The Dickinson press., 1904-02-27
S Of the OWE
Greet Changes Have Taken Place ia til.
Bad Lands Country,

VseUs S"0ss9Oo nov0 u0AcU Vt0Cc ~ lpe
Bed Lands Cosntry.
TIL, following letter dated at Medora
F. cb. q, app. AIRED recently in The Forum:
1t is hard for an old settler, living in
tn famous bad Lands, at one time
III" home Of the Marquis de Mores, of
dressed beef fame. and our president.
T e.dnre Roosevelt, to realize the grea,
changes and conditions that have taken
pl c.ia Billings county, in the last ten
years. AS far bal as 1896, the big
stock men. with their thousands OF cattle,
,i'a! r.. mcd over the ranges, here today.
there tomorrow, wi,hou, any particular
care or attention, we're still here in force
and effect. But as in the history of all
free r,;nge countries. the coming and
gradual growing Of little stock men and
settlers. with their consequent occupa.
tion Of the best water holes, and most
advantageous sites, from a range point
Of view; the gradual decreasing area of
good grazing land, and the limited sup
ply of water for the range cattle; the
anticipated survey of the land, thus
placing it upon the market. were the
principal factors, which signallcd the
departure of the big stock owners, and
the removal Of the "long-horned cattle.
The last of the big range men lief, here
about 1900.
Now all is changed; the big men and
their large herds have gone; the mess
wagon is no more; the COW boy is a new
type; what game has not been killed,
has been crowded out bv sheep; and
mail routes penetrate to the outlying
ranches. The romantic features have
all disappeared. The country is gaining
in new settlers, mostly Americans, who
have taken up homes, and in some in
stances have bought land, from the little
rancher with fifty head of cattle, who
has bought one or two sections, to the
big rancher, with 500 to o head of
cattle, who has purchased two or three
townships. This country has gained in
education and civilization. 1t has in.
creased financially and present indica-
tons point to its future and greater
prosperity. In 1896, when the large cat
tie outfits still held sway, the valuation
OF all personal property was s7oI,o72;
real property s2o,65o. In 1903 the total
valuation Of all personal property was
so2o,446; real property s3Io,326, and this
will be greatly increased in the mex,
two years.
The low market price of cattle for the
season of 1903 has not discouraged stock
owners. On the. contrary they are going
into the business with renewed vigor
No o scrub cattle are shipped in
and the ranchmen are extensively en-.
gagged in the raising of cattle from full
blood sires. The quality of the cattle is
far superior to that of ten years ago
There are. if any, very few scrub and
graded sires now in use. The Hereford
and the Polled Angus are the leading
breeds and of these the "whitefaces'
seem to have the preference.
The Bad Lands is an ideal range fol
winter grazing. As the country is rather
rough and broken, it forms a kind o.
wind break, and while one side of slope
or hill is covered with snow, the other i!
bare, exposing the feed for winter pas
ture. Probably 80 per cent of all cattle
rustic their W living during the Ions
winter, and require no shelter, taking
refuge from the severe storms in tn,
brush and breaks, and depending chief
ly upon the snow for moisture. Wher
there is no snow and the creeks ane
streams are frozen over, the ranch ME,
make every effort to water their cattl,
by driving them to springs, or breaking
water holes in the ice.
The Northern Pacific Railway Go. ha
disposed Of a large share of its land in
terests, large tracts having been pur
chased by spectators. Those ranchmel
who have bought their grazing lands
direct from the railway ~ompany, at 5
to $3.50 per acre, on easy payment, an,
have o overloaded themselves, hav
made a good investment, as land value
are gradually increasing. AS thes
tracts become fenced, not only will tn
value Of the land be increased, but war
dering cattle and horses can be kept of
and certain portions can be reserved 70
hay, and native prairie hay cannot b
equalled by tame grasses.
The weather up to the first of Febrr
airy. this year, has been mild Throughout
although there is a great deal of sno,
in some parts of the %country. Stock ha
done we'll and in most cases are in goo
shape. R. X. F.
NEARLY FORFEITS HIS LIFE.
A runaway almost ending fatal,
started a horrible ulcer on the leg of
B. Orner, Franklin Grove, Ill. For for