The Dickinson press., 1903-05-30
Lake Tomb Land Lease.

Spearfsh, S. D., May Io.-By the first
of June the largest enclosed cattle pas
ture in the world will become a reality.
Yesterday but IS miles of fencing re-
manned to be done on the great tract
leased by the Lake-Tomb Cattle Co. on
the Standing Rock Indian reservation
over a year ago and as lively a construc-
ton gang as ever hustled a huge task
toward completion is engaged in closing
up the gap. The task when completed
will enclose $4,000 acres of land. 1t
has been accomplished in the face of
numerous obstacles, the most serious of
which was litigation started by the In
dian Rights Association, an organization
protesting to conserve the interests of
the aborigine, but which is about as ade-
Quately posted on his necessities as the
average Boston man is on western mat
tiers generally. Ever since Manager
began negotiations for this season, strenu-
Gus opposition has been shown, o by
the interested Indians but by their self
constituted protectors.
Indian leased pastures promise to be-
come popular on this range. 1t is highly
probable that the Cheyenne Indians will
adopt the same plan. On most of the
reservations cattle have been run on per-
mits, but the Indians have discovered
that by the lease plan their income per
capita is largely increased. Consequently,
while sentiment among them is strong in
one direction. the so-called Indian
Rights Association is pursuing a dia.
metrically opposite policy.
The lease secured by Manager Lem.
mon Of the Lake-Tomb Company runs
for five years at an annual rental Of 3oH
miles per acre. But the principal ex-
pense entailed by the lease is on fencing
account, a three-strand barbed wire bar
rier 200 miles long being needed. The
posts were bought in Minnesota and
Wisconsin and cost Is cents each de-
livered or the ground, the major portion
of this expense being incurred hauling
them from the nearest railroad point.
At the expiration of the lease, five years
hence, this costly fence will become the
property of the Indians.
ut is an expensive undertaking." said
MI. Lennon, "but we were forced to it
by changing conditions. We have dis
covered that we cannot make fat beef on
the open range any longer. 1t is fenced
pastures with the cattlemen OF get out
Of the business. All the big cattle
operators are reaching that conclusion.
While this fence looks like a costly un.
dertaking, we have figured out that it
will pay for itself and save US 81 a head
in addition and we have done some
pretty close figuring. To run cattle on
the range costs about s1.25 per head an.
nually; in a fenced pasture the cost is
$40 on the terms of our lease, but with
US it was a case of fence or quit. We
had to do it to get our cattle fit for mar.
ket. So far as profits are concerned, the
open range is a thing of the past. Leas.
ing must 60 into effect if the industry is
to survive"
Not all the Lake-Tomb cattle will
be run on this immense grazing ground
The company carries on its range about
$4,000 head and the intention is to keer
all the "she.stuf" and 3-year.olds within
the enclosure. Everything below "twos'
will Craze outside. By this method the
cattle intended for the coming season!
market will have no lack of feed anc
their condition for the shambles will b,
assured.
1--WE have learned by experience tina
we cannot get 3-year-old steers fat be
tween the time grass rises and the usua
shipping season on the open range" sale
MI: Lennon. "Overstocking, logging
and sheep constitute a combine not cal
culated to aid in putting on flesh. Will,
this pasture is an expensive propositic,
it affords our only salvation. 1t look!
like a good thing for the Indians also, a.
at the end of five years they get GU
fencing and in the meantime we are re
quired to afford pasture for what cattl
they now have on the range and an
they may put on up to a limit of 100 ea,
for each family. In excess of that the
pay US"
The intention of the company is t
NOW national meadows in the tract an,
put up enormous quantities of hay wit
the object of reducing winter losses to
minimum. All the breeding stock wi
be kept inside the fence and the fire.
ranch animals deprived of the use of tn
company's males.
III the beef making industry of tn
west is not to share the fate of the bui
fa1o," said Mr.. Lennon, lit will be don
by the aid of the wire fences. Lease,
pastures or extinction is in the nature c
the inevitable. If we had not secure
this lease We would have been forced t
Quit as | would not undertake to get ca,
lie st for market on the common grain
ground. Fenced areas and hay stack
will put this business on a permanef
basiS."