Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-01-11
A POOR YEAR
F0RCATTLEMEN
Annual Report Of Secretary w. G.
Preutt Reviews Dscouraging
Market Conditions.
FEW SHIPMENTS FROM SOUTH
Estimated Values Have Dropped For.
ty Per Cent In Past Two Years
-Inspection Work.

The annual report of Secretary w.
G. Preuitt. of the state board OF live
stock commissioners, of which John
T. Murphy is president, shows that
the year just closed has been one of
the most Improbable in the history
or the business in Montana. Tho
drought in the early part of the year,
later the packing house strike, and
then the glut in the eastern markets
are given as the causes of the poor
prices. The shipments were heavy
notwithstanding, due to the fact that
growers had to ship to reduce the
number on the ranges. Referring to
The business the report says:
The year was CONSIDERED an ex-
ceptionally favorable one for the
stock interests. and because of mar
ket conditions last fall a large num-
Der of cattle were held back for the
season and up to the latter part of
June of the past year the prospects
were exceedingly bright. At that
time. however, the packing house
strike occurred and the cattle market
was paralyzed as result while a
drought set in on the ranges, and
what promised to be a most favor
able year turned out to be one of the
most disastrous seasons in the his
tory of the stock industry. When the
strike was finally adjusted the mar
ket was so glutted with live stock
that the prices realized were ruinous,
particularly in view of the fact that
range cattle were not in first-class
condition, and shippers suffered both
as to price and weights. Notwith-
standing this shipments were reason
ably large, the total shipments out Of
the state aggregating 168,525 head, Of
which 155,63S head went to eastern
markets, 8,940 to Pacific coast mar
kets, 2,627 to Canada, and 1920 to
feeding districts making the total out
put for the year 22S,775 head, when
the 10000 head estimated for home
markets is included.
"Out of these shipments the inspec-
tors recovered 2,1316 head of strays,
of which number 1887 cattle and one
horse were paid for through the Mon
tana Stock Growers association, while,
the remainder. or 1858, were remit
ted for dirtct to the respective own
ers from the place of sale. Sixty-six
head Of stray cattle were found and
sold in Canada by the Canadian as
sociation and proceeds remitted to,
Montana owners.
"The shipments of horses during
the year 1904 aggregated 1884 head,
all of which were inspected by stock
inspectors or sheriffs in the county
from which they were shipped. This
is decrease over the previous year
of about 10000 head, and the range
horses in Montana are being pretty
thoroughly shipped out.
Cattle values have decreased per-
haps 40 per cent during the past two
years in sympathy with the decrease
in the values of beef cattle on the
market. but even at this drop in val
ues few. if any, cattle have been
brought into the state from the out.
side during the past year for range
purposes. Many southern cattlemen
had acquired an eXaggerate idea Of
range conditions in this state and as a
result during 1902 and 1903 large num-
bers OF southern cattle were brought
north and turned loose in this state
for grazing purposes. the consequence
being that the ranges were over-stock-
ed with high-priced cattle, SO that the
past two unfavorable range seasons
and the disastrous market conditions
have brought immense losses to cat
tie owners and particularly those VINO
have been buying cattle at the inflat-
I'd ,f xh0 fov,,
it is undenlably true that the cattle
industry must quickly resolve itself
into feeding and pasturage basis
rather than on proposition OF open
public range.
Output for Twenty Years.
The following outline indicates the
working of the inspection system
since the organization Of the board: