Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1904-04-22
LIVE STOCK MEETING

Some Interesting Facts Reported nt West
ern South Dakota Stock Associa
tion Meeting Last Week.
From the Rapid City Journal and
other sources we gather the following
report of the Rapid City gathering of
stockmen:
Secretary Stewart read his report
for the year past. 1t cannot be said
that Mr.. Stewart has found the past
strewn with roses as far as the cattle
industry is concerned. The live stock
industry is where it must prepare to
defend itself.
The first blow was from the beef
trust, and the proposed plan of estab-
fishing system of independant pack
ing plants received his appreciation,
although offering no immediate relief
The second blow was from the rail-
roads, all transportation for stockmen
being withwrawn.
The third degree of the 1903 calamity
| came in the shape of demand from
| the eastern holders of cattle papert that
| the same be taken up at maturity.
Locally our conditions are in bad
shape, although nothing like as bad as
associated press dispatches would have
eastern people believe.
I The organization is healthy and
| thrifty for all these discouraging fea-
lures. There is membership of 600,
ranking second among organizations
of its kind.
At Chicago, South Omaha and SouiN
City 16S,325 head of range cattle we're
marketed in 1903 as against 9S0,0C0 lin
| 1902 South Dakota rangers marketed
at same points l97 800 head as against
33333 3333, 300 in 1902.
Strays to the number of 1850 were
recovered for the members to the value
of 5AlS,2249.OS.
The figures in 1902 were. l2.A4O re
covered, to the valne of o03,o'3.O2.
The following officers were elected
President-C. X. Howard.
Vice President A. Dawson.
+. Nj Stewart Secretary and treas
urer.
Executive committee p. Lennon
Albert Tsddiken, S. G. Sheffield
Eugene Holcomb, G. M. Lamson. 1. j
NJ. Brown, j. B. Anderson, j. W
Williams, Jas. Z. Craig, J. D. Hale
Thomas Sweeney, Edward Stenge1
William Reed, B. c. Ash, e. w. Throd
T. B. Irwin, j. w. Setter.
J. e. Poole, represented the Liv
Stock World, of Chicgo, and gave
good report of the Association meetin
for his paper. He SAID: 'sThe retur
stock pass question remains the same
The railroads refuse, SO far, to max
any concession on this point. notwiti
standing the pressure brought to bea
upon them by the live stock associa
ion and individual shippers.
sit has been generally that retur
a could be gotten, if at all, by the rang
associations, but the fact is the raj
roads are evidently going to die har
g il they die at ali, on that question.
"Whether anything further can /
done about these important matte
remains to be seen at the forthcomin
especially at the congress called
meet at Denver May B. At that tin
!, and place representatives of the va
J. ious stock associations will meet
!, discuss ways and means of compellir
4 the common carriers to give reaso,
, able consideration to the necessiti
of the live stock business.
: ''Secretary f. NJ. Stewart, of ii
Western South Dakota Growers ass
ociation. in his annual report, raps I'll
railroads severely for bad service an
for abolishing return passes.
"The Secretary's report also crit
cises the packers, declaring that viii
the 1903 range cattle shipments we
22S, 900 less than 1902. the prices wei
much lower.
"The average price of South Dal6o
range steers at Chicago Omaha au
Souix City in 1903 Was only s33 again
S44 in 1902. Range COWS averaged S