Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1902-07-24
Answer TO an Inquiry.

paper dated July 18th, 1902. In
that issue are several articles about
stock men and etc. In one of those
entitled "Pasture Lands Advanc-
ing," the writer says that "Pasture
lands have advanced fully 60 per
cent in price in Southwestern Kan
sas during the past four years, and
rents have gone up accordingly.
Quarter sections used to rent from
$40 to SIS year. The same
quarters now rent from SIT to S25
a year, Cattlemen who used to
pay 81 per head for having their
cattle pastured during the grass sea-
son now pay SIS to 81 per head"
Will you please give me your opin-
ion as to whether or not these state
ments are correct?
Another article in the before
mentioned paper was entitled, Gar
rested for Fenceng Public Land"
Will you please look at this article
and tell me if you have any law in
Kansas which prohibits a ranchman
from fencing and using all public
land which he chooses if said land
is not occupied by settlers, and
doing so without any cost to himself?
Supposing own a section, or
quarter section of land and a ranch
man owns land all around mine.
Can he fence mine in with his and
use it the same as his own unless l
am at the expense of putting fence
around mine inside of his fence?
If he fences mine in and uses it as 1
have suggested can 1 execute a claim
against him for its use, if he is not
willing to pay me for the same?
Is there law of custom among
ranchmen which leads them to al
low men who own quarter sections
a fair remuneration for their land
under such circumstances?
Have cattlemen the right to fence
across the highways as they please.
providing they place gates at the
entrances to the same?
In regard to the advance in the
price of grazing land we will say
| that the advance has been at least
SO per cent. Pasture land will sell
at from sIoo to $500 per quarter
section. The article in The News
of July 18th referred to lands furth-
er east, where the country Is more
thickly populated. Here in Meade
county lands usually rented from S.
to Sc per quarter for gazing purpos-
es. This is all that can be paid
with profit to the renter. This year
some of the lands rented as high as
So per quarter for the same purpose
In regard to pasturing cattle for s.
to 81 per head, does not apply to
Meade county. This price may
prevail in eastern Kansas but not in
Meade county. The price paid
here for summer grazing is from 20
to 80 cents per head.
There is a United States law
which prohibits man from fencing
government land and the depart
ment is at present enforcing the
same. In many places the fences
have been ordered down, and in the
above menti oned case an arrest fol-
lowed. No man has right to use
unoccupied government land for any
purpose unless he puts homestead
filing on same.
If, you own quarter of land it
can and is very likely to be fenced
up in a pasture by ranchmen.
They usually pay the owner nom
inal rent whenever he demands the
same. We have what is known as a
herd law in this part of the state,
which compels cattle owners to keep
their cattle off of crops and other
lands that are in the pastures, pro-
vided you are there to look after
same. If you own land in pasture
and are living on and farming the
) same, you do not have to fence it.
The herd law protects you from any
. trespass.
. Ranchmen usually deal very fair.
; ly with settlers who own land II
. their pastures.
In some parts of this county sec,
ton lines are abolished and in Other
parts these highways are fenced uI
but gates are put in on all Travelled
roads. led
Go to Mrs. Henry's for lemor
pies, gooseberry pies, apple pies
pumpkin pies, raspberry pies, poo
mans pies, or any old kid of pies
Sammy Brannan and uncle Geo
: Dickey, were in town Saturday