Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1902-12-10
H BEEF SEASON.

Inc Deel sedSOu vi l3UI VIII DE re-
membered by Montana stockmen as
the best in the history of the bust.
ness. Their profits have exceeded
their highest expectations, and it is
probable that the top notch prices re-
ceived this year will stand as the rec
ord for a long time. Prior to the past
season the record price for range beef
in the Chicago market was $3.50, paid
in July, 1882, but that figure has been
exceeded by several Montana ship
ments since the opening of the sea.
son last July.
In reviewing former beef seasons,
the River Press has been accustomed
to point with pride" to the unrival-
led record of northern Montana beef
in bringing the top price over all
competitors in its class. Year after
year, with receipts Of range cattle in
the chicago market running as high
as 10000 head, the highest price of
the season has been paid for a ship
ment from northern Montana. This
season, however, top price honors are
a matter of controversy, two outfits
from South Dakota claiming better
returns than the top figure received
by a northern Montana shipper. While
these South Dakota shipments came
from the range country, it is ques-
tionable whether they should be class
ed as strictly range beef. Local
stockmen who are familiar with con-
ditions in that part of the country
inform us that the top price shipments
from South Dakota consisted OF steers
that were winter fed, and under those
circumstances they belonged to a
class distinct from strictly range cat.
tie that had to rustic their own feed
during the winter months.
Several beef shipments from Mon
tana lie past seaso made better
prices than the top figure of $3.50 in
1882, which has stood as the record
for twenty years. Northern Montana
heads the list with a sale at $7.15
, the shipment being made by the Con
rad Price Cattle Company, and con
sisting of a car load that averaged
1882 pounds. The sale vas made on
, August 5, and on the same date two
loads of the same brand, averaging
: 1,434 pounds, sold at 81. The above
sale at $7.15 stands as the record fol
strictly range beef.
About a car load of ranch cattle
from South Dakota reached the Chi
{ cago market on September 20, ant
sold at $7.25. A week later a cal
load of the same class of beef, owned
by Geo. w. Harkins, OF South Dakota
) brought $40. These were RECORD
prices, but the shipments were no
what stockmen wound call strict,
range cattle.
Montana shipments have beef
/, growing gradually smaller the pas
few years, bst the past season VIII
probably show an increase over TIL
r figures of a year ago. For the season
of 1901, according 10 the report o
the state board of stock commission
: ers, about $4,000 head were shippe'
! to eastern markets, while about 5000
head were killed for home consumI
ton and supplies for Indian agencie
! making a beef output Of about 152
900 head for that year. ihe Montan'
beef crop of the past ten years Is civ
en- as follows:
: For 1901, 152, 900; 1900. l60,055; 1895
4 2O3, 49S; 1898, 232, 225; 1897. 232. 162
=, 1896, 254,S64; 1895, 306,iOy; 1894
: SO2. $3.50; 1898, 27s,15S; 1892. 2O3, 900
The receipts of range cattle in tn
Chicago market the past season hay
been more than twice as large a
those OF 1901, and 1t is expected tina
= increased shipments from Montan
contributed largely to that result
River Press.