But in case of severe WIN
4 ter and heavy snow the rance