The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-12-19
HARD WINTER ON RANGE Is PRE-
DlCTED.
AS men READ THE SIGNS
Weather Prognosticators Say Evil
Omens Lack Not in Numbers
CattIemen Prepared.

WI ~ III SAS
seem to be at all a~pprehenslve as TO
the outcome of the winter which may
be said to have now fairly begun, 1t
is evident that in other parts where
the range business still forms a con-
siderable item in the ~variegated IN
dustries that have sprung up since
the settlement of the northwestern
states the same sense of security does
not obtain. The prognostiators of
hard winters are busy in many sec
lions and claim that all the signs
are augurous of a repetition OF the
severe winters of the eighties and
later. 1t will be recalled that the
: winter of 1867 destroyed fully ~ per
cent of the livestock on the ranges,
while during the winter of 1890 the
loss was estimated to be about 60
per cent
In addition to the omens they claim
ability to interpret, the men who are
predicting exceptionally severe
weather for the next few months say
that bad winters occur in the north
west with frequent p~eriodicity and
that it is about time for one to be ex-
pected. For several years past the
winters have been mild and the losses
to stock have been no more than may
be calculated upon normally through
the workings of nature. The continu-
ed enjoyment of exceptional favors
from nature, these prophets Of evil
declare should not be looked for and
they raise their voices in warning,
holding that a break in the chain is
about due.
A. H. Lee, who looks after the inter
ests of the Chicago market in the
northwest, was at home a few days
ago and in an interview given n of
the stock papers said:
''The range 0 is better stocked
than at any previous time. The most
remote corners are full OF cattle or
horses. The highest mountains have
little hooks in which some ambitious
mar is harvesting the vegetation with
a small bunch of cattle. Large, out,
lying tracts of range are being eaten
off as never before by horse or COW
with the omnipresent sheepherde1
watching the corners jealousy.
'The oldest Indians tell of many
years ago when the buffaloes which
at that time roamed some parts OF tho
western range were swept from the
face Of the earth by a terrible winter
If these old creatures recall the signs
accurately and relate facts correctly
once again a huge omen turks in thu
~oft-repeated red sunset and a hundre
evil angels visits incidental thereto
The deer have this early abandoned
their safe retreat far back from hu
man eyes in the higher mountain
and are now browsing near humal
habitations. The feed on lower land
has a certain nourishment suppose
: to be called for at present by the u1
failing instinct of the wild ANNA
The elk are following the daring e1
ample of their feeter cousins, and ar
now approaching what they Away
consider the dead line. The feed
not short in those safe retreats ia
back, but his instinct whispers to hill
that his blood and bone and sine
must, this time, have that which
found only on the lower tableland
and to get it has now braved deaf
at the hands of the murderous art
man and mans ev%er-covetous gree
"But the ranchmen of the mort
west are better prepared now ths
ever before to go through a seve1
winter. They have learned not
depend entirely Upon the range f
wintering stock, and today the own
is, indeed, behind the times if he do
not have feed enough at hand to car
his cattle over the stormy period. IT.
valleys contain immense ricks
feed. The tablelands far back again
to produce feed. Rye has been plal
ed and reaped. Other dry grains ha
been grown and harvested. The 81
sons have been too short to mature t
grain. but straw hay has been HI
vested. Each IA new acreage
titled, until today the range is W
prepared for wintering it's stock. T
winters that formerly would have t;
en- half the stock would not destr
10 per cent now. A supply of str
hay or a little patch of alfalfa
been made tt grow where it was f
merly thought impossible; weatl
breaks have been made, water l
been opened up nea at hand. I
range critter is no longer left emit