Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-12-02
STOCK PRICES
WILL ADVANCE
M. E. Miner Thinks That Next Sea.
o Will Show a Better ondition
Of the Market.
CAUSE OF THE DEPRESSION
Poor Cattle Bore the Prices Down.
Loses in the Past Year Put at
SO Per Cent.

PRESIDENT NJ. Il. Miner, well KNOWN
through Montana as being one of the
most prominent stockmen Of the
state, state stock commissioner and
chairman of the executive committee
of the North Montana Roundup AS.
sociation, which was organized about
eight years ago for the suppression
of stock depredations, was in the city
last evening on his way from Helena
to Fort Benton to attend the funeral
of the late j. II. Green.
Twenty-Five Years Experiences.
For the past 25 years | have been
in the stock business and | desire to
be quoted on the present outlook.
Through all of the vicissitudes of the
early times. | have never before been
confronted with as disheartening con-
ditions as those of the past season. At
first in the early days we had to cope
with the depredations OF the Indians
which were not restricted to reserva.
lions. At that time the wolves were
not so bad because of the fact that
they derived their s%ustenance from
the buffalo and did not bother our
herds, but with the extinction of the
buffalo, which practically took place
in 'S2. they turned their attention TO
the cattle. In spite Of the bounty
laws passed, in spite of the individ-
ual efforts OF the stockmen on the diff
ferent ranges of the state and in spite
OF the large sums Of money expended
for the determination of the wolves
we have not been able to keep the
loss from that ource down to a point
where We are able to get the proper
profit out of the business.
The bounty law which is In oper-
alton is better than nc bounty law,
but II is not sufficient to cope with
the conditions. II Is not sufficient to
encourage wolfers who do not now
keep the wolves down to their rate
of increase.
Last Season Was the Best Known.
Last season was the apex OF good
prices and conditions and at that time
| ventured the opinion that it would
never be repeated in the cattle bust
ness in the west. The ranges were
exceptionally good and the cattle at
tanned a condition of development and
weight never made before OF all of
the ranges of the state and our Mon
tana grade steers realized prices upon
the market that had never before
been reached except by the best corn
fed steers of the states.
Stockmen Lost one-Third.
This year every condition was
against the stockmen from the begin.
ming. The winter, while not of par.
ticular vigor, was SO long drawn out
that the cattle became worn out by II
and this unfortunate condition culmi.
mated in what was known as the May
storm, which was the worst In its
character that had ever happened in
the history of the business. The first
reports of the loss were afterward
said to be exaggerated and the news.
papers tried to minimize il. but
know from personal observation over
a wide scope of country embracing
several distinct ranges that the stock.
men should mark down their herds 80
per cent for that cause alone.
Enormous Heaps Of Dead Cattle.
1T is doubtful whether the half
crop anywhere reached so per ent of
that of last year. A great deal Of the
loss was caused by cattle drifting
against barb wire fences. The cattle
would get into coulees during the
storm and follow them down until
they would meet with obstruction like
fences, where they would pile up and
perish. In two instances I was so
strongly impressed with the number
of dead cattle thus piled up that |
dismounted and counted them. In one
pile there were 20. and in another |
counted 1875. The conditions other
wise proved the present season most
discouraging to stockmen.
Cattle Did Not Fatten.
Despite the wetness OF the sea.
son. grass did not make much growth
and seemed deficient in quality. In
consequence the cattle did not fat
ten as in previous years. Although
my own shipments were light, they
extended over a period OF about two
months and my beeves averaged l25
pounds less per head than those Of
any previous season.
"As to the regular market prices
obtained everyone knows them and
they speak for themselves. A repe.
ton of the years experience would
put one-half of the stockmen Of the
state out OF business.
while we always regard the pres.
idential year as an off year during
which prices will come down because
of politically disturbed conditions, it
is my opinion that unless a financial
crash takes place next year the
stockmen can feel confident of receiv'
ing somewhat better prices. Great
Falls Leader.