Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1902-03-20
ION THE WESTERN RANGES
Special Report from Dickinson OF the
Losses Among the Stockmen
in that Section.
Several Heavy Losses of Sheep
Some Large9Bands Being Part


al.)-It is hard to tell how much snow
fell but it could not have, been less
than five or six inches. All of the
coulies We're filled with snow, the hills
and table lands being blown bare.
The storms made business for the
Northern Pacific, no trains being re-
ceived from the east from Friday after
neon until Tuesday night. Trains come
in from the west, and it was not very
bad between Dickinson and Mandan,
but on the Dakota division, east OF the
river, trains were tied up as they had
not been for years.
The snow storm of March 10 and 20.
1894, was similar to this storm except
that it was much warmer and was not
of so long duration. So it is necessary
to go back to the winter of 1867 to
find anything as bad as the present
Storm and many old timers say there
has been nothing to approach it fol,
twenty years.
No one seemed to be thinking OF
losses among sheep or CATTLE until Sum
day when it was learned that the D.
B. Zimmerman band of 3,70O at Senti-
mel Butte was badly scattered and
nearly half of the number perished.
News also came of 1000 loss of sheep
out of a band of 1900 belonging to
Banker Moss of Billings. Of course
these were extreme cases but it PIT
the stockmen around the city to think
ing.
The Zimmerman sheep wtTe on the
open prairie Friday morning without
any shelter of protection whatever.
The foreman was apprehensive of a
storm and headed his large band for
the hills. But to hold such band
Of sheep outside of goods sheds in such
a storm was an impossibility.
The Moss case was another extreme
one, only a little worse. The sheep
were shipped from Billings last Thurs
day and unloaded on the prairie to
graze a few miles west of Wibaly.
There was no protection, not even of
hills, and when the storm came up the
herders were at the mercy of the ele-
ments. @
The weather, it will be remembered.
for week preceding the storm had
been very fine. The snow was get
ting well off and many of the ranch
men were, partly at least, off their
guard. thinking that it was nearly
spring time and that there would prob
ably be very little more bad weather.
However, the storm came up gradually
on Friday and those ranchers who
were grazing stock that day generally
headed their focks and herds for home
at an early hour. which savei many
an owner from severe losses.
The loss of the VIM. Wamsley band
about 4,0OO-was the first bad news
to come from the south. The Wamsle5
ranch is twelve or fifteen miles, south
west of New England. The herder at
tempted to bring the lamb band in Fri
day noon. but missed the corrall by
about 100 yards. MI. Wamsley and
number of men at the ranch went to
the rescue, but with all that they could
do the lambs could not be brought in
and soon were scattered to the four
winds, probably less than 300 being
saved out of 200. The old sheep were
out further and did not get in at all.
This band of sheep was owned ly
several individuals. Parker Bros, and
D. F. Alley owend 5000, John Clark
some over 400 and J. c. Roney the
balance. The exact loss will not Re
known for a day or two. but when j.
g, T. Parker went out on Tuesday he
did not expect anything less than
90 per cent loss. This is pretty hard,
but dozens Of men like Mead, Durrent,
Griswold, Crawford. Burnett. Pearl,
Moats. Hillard & Merry and Others in
the same locality. having from 1000
to 3, 900 sheep. are supposed to be all
right.
Mr. Wansley was considered among
the most careful and successful sheep
men mel Of the country and his case might
be termed as accidental.
One Of the worst losses reported is
from from the Paul Brown ranch. ten miles.
northwest NC OF New England. During
the storm Friday noon while feeding
2, 400 OF his sheep drifted away and
were found this week eight miles south
In the Cannon Ball river. a little below
the Mead ranch. T is estimated that
but 800 Of the sheep were alive.
The cattlemen seem to have had it