Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-12-21
MEETING OF
SHEEP MEN
3. c. White, Commissioner From Fer
gus County, Writes Of the Meet
ing Of the State Board.
BILLINGS SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY
Great Enthusiasm Exhibited by the
Ranchers, According to Report Of
Sheep Commissioner Moss.

b. c. White, of this county. was in
Helena last week in attendance on
the meeting Of the state board of
sheep commissioners, of which board
Mr.. White is member as commission.
eI of Fegus county.
The Argus is in receipt of a letter
from him which will be OF interest to
Fergus county people, in as much as
1t nm from a member of this board
and VINO is on the insioe in the mat.
tiers which were brought up for dis.
~Cussion there. The following is TAX.
en- from the letter of Mr.. White:
THE attendance at the meeting was
not what it should be in a great sheep
and wool producing state. The Hon.
I. c. Power, president of the board.
presided at the meeting and was fui.
OF suggestions, energy and activity.
lie has the affairs of the board and
the business Of the commission well
IN hand and Is well informed as TO
all that is going on in the state that
relates to the welfare of the sheep
business.
Quarantine matters were discussed
and some changes were recommended
in the existing laws. The bounty law
was taken up and discussed at some
length and il was the unanimous opin.
lon OF those present that the repeal
OF the old law Mas a mistake and
had worked a hardship TO the live
stock interests Of the state.
An amendment to the quarantine
law was also discussed. giving dep
uty inspectors the same power as dep
uty sheriffs TO make arrests for will
iul violations of the quarantine reg
lations. A case was cited from Car
bon county where an inspector was
held up at the point of "A gun and
driven off by parties trailing an in.
iected band of sheep through the
country.
"All OF the sheep men present re.
ported favorable conditions existing
among the sheep men Of their sew.
eral localities. The state veterinary
DR.. Knowles, has been active in the
interests of the sheep industry in pre-
venting infected bands of sheep from
coming into the state from Wyoming
and Idaho and also in preventing
q~uarantined bands from rowing at viii
from Isolated ground. His work ha.
been excellent and the sheep mer
can thank him for keeping the stat,
practically free from scab.
81. II. Mills, the commissioner from
Valley county, reports the condition
highly favorable in his locality, an
that sheep are going into the winte
in fine shape. with the range in splen
did condition.
Some contracting for the 1905 eli.
has been going on around Saco al 2
cents. Valley county sheepmen d.
little or no farming and are not CON
PEELED 10 put up any hay for thei
sheep, but depend upon the range tn
year through and nus far have SUI
fered little loss from severe winters
p. B. Moss, the commissioner fror
Yellowstone county, is enthusiast
upon the beet sugar enterprise goin
forward at Billings, and il seems high
ly probable that a sugar factory wi
be built in the town. Mr.. Moss say
|, eight tons OF beets produce one to
, of sugar.. Six thousand acres hav
been leased by the ranchers aroun
Billings for sugar beet culture. Thi
six thousand acres will produce. pu
J ting il at the lowest estimate, fiftee
tons of beetS 10 the acre, making
!, total of 10000 tons. worth to tn
Iancher s270.0O0 cash. 1t costs 81
} ton for cultivation. which adds $1SC
100 more 10 be distributed among tn
/ laborers. This leaves a product wort
five cents a pound at the factory. {
} 1880 tons of Montana sugar frol
10000 tons of sugar beets.
THE new state house in Helena
a credit 10 the state and has an In
/ posing appearance. We found all q
hcers doing business al the old stan
and about the capital an air of bu
; mess.
. Helena wants a through train {,
! Lewistown and her business men wal
closer relations with Fergus count
believing it would be mutually be
eicial. However. the people of Lee
I istown and Fergus county have l
1 need of going away from home
I trade. as there are no stores in Il
capital and no stocks of goods tn
can Guido Lewistown's big stores"
Large Stocks and Beautiful Lines
Holiday Goods Are Shown by
aAiStoup Merchants.