The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-07-31
MARKED INCREASE IN NUMBER
SINCE LAST YEAR.
ALMOST MILLION AND HALF
States Herds Growing, Despite Mar
rowing Of Free Range Area
Quality Improving.

Notwithstanding that free range is
constantly growing smaller in area
and that in consequence the erstwhile
large cattle concerns have been re-
duced numerically in proportion, the
figures compiled by the clerk Of the
state board OF equalization from the
returns of the different county asses
sors show that March l, 1903, there
were 4O,681 more head of cattle in
Montana than on the same date last
year, while the increase in valuation
was $~1,432,550.
At the time the assessment was ia.
ken last March there were S31,721
head of cattle of all kinds in the state,
the valuation of which vas $18,645,-
924. A year ago the number was
791, O4O and the assessed value $17,-
213, 347.
The increase is principally in the
gain in numbers and the higher val
uation of stock cattle. One year ago
the stock cattle in the state numbered
555,3S3 and were valued at $12,SS7,O7
This year there are 614,507 head, the
value of which is given at $13,91S, ISL.
Cattle Are Improving.
Although the increase IN the num-
Der Of thoroughbred cattle is COM
p%aratively small, it shows a DISPOSE
ton on the part of the stockmen OF
the state to improve the quality OF
their herds. While last year the num-
Der of thoroughbred cattle was only
ITO, this year the number returned by
the assessors is 1927. Last year the
value of thoroughbreds was only 81
COS, this year it aggregates $16,61S.
A large increase is also shown IN
the number of three-year-olds, OF which
last year there were only 1851 in the
state, valued at $780, 1856. The three
.year-olds listed this year number 3d.
755, with an assessed value of $1.O5O,-
698.
Custer Stands First.
Custer leads all the other counties
as a cattle growing community. Its
| stock cattle are valued at $1,381,S24;
y~earlings, $27, sos; two-year-olds, $227,-
615; three-year-olds, $423 ,565.
Next on the list comes Chouteau.
It's stock cattle are valued at $1,45S,-
676; beef cattde, 5 $500; two-year-olds,
$44,916. The county returns no year
lings or three-year-olds, while Custer
lists no beef cattle.
Fergus has stock cattle valued at
$1,O79,37O and y%earlings valued at
$11,256. Dawson county's stock cat
tie are assessed at $1,O25,262; beef
cattle, 1891, COG; y%earlings, $74,96O;
two-year-olds, $259,551. Rosebud's
stock cattle are listed at $90S, 253;
yearlings, $7,149; two-year-olds, $40,
SIS; three-year-olds, $325,22O.
The only other county having cattle
interests listed above II million dol
lar mark is Cascade. 1t returns stock
cattle valued at $814,585; beef cattle
s6,528; y~earlings, $44,532; two-year
olds, $33,454; three-year-olus, $29, 736
In the number of thoroughbred:
Lewis and Clarke leads, having 225
of a total valuation of S11,250. Stool
cattle in that county are listed at $437,
$40; yearlings, $4O,165; two-year-olds
1922, 6O6; three-year-olds, $69,3O5.
No Uniform Valuations.
1t would seem that the agitation TO
uniform valuations which has beel
made for several years has not We
borne fruit jas there is a great dill
ference between the values OF the dill
i. ferent grades of stock fixed by tn
various counties. Thoroughbreds, 70
/ instance, range in value from $40, ii
Granite county, to $25, in Madiso
county. Jefferson lists its thorough
breds at $51.6O, while Lewis an
Clarke values them at $50. Ravall
the only other county that makes RI
turns on that class of cattle, list
them at $49.3O. For the most pal
COWS are assessed straight at So
e although Dawson lists them as low a
y $25.24, and Madison as high as 50!
A majority of the assessors returne
d. stock cattle at $23 a head. The on
q from Ravalli was an exception, VIII
q lists them at only SIS. Silver Bo
n lists that class of cattle the highes
s $24.25.
E. The same lack of uniformity of a
g sessment of beef cattle is apparen
Thus, while Silver Bow listes them
ID 500 .3333, Chouteau is content to asse!