The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-24
CONTINUED COLD WEATHER AF.
FEcTING RANGE INDUSTRY.
MANY DEAD CATTLE SEEN
Sheepmen in Dawson County Suffer-
ing severeIy-Apprehensive Of
Next Month.
From Fridays Daily Gazette.

From Fridays Daily Gazette.
Visitors in the city today from the
extreme eastern part of the state are
surprised at the difference in the
weather prevailing here and that
which has marked their own locali-
ties for days past. According to the
accounts they bring the conditions ex-
listing on the ranges to the east, north
and south of the region having it's
western boundary near Miles City are
such as to cause much apprehension
to both cattle and sheepmen. The
weather has been intensely cold in
that territory and in some parts much
snow has fallen, making it difficult
for stock to secure feed and as a re-
suit animals of all kinds are begin
ming to grow thin and weak.
One gentleman prominently identifi-
ed with the cattle industry in Dawson
and Valley counties stated that al
ready much stock had been lost and
that if the usual March storms &C.
Cured the losses would be excep-
tionally heavy, as stock would be in
no condition to undergo much more
bad weather. Particularly bad, he
said, was the outlook north of Glen
dive and also north of Wibaux, where
the largest herds are ranging. He
declared that it was nc unusual thing
to see dead cattle dotting the prair-
les, in some instances as many as rs
being piled up to indicate where
punches had huddled together for pro-
lection.
Another man said that the sheep
men were also heavy losers already,
particularly those whose ranges at
forded but little natural shelter. He
instanced the case of one man o
Is miles north of Glendive, whose
loss at last accounts had run we'll into
the hundreds, while still another is
reported to have lost considerably
over 1000 lambs. In both instances
the mortality was due to a comblna-
ton of cold and snow and lack OF
proper feed. The hay that had been
put up was mostly composed OF
s.spear grass it was said, which not
only afforded very little nourishment,
but also caused animals to die by at
fecting them internally.
Still further north conditions were
described as being ever worse. There
earlier in the cas- great quantities
of snow fell and which subsequently
became crusted, making it Impossible
for stock to get at the grass. one
man. who rode over considerably OF
that section, declared that in places
the crust was hard enough to peal the
weight of a horse and rider.
While it has been extremely colo
there also, it is said that as yet the
losses occurring on the range abou'
Miles City have not been serious
enough to amount to more than TN
usual average and that with som
oXc0DtlOn SLO4k VI dll Minus oO
ing fairly we'll. In some OF the OUT
living portions of the county, howeve
the snowfall has been heavy n
is feared that when later reports ar
received it will be learned that som
of the stockmen have Jared badly.
In the northern part of YelloWston
county about the same climatic cor
ditions prevailing elsewhere are II
ported, but no accounts have been II
ceiyed of more than ordinary Wlnte
losses. A majority of the stockme
there are fairly we'll provided wit
hay and there being no really larg
herds in that section, feed for abol
all stock is o~btainable. Nearly ever
body. is feeding and unless some u
foreseen contingency arises stock
all kinds will emerge next spring
tolerably good condition.