Arizona republican., 1903-04-29
CATTLE AND SHEEP
Stock Interests on Cave Creek Ara
 Prosperous.

Cave Creek Ariz., April 27.-(Special Correspondence of The Republican.)- Twice as many head of transient sheep have been in this county during the lambing and shearing season as ever before, but they are rapidly passing out HOW to their home ranges in Coconino and other northern counties. If the business that J. D. Houck of Cave Creek has done is any gauge, and it surely is, the sheep men have left enormous sums oi money in the coun- ty since their entry therein on Decem- Der l. Quite a number of the very prosperous among them. and all are more or less so. say that a band of 2,000 head of sheep has very much more money in it than any quarter sec ton ranch or the same number of cat tie. This is surely true for the last ten years as drouth seems to have lit tie effect on sheep while ranching and to a smaller extent cattle raising have been lamentably injured by drouth. But this year both are coming out of trouble.
 The cattlenaen of Cave Creek ranges. Sheriff Cook. Logan E. Morris Cant and the Cartwright brothers are ap parently doing we'll if the appearance of their cattle is any measure Of pros perity. The regular. gentle, yet copi- ous rains of the past winter have caused a magical change in the ranges and in the conditions of both sheep and cattle. These cattlemen have had ten years of ll-fortune which only the best of good management enabled them to endure. If we are entering upon a decade of plentiful rainfall range cat Ia inc will Jn wi h fa arl6- ing such an enormous sheep invasion. But these cattlemen dare not increase their herds very much yet for even one summer of drouth in ten year period of rainfall might result in seri- ous loss. It is certain, however, that no other brands should be added this year to those now on the Marjcopa ranges. The cattlemen above named have an interesting problem to solve and if any set of men deserve the help and good will of all the people, these certainly do.
 The Linville goat herd which was brought into the Cave Creek range 1,060 strong nineteen months ago now numbers about 1,S00 and would have been more than double by this time if lack of experience in handling them as the chill of autumn comes on had not resulted irl the loss of about 150 of them. The time for fall shearing has to be chosen with great care for if cold rain or wind catches the tender skinned creatures just after shearing, one by one they are seized with a shiv- CT and then fall over dead. These goats are nearly all of the high bred Angoras, a very pleasing. attractive animal while the short haired Indian goat, descendant of the old Aztec herds and such as sheep men keep as leaders for their sheep bands, is a most re- pulsive beast. The Angora kid with it's soft silky coat makes a more attrac- tive pet for women and children than kitten or pups; they are more playful than either and more affectionate fol- lowers of Mary than her little lamb. These goats pass right through long rich grass to get at coarse browse and coarser weeds. Apparently they would thrive on the old camp dumps of tin cans while such relics of many camps as old overalls. shoes. rags, scrap iron, etc. are delicious dessert to them. The Linvilles seem to be satisfied with their investment.