The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-28
SHEEPMEN MAY
CAUSE TROUBLE
Depredations of Wyoming Cattle
men Caused Little Surprise.
BOTH CLAIM RIGHT TO LAND
THOUSANDS OF SHEEP HAVE
BEEN KILLED.
lspecial to Nc Herald.l


murder of Sam Guietieteiez. the
Mexican sheepherder; the wound
ing of a companion and the slaughter
OF thousands of sheep in the New Fork
country, in Fremont county, last Fri
day. was the elimination of q dispute
Of long standing between the sheep
and cattlemen of that section over
division of the open range, and the
taking of a human life caused little or
no surprise here in Wyoming. Indeed,
serious trouble had been looked for,
and the only surprise is that no more
were killed.
Nor was this the first time the rival
factions have clashed, for raids have
been of frequent occurrence during the
past few years, and many hockmas-
tiers have suffered the loss of thou
sands of sheep and the destruction of
camp outfits. wagons, etc.
Feeling at the present time is strong
er than ever before, and as the huge
public pastures are becoming over
crowded with both cattle and sheep,
the situation is anything but encouF-
aging and further conflicts and blood
shed are feared.
The present clash occurred on the
northeastern portion of what is known
as the Sweetwater range, which ex-
tends from the Colorado line on the
south to the Wind River and Green
mountains on the north, the Ferris and
Seminole mountains on the east, and
the continental divide on the west
The southern half of this section.
which contains millions of acres Of
the finest grazing lands in the west,
is known as the Red desert, and is
given up exclusively to the pasturage
of sheep. The northern and extreme
western and northeastern portions of
the Sweetwater range are settled up
by small ranehmen and cattlemen,
whose ranches are located along the
streams and whose stock ranges eX-
tend back to the mountains.
Cattlemen Claim Prior Right.
The cattlemen claim prior right to
these upland ranges by virtue of being
first on the ground, and not until d
few years ago did the fiOckmasters en-
croach upon them: but the oyercrOwd-
ing of the valleys and lower plains
country with sheep. and the desire to
save those ranges for pasturage dur
ing the winter months, when the noun
famous country is covered with snow
and the grazing of sheep on the up
lands is impossible. caused the flock
masters to move higher and higher up
the hillsides and into the timber each
year until finally the cattlemen and
settlers were compelled to make
stand. or see their herds starve and go
out of business.
Associations were formed and the
cattlemen banded together for mutual
protection against the common enemy,
the fiockmaster. Dead lines were
drawn from east 10 west, and from
north to south, and the sheepmen were
notified that they must not cross over
into the cattle country. or that por-
ton of the range which the settlers
reserved for their exclusive use.
AT first the sheepmen respected the
alleged rights of the cattlemen and
there was very little trouble, but as the
ranges below became more crowded
and the grass became more scarce. the
rapidly increasing f1Ocks began to move
toward the mountains.
As a result the relations between the
herd and flock owners became more
strained and conflicts occurred.
Resort to Violence.
For time the cattlemen contented
themselves by turning the fiocks back,
but the herders returned in a few days
usually, and the eattlemen were com
PEELED 10 adopt more drastic measures.
Herders were bound and gagged, their
outfits destroyed and the sheep either
scattered or driven into a corral and
dubbed to death, or driven over a cliff
TO certain death.
The destruction of two or three bands
of sheep had the desired effect and the
cattlemen enjoyed the use of their
range unmolested for time. Scarcity
OF water and feed on the desert, how
ever, again caused the flockmaster to
cross the dead lines, and the conflicts
were resumed
Two years ago two bands of sheep
owned by Salt Lake men were found
in the ''cattle" country, and the herd
eFs were ordered back over the dead
line.
They refused to go and a battle en-
sued. II was a one-sided affair, how
ever. there being thirty or forty
masked and heavily armed cattlemen
against four herders. The camp out
fits were burned and the herders were
wounded. Both were taken TO Salt
Lake. where legs and arms were am
putated. but they recovered.
This trouble occurred on Big Sandy
creek. and no effort was ever made to
bring the raiders TO justice.
Last summer three outfits were de-
stroyed on the Big Sandy and tive
herders wounded and 1900 sheep We're
dubbed to death. At about the same
time 5000 sheep were dubbed to death
near the Colorado Wyoming line. the
animals having been driven into dis
puted territory in northern Colorado by
a Cheyenne company.
Large Flock of Sheep Killed.
Last fall a band of LOO sheep was
driven over a cliff in the New Fork
country and all were killed
owing 10 the great distance from the
railroad and the poor transportation
facilities details OF the latest trouble
are difficult TO obtain.
From the best information at hand
however. it seems that several bands OF
sheep, owned by Leonard Sedgwick AND
John Thompson of Rock Springs
crossed the dead line on New Fork.
The cattlemen organized and ordered
the herders back. Some of the sheep
men complied with the request bu
others refused
The bands of sheep that remained
in the disputed territory were scat
tered. some We're driven over preci.
pieces and others were dubbed to death
while the camp outfits and wagon.
were destroyed or burned. One sheer
outfit resisted and a battle ensued L
IS reported that Sam Guietieteiez wa.
killed and companion wounded. -ns
az least 1000 sheep slaughtered.
\ number of wealthy fiOckmasters
who have sheep in the northern part O
SYeetwater county, have gone to tn
scene. and further trouble is expected
They say they have as good a rign
to the public domain as the cattlemen
and as their business is at stake, the,
propose to carry the fight to the yer,
homes of the cattlemen if necessary
There is little sympathy for tn
sheepmen. however for the rights o
tho cafrlernef1 are generally sacoorizofj