Rosebud County news. [volume] (Forsyth, Mont.) 1901-1906, 1903-06-04
LAKE TOOMBS CATTLE COM.
PANY'S HUGE PASTURE.
Is LARGEST IN THE WORLD.
Concern Leases Immense Tract From
Indians and EnclOses With
Subss antial Fence.

A Spearfish. S. D., dispatch says
that by the first of June the largest
enclosed cattle pasture in the world
will become reality. On the date
the message was transmitted only IS
miles of fencing remained to be COM,
pleted on the immense tract leased.
by the Lake Toombs Cattle company
on the Standing Rock Indian reserva-
tion in North Dakota. The lease was
entered into something over a year
ago and as lively construction gang
as ever rushed huge task toward
completion was engaged in closing up.
the remaining gap when last heard
from.
The task when completed will en-
close $50, 900 acres of land. It has
teen accomplished in the face of nu-
merous obstacles, the most serious of
which was litigation started by the
Indian Rights association, an organi-
zation protesting to conserve the in
terests of the aborigine. but which is
about as adequately posted on his
necessities as the average Boston man
is on western matters generally. Ever
since Manager George Lennon of the
Lake comb company began negotia-
tions for this season, strenuous opposi-
tion has been shown, not by the inter-,
ested Indians, but bv their self-consti-
tuted protectors.
Indian leased pastures promise to.
become popular on this range. It is
highly probable that the Cheyenne
Indians will adopt the same plan. On
most of the reservations cattle have.
been run on permits, but the Indians
have discovered that by the lease plan.
their income per capita is largely
increased. Consequently, while senti-.
ment among them is strong in one di-
rection, the so-called Indian Rights as.
sociation is pursuing diametrically
opposite policy.
The lease secured by Manager Lem
mon of the Lake-Toomb company runs
for five years at an annual rental of
3OH mills per acre. But the principal
expense entailed by the lease is on
fencing account, a three e-strand barb
ed wire barrier 200 miles long being
needed. The posts were bought i'm
Minnesota and Wisconsin and cost
10 cents each delivered on the ground,
the major portion of this expense being
incurred hauling them from the near
est railroad point. At the expiration
of the lease, five years hence, this
costly fence will become the property
of the Indians.
1T is an expensive undertaking, -
said Mr.. Lennon, "but we were forced
to it by changing conditions. We
have discovered that we cannot make
fat beef on the open range any longer.
1t is fenced pasture with the cattlemen
or get out of the business. All the big
cattle operators are reaching that con-
clusion. While this fence looks like a
costly undertaking. we have figured
out that it will pay for itself and save
us So head in addition and we have
done some pretty close figuring. To
run cattle on the range costs about
81 25 per head annually; in fenced
pasture the cost is So. 10 on the terms of
our lease, but with us it was case of
fence or quit. We had to do it to get
our cattle fit for market. So far as
profits are concerned, the open range
is thing of the past. Leasing must
90 into effect if the industry is to sur
vive.''
Not all of the Lake Toomb cattle will
be run OH this immense grazing
ground. The company carries on it's
range about 80, 600 head and the inten--
ion is to keep all the ''she stuff and
S-year-olds within the enclosure.
below ''twos" will Craze
outside. By this method the cattle
Intended for the coming seasons mar
let will have no lack of feed and their
COutpnue6 IN Third RaUe