The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-06-26
IS SAHARAN
IN STER|L|Ty
RECENT VISITOR DESCRIBES
PART OF NORTHERN RANGE.
ALL RUIN AND DESoLATIoN
immense Areas Totally Devoid Of
Grass and Utterly Barren
Gloomy outlook.

ain L. F. Babcock is back again at
lis accustomed place in the postofiice.
great deal of the time he was gone
vas spent on his cattle ranch on Half
breed creek and the country to the
north he having gone as far as Round
up and the section thereabouts.
In a conversation with The Gazette
Yesterday he gave an interesting but
gloomy account OF the range condi-
tions existing in much of the territory
over which he travelled. He said that
for a distance of IS miles on the south
slope of the Bull mountains at the
time he was there the ground was
absolutely bare and not sign of
grass was to be seen where formerly
there was an abundance. Water was
also very scarce. On the north slope,
toward the Musselshel, conditions
were much better. The great guam
titles of snow which fell there last
winter and the heavy rains that fol-
lowed in the spring afforded ample
m9isture for the grass and all streams
<andswater courses were full. Stock
was fat and sleek and the outlook
for the summer decidedly bright.
The rain that fell here last Satur-
day extended as far north as the cap
tain was and beyond, as he was in
formed by parties whom he met sub
.sequently 1t began in the afternoon
and lasted well into the night. For
tunately it was particularly heavy on
the barren section of the south slope
of the Bull mountains, and as though
nature was trying to make up for its
shortcomings there earlier in the sea-
son, another copious rainfall occurred
in the same locality Monday night.
The precipitation was sufficient to fill
the creeks and cause HalI-breed creek
to raise to such an extent that several
! bridges were washed out.
\. At Roundup the captain found the
range good and conditions extremely
favorable for the season. North OF
there, toward Highfield, matters were
/, in bad shape. But little if any more
| feed was to be found in that section
! than existed on the south slope Of
the Bull mountains and the owners
OF sheep and cattle were wondering
where they would get off.
DesoIation is Complete.
! AS described by Captain BabcocR
the territory between the Yellowstone
and Thirty-mile is picture of desc
lation and ruin. Where formerly were
large extents of excellent grass ant
range that could not be surpassed
there is at present absolutely nothing
!. to sustain animal life. The grass
has been eaten, roots and all, by thu
countless sheep that have ranged
there. Not only this, but what littl'
grass and the few roots that wer,
overlooked have been stamped int
the ground and in many places th
surface of the earth presents the az
pearance of well travelled road.
In the captains opinion the rang
in the region described is beyond re
> clamation, unless it be reseeded an
) allowed to rest for five or six years
t Ia Midst Of Starvation.
!. At Twenty-mile shearing pens hay
g been established and thousands c
e sheep have been driven there to
n shorn. What it is proposed to fee
k them on during the time that the
:. must be held there is a question tn
d captain declared he would not care
e answer. He said there was absolutel
O no grass for miles around and if an,
thing should occur to delay shearin
n to the extent of compelling the hol'
= ing of the herds concentrated in tn.
n section for any length of time man
II would undoubtedly die of starvation.
g On this side of Twenty-mile viii
r. few cattle were seen had been drive
n to the extremity of feeding on tt
" tops of grasewood and sage. Any OF
ID familiar with range conditions know
what this implies at season of Il